If you were wondering why Democrats support Planned Parenthood even after the airing of videos that graphically show the organization is selling fetal body parts, possibly illegally selling, the answer has nothing to do with women’s health issues. Rather it’s the almighty dollar — you know, the form of currency that the left is forever accusing the right of selling its soul for. According to Fox News the taxpayer-funded women’s health care and abortion provider’s employees and their political arms have donated at least $25 million to Democratic Party lawmakers over the past 15 years:
The money, which flowed through an extensive web of Planned Parenthood employees, political action committees and soft-money donors accounts for 99 percent of all political donations linked to Planned Parenthood, leaving little doubt about the partisan preference of the organization. Amid calls for ending the organization’s roughly $500 million in annual federal funding, Planned Parenthood may need its political muscle more than ever.
“These types of contributions — any contributions — to public officials are important and they do sway votes,” said Jeanne Zaino, a political science professor at Iona College in New Rochelle, N.Y.
In addition to direct donations to the campaigns of Democratic lawmakers around the nation, Planned Parenthood employees and affiliates spent $12 million on lobbying efforts during the same span, according to documents examined by FoxNews.com.
That’s a ton of cash. Of course, Planned Parenthood doesn’t directly donate to politicians and causes, but their PAC can.
Planned Parenthood’s political arm, the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, works with scores of state, regional and local PACs and affiliates that seek to influence elections on every level. It is funded by private contributions and is not permitted to use the organization’s funds even as it advocates for the organization and contributes to candidates sympathetic to its cause.
Remember last week’s failed vote to defund Planned Parenthood? Here’s a little fun fact:
Voting against the measure were several lawmakers who received some of the $884,574 Planned Parenthood’s PACs and supporters contributed to candidates and parties last year, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. The largest recipient, Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., received $22,290 and voted with other Planned Parenthood-backed senators including Jeanne Shaheen, of New Hampshire, Al Franken, of Minnesota, and Jeff Merkley, of Oregon, to block the move.
Democratic senators from so-called “red” states also have received sizable donations from Planned Parenthood PACs and supporters. Since 2006, Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., has received a little more than $26,000; Jon Tester, D-Mont., $19,000 and Heidi Heitkamp, D-S.D., has received $5,300.
Some current and former Planned Parenthood employees donated more than $100,000 to mostly Democrat-supported candidates and causes. Aimee Boone Cunningham, of Austin, Texas, donated a total of $233,000 to the Super PAC Planned Parenthood Votes, Democratic congressional candidates and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee between 2012 and 2014. According to the Center for Reproductive Rights, she was most recently the vice president of development of Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas. She also has been the deputy director of the Texas Democratic Trust and the deputy executive director/finance director of the Texas Democratic Party.
Here’s the bottom line: Since the 2000 elections, every Senate Democrat who has voted not to defund Planned Parenthood has received a contribution from Planned Parenthood PACs and/or their supporters
“Their donation priorities demonstrate that, obviously, Planned Parenthood knows who will support their agenda no matter what,” Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., said. “I am hopeful that the senators who voted against redirecting Planned Parenthood taxpayer funding will listen to the millions of people around the nation that are mortified that their hard-earned money is being used to facilitate the trafficking of children’s body parts. Federal funding for Planned Parenthood shouldn’t be a partisan or lobbying issue.”
And after what’s a few thousand dollars to guarantee your organization can continue to kill and mutilate babies that are still in their mother’s wombs, then sell their body parts for a nice profit?
Cross-posted at The Lid
