TRENTON — Speaking at a New Jersey Right to Life rally on the Statehouse steps today, state Sen. Michael Doherty mentioned Planned Parenthood in the same breath as some of the world’s most notorious former political regimes. “Nobody has any problem trying to have no affiliation with nefarious organizations such as the Nazis or apartheid regimes,” said Doherty. “But...
State Sen. Michael Doherty in this file photo. TRENTON — Speaking at a New Jersey Right to Life rally on the Statehouse steps today, state Sen. Michael Doherty mentioned Planned Parenthood in the same breath as some of the world’s most notorious former political regimes.
“Nobody has any problem trying to have no affiliation with nefarious organizations such as the Nazis or apartheid regimes,” said Doherty. “But somehow, we’re asked to use our tax dollars to support these type of organizations.”
The comment came two hours before the state Senate is scheduled to vote on a bill (S2899) to restore $7.45 million in funding for family planning clinics, some of which are run by Planned Parenthood.
Doherty was referring partly to a hidden camera sting that caught a Perth Amboy Planned Parenthood manager allegedly helping a couple posing as operators of a child sex ring.
The couple conducting the sting had visited several other Planned Parenthood clinics, and the organization had reported them to federal authorities before they knew it was an undercover sting operation. They did not learn of the Perth Amboy encounter until they saw the video, however and immediately fired the manager.
Doherty also accused state Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen)– the sponsor of the bill to restore the funds – of lying because there are alternative places where low-income women can receive health and pre-natal screening. Doherty said they can get similar services at Federally Qualified Health Centers and Cancer Education and Early Detection Centers.
“Shame on Loretta Weinberg for scaring the residents of New Jersey that the safety net is not there. Shame on you Loretta Weinberg – stop your lies,” he said.
Weinberg said the cancer education centers are too few and too small to make up for the cuts.
‘They couldn’t handle all of this. They told me they’ve been flat-funded for five years,” she said.
“Doherty believes what he believes and I respect him, but don’t tell me I lie about anything.”
At a Statehouse discussion on women’s health two weeks ago, Katherine Grant-Davis, president and chief executive of the New Jersey Primary Care Association, which represents the Federally Qualified Health Centers, said her organization could not keep up with a 124 percent increase in patients since 2002, and that the cuts are only adding to the burden.
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• Christie vetoes bill to expand Medicaid to more women seeking family-planning services
• N.J. lawmakers encourage Gov. Christie to restore $7.5M for women's health, family planning clinics