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CONCORD -- Chris Sununu’s Executive Council voted today — with Democratic Councilor Cinde Warmington opposed — to defund Planned Parenthood and several other family planning providers across the state, threatening access to birth control, STI testing and treatment, cancer screenings and other important health care services for thousands of Granite Staters. In response, NHDP Senior Advisor Senator Melanie Levesque released the following statement: “Chris Sununu’s Executive Council voted repeatedly today to take away New Hampshire women’s access to quality, affordable reproductive health care. Chris Sununu is directly responsible for the Executive Council’s votes to defund Planned Parenthood and other family planning centers across New Hampshire that provide critical care to women. “Sununu vigorously campaigned to secure an anti-reproductive health care majority on the Executive Council, and now thousands of Granite Staters will lose access to critical health care services as a result. From supporting Mitch McConnell’s Supreme Court justices to signing an abortion ban into law, Chris Sununu has done more than any other New Hampshire Governor to take away access to reproductive health care. Sununu’s attacks on health care are out of step with New Hampshire — and will be a major liability with voters the next time he’s on the ballot.” Background on Chris Sununu’s Support for Executive Councilors Who Voted Against Funding Planned Parenthood:
Chris Sununu Supported Executive Councilor Joe Kenney After He Voted to Defund Planned Parenthood.
In October 2020, Sununu told voters to elect Joe Kenney to represent District 1, “I can’t tell you how excited I am that Joe Kenney is in this race…we got to get this guy elected.” [Joe Kenney, Facebook, 10/17/20]
Kenney pledged to defund Planned Parenthood in 2020. [Valley News, 10/15/20]
Kenney repeatedly voted to defund Planned Parenthood in 2015, 2016, and 2017. [Manchester Ink Link, 8/5/15, WMUR, 6/29/16, Concord Monitor, 11/8/17]
Chris Sununu Supported Executive Councilor Janet Stevens After She Pledged to Defund Planned Parenthood.
In 2020, Sununu gave District 3 Executive Councilor Janet Stevens a full-throated endorsement: “Janet is an incredible candidate” and helped raise money for her campaign. [Executive Councilor Janet L. Stevens, Facebook, 10/2/20]
Stevens explicitly pledged her support for defunding Planned Parenthood. [Eagle Tribune, 8/28/20]
Chris Sununu Supported Executive Councilor Ted Gatsas After He Pledged to Defund Planned Parenthood.
Sununu endorsed and campaigned with District 4 Executive Councilor Ted Gatsas in Gatsas’ run for reelection to the Executive Council in 2020. [Chris Sununu, Twitter, 11/3/20]
In 2016, Gatsas opposed state funding for the group and even criticized Sununu for being too pro-Planned Parenthood. [Concord Monitor, 6/28/16]
Chris Sununu Supported Executive Councilor Dave Wheeler After He Repeatedly Voted to Defund Planned Parenthood.
Sununu said, “New Hampshire needs Dave back on the council now more than ever, and I strongly urge the citizens of Executive Council District 5 to vote for Dave Wheeler.” [WMUR, 8/13/20]
Wheeler voted to defund Planned Parenthood in 2011, 2015, 2016, and 2017. [Reuters, 7/8/11, Manchester Ink Link, 8/5/15, WMUR, 6/29/16, Concord Monitor, 11/8/17]
As early as 2012, Wheeler was championed by anti-abortion extremist group as “leading the fight” to defund Planned Parenthood in New Hampshire. [Cornerstone Action PAC, 11/2/12]