Planned Parenthood Stmt on Newt Gingrich, GOP Front Runner, Signing Personhood USA Extreme Pledge
For Immediate Release: May 11, 2012
Statement by Dawn Laguens, Executive Vice President for Planned Parenthood Action Fund, on Newt Gingrich Signing Personhood USA’s petition:
“In the latest sign of how out of touch the GOP presidential candidates are on women’s health, the Republican front-runner, Newt Gingrich, as well as Michele Bachmann and Rick Santorum, have come out in favor of outlawing in vitro fertilization, common forms of birth control, and cancer treatments for pregnant women; as well as abortion, even in the cases of rape or incest.
“All three GOP presidential candidates have signed Personhood USA’s pledge in support of so-called ‘personhood.’ As media have reported, these so-called ‘personhood’ initiatives are an extreme government intrusion into the private lives of women and families and could outlaw in vitro fertilization, common forms of birth control, and cancer treatment for pregnant women.
“While Mitt Romney has not signed the Personhood USA pledge, Romney is on record as supporting ‘personhood.’ During an appearance on FOX News’ Huckabeein October, Romney said he ‘absolutely’ supported ‘personhood.’
“This is just more evidence that the GOP presidential candidates, including Mitt Romney, can’t be trusted when it comes to women’s health.
“Personhood USA is the organization behind the effort to get ‘personhood’ initiatives on state ballots across the country, including Mississippi earlier this year.
“As an indicator of how extreme ‘personhood’ is, even voters in Mississippi, the most conservative state in the nation rejected ‘personhood,’ by 16 points when it was placed on the ballot this year.
“In the three times ‘personhood’ has been on the ballot, it has been widely rejected. Colorado defeated the so-called ‘personhood’ amendment by double digit margins in 2008 and 2010.”
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BACKGROUND:
Think Progress offers a summary of the “personhood” initiative.
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Check out www.womenarewatching.org the Planned Parenthood Action Fund’s campaign to educate, engage, and activate supporters across the country for the 2012 elections and follow us on Twitter: @ppact