Sen. Heller lied to my face about Planned Parenthood: Donna West

[riversedge]

Sen. Heller lied to my face about Planned Parenthood: Donna West


http://www.rgj.com/story/opinion/voices/2017/04/21/sen-heller-lied-my-face-planned-parenthood-donna-west/305856001/


Donna West, Special to the RGJ 8:37 p.m. PT April 20, 2017



636280467580656494-Town-Hall-Meeting-51.JPGBuy Photo

(Photo: Andy Barron/RGJ)
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In March, I traveled to Washington, D.C. as part of Planned Parenthood Patient Advocacy Day. I met with our Nevada representatives on Capitol Hill to ask if they would stand with Planned Parenthood and protect their federal funding. Senator Dean Heller wasn't available, and his staff said that he preferred community health centers over Planned Parenthood clinics. I advised his staff that Nevada’s community health centers have emphatically stated that they could not serve the 18,000 patients currently served by Planned Parenthood in our state. Just last month, Senator Heller cast the deciding vote to let states discriminate against Planned Parenthood health centers.

I wanted a real answer directly from Senator Heller – who still hasn't held any public town halls in Las Vegas – so I traveled to Reno to attend his town hall there on Monday. I asked him if he knew that Southern Nevada has led our nation in the outbreak of STIs in the past three years, and I noted that Planned Parenthood is on the frontline of testing for and treating STIs. I was one of many who asked about Planned Parenthood, and Senator Heller assured us publicly (it’s on video!) that he would protect Planned Parenthood and had no problems with the organization’s federal funding. I asked for those in the audience of 600 to stand if they supported Planned Parenthood, and nearly the entire room rose in strong support.

Although Senator Heller has a long record in Washington of trying to defund and undermine Planned Parenthood, I believed that we’d finally broken through to him after months of marching, rallying, calling and showing up at his office. It was my hope that he finally saw the benefit of Planned Parenthood’s services for his constituents.

The very next day, Senator Heller’s office revealed that he had lied to us. He completely reversed himself, pushed false talking points and said he still doesn’t support Planned Parenthood because they provide access to abortions. Safe and legal abortions account for just 3% of Planned Parenthood’s services, and this service is funded by private donations. It cannot be funded with federal dollars under the Hyde Amendment........................



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[spanone]

1. republicans learned from trump that the truth is irrelevant with their voters....

[riversedge]

9. Unfortunately, you are right.

[bucolic_frolic]

2. It's all about control with the New Puritans

Deviations from their mental concepts are not permitted.
All must obey their laws and ways of living, and pay for it too.

[vlyons]

3. Save that video!

Whoever runs against him the next time he's up for re-election, that video can be used against him to show that he's an untrustworthy liar.

[Leith]

4. One of many Reasons That A-Hole Will Never Get My Vote

He does nothing but keep a rethug seat warm.

[lark]

5. Hopefully he'll become ensnared in a wave movement and be gone.

God, what I wouldn't do to see an election not outright stolen by Repugs. They've even resorted to stealing voting machines in GA, and still nothing is done. If there's any hope of taking back the House or Senate, we have to win in a landslide, otherwise the Russian Repugs just steal the election.

[LakeArenal]

6. A hypocritical Republican? A Lying Republican?

Impossible.

[RoBear]

8. So true.

Sadly.

[volstork]

7. Of course he lied.

That's what they do. All day. Every day. They are liars.

[William769]

11. Kick & recommended.