A new book reveals that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez faced resistance from Planned Parenthood and NARAL when she sought to eliminate the Hyde Amendment.
Despite widespread Democratic opposition to the amendment, she was told by fellow Democrats and the organizations that it was not feasible due to Senate Republicans and President Trump.
Ocasio-Cortez was surprised to find that Planned Parenthood and NARAL did not want Democrats to try and remove the Hyde Amendment, with their reasoning being that protecting Democratic majority was the first priority. (Trending: Biden Bank Records Reveal Another Massive Bombshell)
“Let’s take it out,” Ocasio-Cortez supposedly said, as it “seemed like an easy one,” as Grim’s book states.
“AOC’s staff reached out to natural allies on the issue, Planned Parenthood, and NARAL, Pro-Choice America the biggest pro-choice players on the Hill,” Grim wrote.
“Publicly, they were strident opponents of the Hyde Amendment and had lambasted Biden for his support of it. Riffle first spoke with Jacqueline Ayers, the top lobbyist for Planned Parenthood, and was surprised to learn that the organization did not want Democrats to try and remove the Hyde Amendment.”
“Planned Parenthood’s reasoning was similar to DeLauro’s: we don’t have the votes in the Senate so we’ll lose.”
“But Riffle argued, ‘Isn’t it your mission to repeal Hyde and protect abortion rights?’” the book says.
“‘Yes,’ she told him. ‘But we can’t do that if Democrats lose the majority so protecting them is the first order of business.’”
“Ocasio-Cortez was floored,” Grim wrote.
“How was Joe Biden to the left of Planned Parenthood and NARAL on abortion rights? It made no sense.”
“At the last minute, AOC didn’t show up, sending an aide instead,” Grim wrote.
“She was still intent on repeal.”
“Ocasio-Cortez spoke to Pressley, who was the chair of a caucus dedicated to promoting abortion rights, and agreed to cede the issue to her,” Grim wrote.
“Pressley ended up writing an amendment that, for procedural reasons, was expected not to get through the rules committee. That would allow opponents of Hyde to make a run at it without forcing a vote or even a debate on the floor.”
“As expected, the Pressley amendment was rejected before it could get to the floor. A Planned Parenthood official followed up by complaining to Ocasio-Cortez’s office that Riffle had been too gruff on the phone.”
Despite her efforts, an amendment introduced by her and Ayanna Pressley ultimately failed to make an impact.
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