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Planned Parenthood Targeted Pro-Life Democrat with Racial Slur, Now His Bill is Headed to Governor's Desk

Rebecca Downs
Rebecca Downs  |  September 06, 2021 7:15 PM

A Texas law signed by Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) recently went into effect which restricts abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, which is at around six weeks. Now, a bill restricting chemical abortion, also known as medication abortion, to seven rather than 10 weeks is headed to the governor's desk. The bill, SB 4, was sponsored by state Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr., who is a pro-life Democrat. 

Throughout the 2020 primary and runoff primary, Planned Parenthood Texas Votes referred to Lucio as "Sucio Lucio" when calling for a primary opponent to oust him. The term "sucio" is considered to be a slur and derogatory against Mexicans. 

While the abortion group was criticized for using such a term, social media posts with such language remain.

Planned Parenthood and others also used the term in mailers. Bishop Daniel Flores, the bishop of Brownsville, issued a statement criticizing the groups' use of the term. The state senator's son, Eddie Lucio III, who is a Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives, echoed Bishop Flores' statement.

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Sen. Lucio affirmed his stance on pro-life issues, which he said "I don't make any excuses for that, and I don't apologize for that" when speaking to the Catholic News Agency in July 2020. According to Matt Hadro's reporting for the outlet:

Pro-abortion groups such as Planned Parenthood Texas Votes PAC and the Texas Freedom Network have repeatedly referred to Lucio as "Sucio Lucio" in direct mailing campaigns and online, calling him "dirty" in an apparent reference to his politics; the term, he and others have said, is offensive to Hispanics.

"It's been used in the past to describe a 'dirty Mexican,'" Lucio told CNA. "I take it hard for someone to use an adjective that speaks badly of my surname that I'm very proud of. My dad was a very decent, hard-working man who contributed so much to his fellow man." Lucio said his father was a disabled American veteran who fought in World War II in North Africa and Italy.

The groups "appropriated this offensive term, without consideration of its racist undertones, and it's wrong to use the term to describe any person of color," Lucio said. The opposition, he said, is "wanting to defeat me because I am pro-life."

Lucio beat Democratic primary opponent Sara Stapleton-Barrera in a runoff primary election, 53.5 percent to 46.5 percent. In the general election, he defeated Republican candidate Vanessa Tijerina 64.8 percent to 35.2 percent. 

Despite authoring SB 4, one would be hard pressed to find mention of the pro-life Democrat's name in mainstream media coverage of the bill. 

As Laura Nicole with Live Action explained about the legislation:

SB 4 aims to codify safety protections surrounding the use of the abortion pill mifepristone. The bill limits the administration of the abortion pill to no later than seven weeks’ gestation (it is currently FDA approved for up to 10 weeks gestation), and it prohibits the prescription of the abortion pill by mail. The law requires physicians to provide a minimum standard of care to include: conducting an in-person examination to confirm the pregnancy; ruling out ectopic pregnancy; and determining the woman’s blood type and treat for Rh negativity, as well as to document any treatment. The physician must also schedule a follow up within 14 days to assess the woman’s health.

The Biden administration in April lifted certain regulations on the method by making it available through the mail, citing the pandemic as an excuse. It makes the method much less safe, however. 

As I've reported in the past: 

Not shockingly, this method is particularly dangerous. It carries with it four times the complications of surgical abortions. Incomplete abortions happen 5 percent of the time, with some studies finding 10 percent of women facing incomplete abortions at 9-weeks gestation. This can lead to death from infection if remaining fetal parts or tissue are not properly removed. 

Side-effects and risk associated with this method include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, fever/chills, and headaches. The bleeding may last for weeks after the abortion. 

It's also gaining popularity. Thanks to this method--which accounted for 41 percent of abortions in 2018--total abortions have actually increased.  

Some abortion groups have continuously touted the willingness to assist women in acquiring pills even if they are illegal, despite the danger of the method. Pro-abortion politicians and organizations have also been pushing  chemical abortion as of late.