TALLAHASSEE, FL – The pro-life community in the State of Florida is growing increasingly frustrated with Governor Rick Scott’s excuses for refusing to stop state taxpayer money from flowing to Planned Parenthood and are demanding he do so immediately. The Florida Family Policy Council (FFPC), led by President and General Counsel John Stemberger, took the Governor to task with the reality for the four of the excuses the Governor has used to avoid acting. It is clear that not one of them holds merit:
- EXCUSE: Governor Scott claims defunding Planned Parenthood’s Medicaid contract would violate federal law.
REALITY: States not only have the legal right, but the obligation, to terminate the Medicaid contracts of those healthcare providers who are no longer deemed qualified because of fraud, waste or illegal activity.
- EXCUSE: Governor Scott Claims Planned Parenthood receives state funding for good women’s health pursuant to federal laws.
REALITY: Our state tax dollars are not being sent to an organization which complies with all state and federal laws.
- EXCUSE: Governor Scott Claims he enforces the Law When Violations Found.
REALITY: All Governors enforce the law and hold people accountable for violating it. However we expect a pro-life Governor to not fund the largest abortion provider in America with our hard earned tax dollars.
- EXCUSE: Governor Scott unapologetically refuses to defund Planned Parenthood because he simply doesn’t want to.
REALITY: Hundreds of thousands of pro-life voters in Florida elected Governor Scott and this is the most important pro-life issue that has faced our state in decades and they hope that Gov. Scott does not make this refusal to show moral leadership his legacy.
“Another heinous Planned Parenthood video was just released, and it is inconceivable that the Governor cannot use this as an opportunity to get this done,” said Florida Family Policy Council President John Stemberger. “Pro-life voters from all over the State of Florida are really upset with the litany of excuses Governor Scott makes up in order to continue allowing our hard-earned taxpayer funds to flow to the scandal ridden racketeering scheme that is Planned Parenthood.”
In October, the FFPC launched a statewide campaign – consisting of sustained grassroots and media efforts – that is urging, and if necessary, demanding that Governor Scott entirely strip Planned Parenthood of all state public funding sources within his influence, particularly the Medicaid contract, which makes up a substantial portion of Planned Parenthood’s taxpayers’ support.
The Florida Family Policy Council (FFPC), a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation, is one of 38 other state based policy councils around the country which are associated with Focus on the Family. Many of these organizations are the leading pro-life, pro-family organizations in their respective states.
For more information or to arrange an interview with John Stemberger, please contact Ryan Hughes with Shirley & Banister Public Affairs at[email protected] or (703) 739-5920.
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