Lt GovernorDaniel McKee admonished for dismissive comments on reproductive rights
By Steve
Ahlquist for UpRiseRI
 |
| McKee doesn't seem to have many positions other than wanting to be re-elected and wanting "choice" to mean more charter schools |
“Did he miss that a 15-week abortion ban was passed in Mississippi? Did he hear that four pregnant teenagers have been detained by ICE [United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement] and were denied their right to receive abortion health care? Does he know that there is legislation pending in Ohio that could completely ban abortion? I hope Mr McKee will start paying attention. Reproductive health care is under attack, and women and marginalized communities are already feeling the impact.”
Foye’s comments come after McKee
made comments on Rhode Island Public Radio’s Political Roundtable program
questioning if passing the Reproductive
Health Care Act (RHCA)
was necessary, whether it would hold up in court, and described the campaign to
pass the bill as, “more of a gesture.”
“Passage of the Reproductive Health Care Act (RHCA) is important to women in Rhode Island because they see their reproductive rights being eroded in this state, and across the country,” said Hilary Levey Friedman, President of RI NOW.
“Even if passage were ‘only’ a gesture, it would be one that shows women that they control the choices they make about their bodies. We need elected representatives who will not make excuses and instead act to protect all Rhode Islanders. If Lieutenant Governor McKee attends next week’s hearings in the House on the RHCA he will see that women’s voices – especially those within his own Party – cannot simply be dismissed.”
“Our members have selected passage
of the Reproductive Health Care Act as one of our top priorities,” said Andy
Acciaioli, executive director of Indivisible
Rhode Island.
“Someone should explain to Lieutenant Governor McKee the difference between a gesture and the preservation of a woman’s right to choose; given the current anti-women’s rights climate in Washington. If Mr McKee or any other Rhode Island elected official choose to not protect women’s reproductive health care, perhaps others should fill those offices.”
“Someone should explain to Lieutenant Governor McKee the difference between a gesture and the preservation of a woman’s right to choose; given the current anti-women’s rights climate in Washington. If Mr McKee or any other Rhode Island elected official choose to not protect women’s reproductive health care, perhaps others should fill those offices.”
“You can’t have economic justice
without reproductive justice,” said Georgia Hollister Isman, state
director for Rhode Island Working
Families, “Last week we heard very clearly that Dan McKee is not willing
to stand up for reproductive justice. Rhode Island women should have leaders
who understand how reproductive justice is essential for women and their
families to thrive.”
RIPR Interview: http://ripr.org/post/bonus-qa-mckee-speed-cameras-charters-fundraising-more#stream/0
Transcript of Remarks
SCOTT MACKAY: A lot of women of the Democratic Party and the
Women’s Caucus are pushing to get the Roe v Wade federal abortion standard
which of course means pro choice, enshrined in Rhode Island law.
DAN MCKEE: First of all I’m not a constitutional lawyer so I don’t
even know if that like, you know is it more of a gesture, as opposed to
support, is actually, is it actually going to hold up, I don’t know. I don’t
see the Roe Vs Wade going to be reversed…I don’t know if it adds anything any
more protection or not quite frankly, Scott.