Fresno City Council ‘turns backs’ on abortion animation, vows to override mayor’s veto of Planned Parenthood grant

UPDATE, 9/2/22: The Fresno City Council was able to successfully override Mayor Dyer’s veto in their vote on Thursday. Councilmember Miguel Arias, who filed the paperwork to override the veto last week, announced, “Just remind our mayor and city that we are a pro-choice and will remain a pro-choice city and we will defend that choice.”

Lauren Babb, vice president of public affairs for Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, also celebrated the vote. “This is a big big big win for us because we will be able to expand that care, have more providers, have more exam rooms and give people what they need,” she said. “You know some people are driving to Bakersfield and that’s far, so we are hoping to be able to provide care here in Fresno and more of it, so it’s really exciting.”

8/31/22:Members of the Fresno City Council are vowing to fight back after Mayor Jerry Dyer vetoed a $1 million grant for Planned Parenthood.

In mid-August, the City Council voted 5-1 in favor of a resolution allowing Fresno to act as a pass-through for a $1 million state grant for Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, which is on record for having received significant income in exchange for fetal body parts.

Dyer approved of two other funding requests — $7 million for Arte Americas and $1.5 million for Neighborhood Industries — but opposed the funding for Planned Parenthood. In his statement, he said, “Had my office been involved, we would have been in a position to suggest a more appropriate local health-related administrator in serving as a pass-through… or request that the funding go directly to Planned Parenthood.”

With the vote, the city of Fresno would have accepted the funds from the state of California on behalf of all three organizations. Dr. Joaquin Arambula, a member of the California Assembly representing Fresno, secured the money in the state budget, and chose Fresno as the pass-through entity. “I am proud to have secured these funds that address equity and increase access to the cultural arts, employment training, and health care services for the poor and uninsured,” he said in a statement at the time. “I hope the City of Fresno’s administration recognizes the tremendous need for resources in our community and respects this decision.”

In response to Dyer’s veto, City Councilmember Miguel Arias said he will try to override it, which the city council will decide on. “I filed an override veto bill with the City Clerk,” Arias tweeted. “The City Council will consider overriding the veto on September 1, 2022.”

Councilmember Garry Bredefeld was the sole person to vote against the measure, and showed a Live Action video of former abortionist Anthony Levatino explaining what happens during abortion procedures; in a tweet, he said the Planned Parenthood supporters turned their backs and refused to watch.

“Planned Parenthood is not about reproductive care. It has nothing to do with reproducing children. They are killing them. That’s what they’re doing,” Bredefeld said. “While we lose the fight today, the fight is not over. It will never be over until this evil, this genocide, this infanticide comes to an end.”

READ: Lawmaker wants $2M in ‘relocation and renovation’ funding for largest Planned Parenthood affiliate in US

Still, Arias would be able to override Dyer’s veto with five votes, unless one of those councilmembers changes their mind. Luis Chavez, a councilmember the Fresno Bee said is often seen as a swing vote, said he plans to support Arias. “Our disadvantaged neighborhoods need access to health care,” Chavez said. “Planned Parenthood does great with women’s health including mammograms and cancer screenings.”

But the facts do not support Chavez’s claims. Planned Parenthood does not provide mammograms and almost no prenatal care — and the corporation’s own annual reports have shown year after year that the few legitimate health care services they do provide are steadily falling. Meanwhile, their abortion numbers continue to rise. Planned Parenthood serves a small percentage of women, performing less than 2% of all breast exams, less than 1% of all Pap tests, and less than 2% of all cancer screenings for women.

Planned Parenthood has worked hard to market itself as a legitimate health care provider upon which millions and millions of women rely, but this is simply not true. Its business model relies on abortion, even as it receives half a billion in taxpayer dollars every year.

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