FACT CHECK: Dave Reichert’s Bold-Faced Lies on His Anti-Abortion Track Record

FACT CHECK: Dave Reichert’s Bold-Faced Lies on His Anti-Abortion Track Record 

Former U.S. Congressman and Republican candidate for governor Dave Reichert recently took to social media to claim he’s “never supported an abortion ban.”

That’s a lie. Here are the facts about Reichert, who was even dubbed an “anti-abortion stalwart” by The Seattle Times: 

• In Congress, Reichert voted multiple times, including as recently as 2017, for a federal abortion ban that would have criminalized doctors.
• Reichert voted against amendments to add an exception to federal abortion bans to protect the health of the mother – twice.
• Reichert voted nearly 20 times to block federal funding for Planned Parenthood and accessible, affordable health care services.
• In 2016, Reichert voted to allow health care providers to deny patients an abortion.
• Reichert voted to make it a crime to help teens seeking reproductive health care to travel across state lines to avoid parental notification laws.
• Reichert voted several times, including as recently as 2018, to restrict access to contraception.
• Reichert voted against legislation that protected women from being fired at work for getting an abortion or using birth control.

Earlier this year, Reichert spoke at a town hall event hosted by the extreme anti-abortion group Firmly Planted Action, which has called for “end[ing] abortion once and for all,” celebrated the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and whose founder also promised to roll back Washingtonians’ abortion rights. At that event, when asked if he would eliminate funds for Planned Parenthood, Reichert “responded by talking about ‘unraveling’ certain state laws, and getting more people elected to make changes through the Legislature over time…” 

“Dave Reichert is once again lying about his dangerous and extreme track record on abortion because he knows his votes for a federal abortion ban and to restrict reproductive freedom are deeply out-of-step with Washingtonians,” said DGA States Press Secretary Emma O’Brien. “While Reichert promises his supporters behind closed doors to ‘unravel’ abortion access across the state, we will continue reminding Washington voters of Reichert’s record and true intentions.”

To learn more about Dave Reichert’s real track record, visit ReichertRevealed.com.

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