Skip to main content

Women's Rights Advocates Call Out Knute Buehler's Record

May 16, 2018

Downloadable file: Planned Parenthood PAC of Oregon's Lisa Gardner explains why Knute Buehler can't be trusted to protect women's health and rights.

A coalition of advocates for women’s health and rights joined forces Wednesday to call out Republican gubernatorial nominee Knute Buehler’s record against access to reproductive health care and other issues that affect women and working families.

"Now more than ever, Oregonians need a women's health champion like Governor Kate Brown," said Lisa Gardner, Board Member for Planned Parenthood PAC of Oregon. "Last year she signed the Reproductive Health Equity Act, the nation’s most comprehensive reproductive rights bill. Thanks to her bold leadership, no-cost contraception is safeguarded in Oregon, despite the ongoing attacks from right-wing politicians in D.C. Knute Buehler has repeatedly played partisan political games with Oregon women's health and rights. In contrast, Kate Brown has shown decades of leadership in standing up for Planned Parenthood and protecting access to health care, even in the toughest of economic and political times. Oregon women will not be fooled."

Grayson Dempsey, Executive Director of Naral Pro-Choice Oregon PAC, added: “Right now in Oregon, we have a Governor who understands that women cannot truly make the best decisions about when and if to become a parent unless they have equitable access to reproductive healthcare services. Knute Buehler claims to be pro-choice, but he continues to attack women’s rights to make the best choices for their own lives and undermine access to reproductive healthcare services for the most vulnerable Oregonians. Kate Brown did not become pro-choice to win public office — she has spent her entire career fighting for the rights of women and has the voting record to prove it. There is only one pro-choice candidate in this race — and it is Governor Kate Brown.”

Andrea Paluso, Director of The Mother PAC, said: “Reproductive justice for women is directly linked to economic justice. Having a choice about whether or when to become a mother is one of the biggest economic decisions a woman can make — especially when we consider how few supports exist for women once they become mothers. Our Governor, Kate Brown, doesn’t just talk about her pro-choice values during election season, she lives them every day. She champions the policies that women and working families need, like access to reproductive health services for all women, paid sick days, raising the minimum wage, and family and medical leave. Since he became a legislator, Knute Buehler has voted against nearly all of the major advances Oregon women and mothers have made. We have no reason to believe he would govern our state any differently. There’s simply no better candidate for Oregon women than Governor Kate Brown.”

Earlier this year, Planned Parenthood PAC of Oregon launched TheTruthAboutKnute.com, which contains a timeline of news items dating back to 2014 that demonstrate why Oregon voters should be alarmed:

  • Votes against safeguarding abortion rights: The Reproductive Health Equity Act was the single most important vote in Knute Buehler's legislative career to protect access to reproductive health care. He voted NO.

  • Opposes patient privacy protections: In 2015, Knute Buehler voted against legislation to ensure confidentiality in insurance communications. Without these protections, some women cannot seek the health care they need for fear of someone else receiving their medical information.

  • Fails to stand up for Planned Parenthood: When asked why he wasn't defending Planned Parenthood in the face of relentless federal attacks - including the health center in his own legislative district - Knute Buehler dodged responsibility. That's not showing leadership. That's playing politics with women's lives.

  • Sides with anti-abortion extremists: In 2014, Knute Buehler met with and earned the "recommendation" of Oregon Right To Life, which means he supports "the majority" of their priorities. This radical organization is determined to restrict birth control and to outlaw all abortion, even in cases of rape and incest.

  • Shames Oregon women: In an interview with right-wing radio host Lars Larson, Knute Buehler shamed Oregon women for making personal medical decisions about their “unborn children.” He said, “We need to convince people in their hearts and minds that abortion is the wrong option.”

  • Discriminates against low-income women: OPB reported that Knute Buehler doesn’t believe low-income Oregon women should have access to safe, legal abortion: “He said he opposed state funding except in cases where it is ‘medically necessary.’” Restrictions on reproductive health coverage can push women deeper into poverty and have profoundly harmful effects on public health.

 

Comments