Planned Parenthood Spends $1.3 Million to Attack Pro-Life Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey

State   |   Micaiah Bilger   |   Aug 16, 2016   |   3:28PM   |   Harrisburg, PA

Abortion activists are throwing millions of outside dollars into Pennsylvania in an attempt to oust pro-life U.S. Senator Pat Toomey.

Toomey’s challenger, Katie McGinty, is pro-abortion and has the endorsement of Planned Parenthood, while Toomey has a 100-percent pro-life voting record and the backing of several pro-life groups.

According to Philly.com, it’s the most expensive U.S. Senate race in the current election, with more than $52 million already spent. Pro-abortion groups have been some of the biggest spenders on the race.

This week, Planned Parenthood launched a $1.3 million ad campaign attacking Toomey’s past pro-life statements, Breitbart reports. The ad, which is running on TV and online, shows a clip of a 2009 interview that Toomey did with MSNBC’s Chris Matthews.

“I would support legislation in Pennsylvania that would ban abortion,” Toomey said. “And I would suggest that we have penalties for doctors who perform them.”

When Matthews pressed him on the issue, Toomey said the penalties for abortionists could include jail. The ad claims that Toomey wants to “throw doctors in jail,” which would be “dangerous” for Pennsylvania women and families.

Planned Parenthood Votes executive director Deirdre Schifeling also slung mud at Toomey in a recent statement.

“Pat Toomey is like a termite –– you don’t realize that he’s busy eroding all your rights until your entire house falls down,” Schifeling said.

Toomey’s campaign responded by pointing out how McGinty is the real extremist when it comes to abortion.

“Pat Toomey’s record on abortion is the same as a majority of elected Pennsylvanians in Congress and the state legislature, while Katie McGinty’s view is so extreme that she would have taxpayers paying for any abortion for any reason during any time of pregnancy,” the campaign responded.

Maria Gallagher, Legislative/PAC Director for the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation, an affiliate of National Right to Life, told LifeNews that Toomey is “securely in the mainstream” when it comes to representing Pennsylvanians on the abortion issue.

“Senator Toomey has been a strong and eloquent voice in the U.S. Senate,” Gallagher said. “Katie McGinty would be a mouthpiece for the abortion industry if elected this year.”

Click here to sign up for pro-life news alerts from LifeNews.com

Gallagher said McGinty even opposes a bill to ban the brutal practice of dismemberment abortion, in which an unborn baby is torn limb by limb from the mother’s womb.

McGinty’s pro-abortion record makes her a favorite of abortion activists. In addition to the million-dollar ad campaign, Planned Parenthood also spent close to $300,000 more attacking Toomey, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks election spending. The pro-abortion group Emily’s List also has spent more than $3 million through its affiliated Women Vote! Super PAC on the Pennsylvania Senate race, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Philly.com reports that the abortion chain Planned Parenthood also has volunteers campaigning door to door for McGinty.

“Planned Parenthood boasts that Pennsylvania is home to its largest volunteer base, 500 strong. The group is using those numbers for canvassing in Western Pennsylvania …” according to the report.

pattoomey2