Kathleen Sebelius Takes Planned Parenthood Advice Over Supreme Court Precedent on Contraception Mandate

Katie Pavlich | April 30, 2012 2:13 PM

Despite the ObamaCare contraception mandate requiring religious employers to cover contraception in their employee health insurance plans being a clear trampling of religious freedom, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius isn't interested in "wading into Constitutional law." Remember, Sebelius is in charge of overseeing the implementation of ObamaCare and can change the rules as she goes.

ACLJ has more:

Last Thursday, Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services, appeared at a full committee hearing of the House Education and Workforce Committee.

Representative Trey Gowdy of South Carolina asked Sebelius to explain her statement earlier this year that requiring religious employers to include abortion-inducing drugs, sterilization, and contraceptive services in their health insurance plans “strikes the appropriate balance between respecting religious freedom and increasing access to important preventive services.”

She was wholly unfamiliar with the Supreme Court’s decisions regarding religious freedom; she relied on no legal memorandum in cobbling the mandate together; and, as Sebelius testified in February, she didn’t even seek the advice of the Department of Justice regarding the legality of the mandate.

FLASHBACK: Planned Parenthood key factor behind contraception mandate.

Guess who was a key player in pushing through the birth control mandate in ObamaCare? Planned Parenthood CEO Cecile Richards. According to reports, not only did Obama listen to Richards, but took her word over the suggestions his top advisers, including Vice President Joe Biden, then Chief of Staff Bill Daley and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

So, to be clear, Kathleen Sebelius and the President of the United States relied more on the opinion of Planned Parenthood CEO Cecile Richards than Supreme Court precedent when it came to whether they should require religious employers to cover contraception in their health insurance plans, despite moral and religious objections to the mandate.