Sunday, January 31, 2016

Chris Sununu - Impervious to Facts



Back in August, Chris Sununu voted to defund Planned Parenthood in New Hampshire, after the big fake video uproar:

With Planned Parenthood, “you have a criminal investigation on a federal level,” Sununu tells National Review, referring to a congressional probe into the organization launched by House Republicans. “If this had been any other business with this type of legal and ethical scrutiny, there would be no question about cutting state funds.” The state’s elected council voted to cut $639,000 in funding for Planned Parenthood. Their success may have been partly due to New Hampshire’s unique process, in which its elected council works with the governor to approve large state contracts.

(Note: The Executive Council is one of many processes unique to NH - like using user fees to fund our state park system. They are unique for good reason - they don't work well.)

There was a criminal investigation. Planned Parenthood has been exonerated. Here's the thing. Abortion is legal. Tissue donation is legal. Patients have to agree to it, just as survivors agree to organ donation when their family member dies. It's a choice. 

Not only has Planned Parenthood been cleared of any wrong doing, the videographers were indicted in Texas.  That's right, Texas. Not exactly the home of abortion friendly politics. 

Despite the exoneration and subsequent indictment, Chris Sununu is staying the course:

Chris Sununu, an executive councilor and Republican candidate for governor, said he will not change his position against funding two Planned Parenthood state contracts, after a grand jury in Houston, Texas, Monday found no wrongdoing by the organization relative to a fetal tissue program in that state.
Nor, he said, will he be influenced by the GOP-majority New Hampshire House’s vote Wednesday not to investigate the women’s health care provider. 

The facts aren't going to sway this guy! Nosiree Bob! 

In interviews Wednesday and Thursday, he said his continued opposition to the contracts is based on Gov. Maggie Hassan’s refusal to investigate Planned Parenthood of Northern New England and because of attacks against him by the women’s health care provider following his vote against the contracts. 

Sununu wants the governor to spend state money on an investigation of ....what, exactly?  Planned Parenthood has been exonerated. NH has never been part of the tissue donation program. 

“They proved themselves to be bullies and I don’t do business with bullies,” Sununu said.

An inability to handle pushback from opposition doesn't bode well for him should he be elected governor of our state. 



 Chris Sununu once had some cred as a pro-choice Republican, but now he is running for Governor. He's going to need a LOT of money to fund that campaign. Let us all ruminate on how many GOP funders will be willing to fund a "pro-choice" Republican. Sununu made a very calculated decision to choose money over facts. Money over women's women's lives. 

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