AUL - Reminder: Legal Conference

Kelly Ayotte Should Cancel Plans to Campaign with Richard Murdoch

Murdoch Said God at Work When Rape Leads to Pregnancy

CONCORD - Kelly Ayotte should cancel her plans to campaign today with Richard Murdoch, the Indiana Senate candidate who said this week that if a rape results in a pregnancy, ""that's something God intended."

"Richard Murdoch is an extremist, and his comments are demeaning to women across New Hampshire. It's clear that Richard Murdoch does not have the judgment to serve in the United States - or to be making health care decisions for women," said Raymond Buckley, chair of the New Hampshire Democratic Party. "Kelly Ayotte should finally stand up to the Tea Party and cancel her plans to campaign with Murdoch."

This is not the first incident that has raised questions about Murdoch's fitness for office. Early in his Senate campaign, Murdoch made clear that he would not work with others to break the gridlock in Washington, "I certainly think bipartisanship ought to consist of Democrats coming to the Republican point of view."

Mitt Romney has also filmed a television commercial endorsing Murdoch.

"Mitt Romney and Kelly Ayotte should stand up the radical agenda of extremists like Richard Murdoch. Romney should pull his television ad off the air and Kelly Ayotte should cancel her campaign trip."

DNC Video: Mitt Romney: Extremely Conservative and Endorsing Richard Mourdock

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onHSC_VQra4

Statement from DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz on Richard Mourdock’s Outrageous Rape Comments

“Richard Mourdock’s rape comments are outrageous and demeaning to women.  Unfortunately, they’ve become part and parcel of the modern Republican Party’s platform toward women’s health, as Congressional Republicans like Paul Ryan have worked to outlaw all abortions and even narrow the definition of rape.  As Mourdock’s most prominent booster and the star of Mourdock’s current campaign ads, Mitt Romney should immediately denounce these comments and request that the ad featuring him speaking directly to camera on Mourdock’s behalf be taken off the air."

Democrats Call On Ovide To Come Clean About His Plans to Defund Planned Parenthood

Cutting Access to Cancer Screenings, Women's Health Care

 Claims issues don't matter, but his actions speak louder than words; signed radical Cornerstone Agenda, pledged to defund Planned Parenthood

CONCORD - Democrats today called on Ovide Lamotnagne to be straight with the voters of New Hampshire about his plans, after he quietly said that he would de-fund Planned Parenthood in a candidate questionnaire posted on NHPTV's website.

Lamontagne has tried to avoid talking about his extreme social agenda.

"Ovide Lamontagne has tried to dance away from his extreme position, refusing to discuss what will do as Governor," said Kathy Sullivan, former chair of the New Hampshire Democratic Party.  "But we know his record. We know he has signed the Cornerstone pledge to support their agenda. And now he has put in writing his promise to block funding for the critical health care services offered by Planned Parenthood."

The questionnaire was published on New Hampshire Public Television's website this week. Planned Parenthood provides critical health care services, including birth control, cancer screenings and maternal care to thousands of women across New Hampshire. Thousands of women saw their access to health care disrupted when the Executive Council rejected a contract for Planned Parenthood. As Governor, Lamontagne could block the Executive Council from even considering a contract - even if Planned Parenthood is the winning bidder.

Lamontagne also signed the radical Cornerstone so-called "Families First Pledge" which clearly outlines that candidates who are elected are fully expected to advocate the legislation in their 26-Point Agenda, 10 of these proposed pieces of legislation, which Ovide pledged to uphold, are aimed at restricting women's access to abortion and birth control. Republican legislators have already begun to file proposed legislation to implement the agenda.

"Ovide is trying to say that we shouldn't discuss his positions on these issues during the gubernatorial election," said State Representative Candace Bouchard.  "He is trying to claim they don't matter; well they do matter to voters across the New Hampshire."

Lamontagne pointed to the supposed use of taxpayer dollars to fund abortions as his shaky reasoning.  However, and this may be news to Ovide - an attorney - taxpayer dollars are already barred from being used to provide abortions, and have been for years. In fact, Planned Parenthood has to follow the same methods to segregate their funds as faith-based organizations receiving state and federal funds have to.

As a candidate for U.S. Senate, Ovide said he supported a Constitutional amendment a "Human Life Amendment" that would make all abortions illegal, even in cases where women have been the victims of the crimes of rape or incest and even outlaws some forms of birth control and fertility treatments.

"We can strengthen our economy without raising health care costs on women," said Bouchard. 

Joint Healthcare Reform Oversight Committee Selects Essential Benefits Package

CONCORD – The Joint Healthcare Reform Oversight Committee today selected the Matthew Thornton Blue plan as the essential health benefit package to be offered by the state as required by Obama’s federal health care plan. Committee Chairman Rep. John Hunt released the following statement.

Chairman, Rep. John Hunt

“The Committee heard concerns over whether or not two of these plans would mandate abortion coverage in New Hampshire. We’ve learned from the New Hampshire Insurance Department that those issues were specifically addressed in the Affordable Care Act and that these plans do not involve mandating abortions. However, there are other concerns that have come to light in this process. Under the Obama Administration’s health care plan pediatric dental coverage will need to be covered in health insurance plans. This new federal mandate undermines local New Hampshire businesses that provide dental coverage, Delta Dental for instance, and could cost Granite Staters many jobs.”