Shortly after President Trump’s inauguration, White House advisor and First Daughter Ivanka Trump met with Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards, and it did not go well. During that meeting, Richards was reportedly unable to clearly explain to Ms. Trump how Planned Parenthood doesn’t use federal funds to perform abortions (since federal law doesn’t allow it) and why it would be a mistake to disallow Medicaid recipients from receiving care there for cancer screening, birth control, and other preventative measures.
Now, Richards has opened up more about that meeting in a new book, and says she felt that Ivanka and husband Jared Kushner were attempting to offer a bribe to get Planned Parenthood to stop providing abortion services.
Richards, who is planning to step down from the organization later this year, writes in Make Trouble: Standing Up, Speaking Out, and Finding the Courage to Lead that the dynamic duo offered an increase in federal funding for the organization — but only if it ceased abortion services.
“Jared and Ivanka were there for one reason: to deliver a political win. In their eyes, if they could stop Planned Parenthood from providing abortions, it would confirm their reputation as savvy dealmakers. It was surreal, essentially being asked to barter away women’s rights for more money.”
“The main issue, (Kushner) explained, was abortion. If Planned Parenthood wanted to keep our federal funding, we would have to stop providing abortions.”
In the book, Richards recalls later telling a colleague that the offer “felt almost like a bribe.”
In an interview with CNN, Richards said that she feels like Ivanka Trump is failing in her self-described role as a champion for women. “If her job is to advocate for women, I don’t think she’s done a very good job,” Richards said.
(Via CNN)