This article appeared online at The Hill on March 26, 2011.
Musgrave says Planned Parenthood covers up rape, incest
By Gautham Nagesh
Former Congresswoman and anti-abortion rights advocate Marilyn Musgrave (R-Colo.) suggested Planned Parenthood covers up sexual assaults against underage girls during the Conservative Principles Conference in Des Moines on Saturday.
When asked by another advocate in the audience how to best pressure the Senate into defunding Planned Parenthood, Musgrave recalled watching a recent interview with former star NFL linebacker Lawrence Taylor discussing allegations he had sex with an underage prostitute.
“You know what I thought about? Underage prostitutes, runaway girls, girls in crisis. Guess what folks? Planned Parenthood will readily give them birth control. Planned Parenthood will cover up statutory rape, incest, whatever,” Musgrave said.
“I think we all need to pause in our daily lives and think about what Planned Parenthood really does. And, you bet, the Senate is a problem right now when we’re talking about defunding them.”
Musgrave challenged Democrats who have pledged not to cut the group’s funding.
“[Senate Majority Leader] Harry Reid says he’ll shut down the government before he’ll take money away from Planned Parenthood, and I say to Harry Reid ‘Go ahead!'”
She argued cutting Planned Parenthood’s funding should be a non-negotiable point for the GOP during the current budget talks and called the current House Republican leadership including Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) “the most pro-life Congress ever.”
Family Research Council PAC President Connie Mackey echoed Musgrave’s call for the GOP to shut down the government over the issue of Planned Parenthood’s funding.
