The coalition is becoming increasingly bipartisan as Republican groups signal their opposition to the amendment.
The South Dakota law is being challenged by Planned Parenthood of Minnesota, South Dakota and North Dakota. Minnesotans have also donated to the fund.
Tim Pawlenty has been touting his record of opposition to abortion and funding for Planned Parenthood, but this hard-line on abortion is somewhat new. One acquaintance of Pawlenty’s says that his “pro-life” stance is faked, and a report by Mother Jones on Thursday demonstrates that Pawlenty approved a “dizzying increase” in funds for Planned Parenthood and other family planning agencies — according to a local paper at the time — during his two terms as governor, as well as cutting abstinence-only programs.
At this weekend’s Faith & Freedom Conference in Washington, D.C., Rep. Michele Bachmann told attendees she was pleased that a constitutional amendment that would bar same-sex couples from marrying in Minnesota would be on the ballot in 2012.
As we reported yesterday, Rep. Michele Bachmann made TIME Magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world. The Minnesota Republican, who has been outspoken about her aim to defund Planned Parenthood, is joined on that list by one Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America.
Minnesota legislators introduced a bill on Monday that would ban state family planning money from going to any organization that offers abortion services, advocates for the right to choose an abortion, counsels pregnant women that abortion is an option or is affiliated with any organization that engages in those activities. In fact, under the bill, family planning dollars cannot be used to refer women to abortion services even if they are explicitly seeking those services. The bill introduced on Monday is the twelfth anti-abortion rights bill introduced so far this session.
CNN’s Anderson Cooper fact-checked Rep. Michele Bachmann’s remarks about Planned Parenthood on Tuesday, particularly Bachmann’s repeated claims that “Planned Parenthood wants to be the LensCrafters of Big Abortion.” Cooper found that claim, during a social conservative gathering for potential presidential candidates, to be incorrect. The Minnesota Independent’s check on that claim last year came to a similar conclusion.
Again stirring controversy on Capitol Hill is a measure in the U.S. House budget bill that would prevent federal funds from going to Planned Parenthood and cut Title X family planning funds. Potential presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty told anti-abortion rights group the Susan B. Anthony List that he supports defunding Planned Parenthood. Meanwhile, Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken signed a letter opposing the provision.
Senate Republicans are working to defund family planning programs in Minnesota and prevent the state from accepting federal family planning dollars. The health and human services budget bill slashes money for programs that provide services to families either seeking to become pregnant or to prevent becoming pregnant. Those funds cannot be used to perform abortions or provide referrals to abortion services. The move mirrors a push by Republicans at the federal level to defund Planned Parenthood. Along with county public health departments, Planned Parenthood clinics in Minnesota are a major beneficiary of family planning funds.
Minnesota Republicans introduced two more bills on Thursday to ban abortions “at or after 20 weeks gestational age,” bringing the total number of bills banning various aspects of abortion to eight. Four would eliminate state funding for abortion services,…
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