Yesterday, Planned Parenthood Action Fund announced the release of their latest ad, this one attacking Senator Dean Heller (R-Nev.) for voting in favor of the Senate’s failed attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act and defund Planned Parenthood.
You can watch the full video below:
Planned Parenthood is displeased with Sen. Heller for voting in favor of the repeal bill after having stated he would “defend Planned Parenthood” this past April.
The ad also takes Heller to task for his reasoning behind wanting to defund the abortion giant. Heller argues his objection to Planned Parenthood is due to their using federal funds to run ads against conservatives and to pay for abortions — a claim Planned Parenthood says is a lie.
However, while it may be technically true that government money to Planned Parenthood doesn’t go directly to these causes, the reality of the way the organization operates renders this technicality almost meaningless.
For example, the ad states that “Planned Parenthood Federation of America spends zero dollars on elections.” While this is true as far is it goes, it conveniently ignores PPFA’s sister organizations — Planned Parenthood Action and Planned Parenthood Votes — which have spent tens of millions of dollars on elections in recent years, nearly all of it likely targeting conservatives. And while these related political groups may not receive federal funds, the fact that PPFA does certainly must make it easier for them to raise and spend more money, and thus have a greater influence on elections.
And the same goes for funding abortions. Planned Parenthood points out in the ad that, thanks to the Hyde Amendment — which they have not coincidentally campaigned against — no federal dollars can be used to perform an abortion. However, once again, while Planned Parenthood may not technically use the money they receive from Washington to pay for abortions, that funding certainly acts as an indirect subsidy, by allowing Planned Parenthood to redirect other money to that end.
So is Sen. Heller really the one “lying to [his] constituents” or is Planned Parenthood? You be the judge.
Photo credit: Screenshot via YouTube
