Planned Parenthood Abortion Biz Endorses Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber

State   |   Liberty Pike   |   Jul 21, 2014   |   2:37PM   |   Salem, OR

In a turn of events that surprises no one familiar with the uber-liberal Oregon political scene, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon has officially endorsed Gov. John Kitzhaber (D) in his re-election efforts while condemning Rep. Dennis Richardson, the Republican gubernatorial candidate.

Citing a 1990 op-ed piece in which Richardson, a strongly pro-life conservative, wrote that “A woman relinquishes her unfettered right to control her own body when her actions cause the conception of a baby,” PPAO claimed these “outrageous” comments which are “out of touch with Oregon values” forced them to endorse Kitzhaber.

kitzhaberThe truth is there never was any doubt whether PPAO would endorse the three-term governor in his fourth run for the office. The question was only when. Kitzhaber is a virulently pro-abortion governor.

Gayle Atteberry, Oregon Right to Life’s Executive Director, says of the governor: “He has literally no restraints on abortion: he vetoed a bill which would allow parents to be notified if their minor daughter was planning an abortion; he vetoed the entire Oregon health budget because it did not contain funding for abortion. He also advocated assisted suicide in Oregon. Most recently, he condemned the SCOTUS Hobby Lobby decision as ‘the wrong direction for women’s health.’”

Rep. Richardson, on the other hand, is a long-time supporter of rights for the preborn. Here is a quoted list from PPAO of his “wrongs” against women:

  • In 2005, Richardson introduced a fetal “personhood” bill.
  • In 2006, Richardson was chief sponsor of Ballot Measure 43, which would have endangered young women’s health by requiring parental notification prior to an abortion.
  • In 2007, Richardson was one of only nine House members to vote against a bill requiring insurance companies to cover birth control and requiring hospitals to offer emergency contraceptives to women after a sexual assault.
  • In 2009, Richardson was one of only 19 votes against medically accurate, age-appropriate sexual health education.
  • In 2013, Richardson accepted a $20,000 donation from Oregon Right to Life to push its radical agenda, which includes a ban on all abortion (even in cases of rape and incest) and certain forms of birth control.

Radical agenda? You’re right, PPAO. Wanting to stop the deaths of thousands of preborn women (and men, too!) in Oregon is really “radical.” But you couldn’t be more wrong about Richardson being “out of touch with Oregon values.” It would be more accurate to say he is out of touch with Portland values, but then, so is most of the country. Oregon is full of pro-life conservatives outside its major metro cities. (Portland, Eugene, Corvallis, here’s looking at you – stop turning our state blue!)

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Atteberry said of Richardson: “There could not be any starker difference between Gov. Kitzhaber and Rep. Richardson when it comes to respecting human life. Richardson has never missed a single opportunity to sponsor a bill which would protect both the unborn child and her mother. We are pleased to have endorsed him in the Republican primaries and will continue to stand by him, hopefully seeing him to victory in November.”