The White House just picked an anti-choice activist to fill a major government position, and here’s what you need to know
The White House has announced that President Trump is appointing Charmaine Yoest to a senior communications position at the Department of Health and Human Services. Her appointment is particularly damaging for those who are in favor of women’s right to choose. And unfortunately, this appointment does not require Senate confirmation. It sticks.
So, who is Charmaine Yoest? One of the nation’s most prominent anti-abortion activists.
According to Politico, Senator Patty Murray had this to say about Charmaine Yoest:
“Ms. Yoest has a long record of seeking to undermine women’s access to health care and safe, legal abortion by distorting the facts, and her selection shows yet again that this administration is pandering to extreme conservatives and ignoring the millions of men and women nationwide who support women’s constitutionally protected health care rights and don’t want to go backward.”
As Time reports, Charmaine Yoest was the president of the American United for Life (AUL), an organization that campaigned for tough restrictions on abortions. Under Yoest, AUL promoted a slew of anti-choice bills. Some of which have lead to abortion clinic closures in Texas and other areas.
So, what are they?
NARAL, an organization that is actively fighting to keep abortion legal and accessible, has posted the following on their Twitter account:
Yoest was President of Americans United for Life, which calls itself the architect behind the onslaught of state anti-choice bills, such as: pic.twitter.com/lJJtPgvyyf
— NARAL (@NARAL) April 28, 2017
That’s just a drop in the bucket.
Yoest also serves as a senior fellow at American Values, a conservative nonprofit that also opposes abortion rights and supports “traditional marriage.”
According to The New York Times, the reason Yoest is so successful is because she is well adept at sounding reasonable as opposed to extreme. While moderation in temperament is a good step, the substance of the issues is even more important. And when you’re talking about restricting women’s health care, that matters more than a polite demeanor, to many.
Based on her history, pro-choice Americans definitely have reason to be concerned. And while the scope of her job is unclear, it’s doubtful the White House plans to ignore her background.
