Tipsheet

New Hampshire Defunds Planned Parenthood

So, in the wake of Center for Medical Progress’ Planned Parenthood videos, New Hampshire has decided to defund the organization (via WMUR):

New Hampshire's Republican-led Executive Council rejected $639,000 in state funding for Planned Parenthood along party lines Wednesday amid a renewed national debate over whether the organization should receive public money.

"Voting against this contract is not going to stop one single abortion in New Hampshire, but it is going to stop thousands of people from accessing quality, affordable health care," Democratic Councilor Chris Pappas said.

The five-member council took up Planned Parenthood funding as part of roughly $1 million in state contracts with four health providers for family planning services, including STD testing, cancer screenings, counseling and access to contraception.

The council, controlled 3-2 by Republicans, approved contracts with the Concord Feminist Health Center, the Joan G. Lovering Health Center on the Seacoast and Weeks Medical Center in the North Country.

In rejecting the contract, Republican councilors cited recently released videos by anti-abortion activists showing the organization's officials discussing providing medical researchers with tissue from aborted fetuses.

Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan isn’t pleased.

"I find it very, very troubling that anyone would vote against these contracts just because the national political climate is a little difficult,” according to WMUR. At the same time, almost 70 percent of Americans have no clue about the hideous videos that have been released over the past few weeks.