Jared And Ivanka Tried To Buy An Abortion Ban
In her much-anticipated memoir released this week, Planned Parenthood CEO Cecile Richards recounts her ill-fated summit with Ivanka and Jared Kushner at the beginning of the Trump administration and how she explained it to Planned Parenthood vice president Dawn Laguens: "Honestly, it almost felt like a bribe."
It was reported in May 2017 that Ivanka had proposed in that conversation that Planned Parenthood be split in two, with one smaller division for abortion services-a recommendation that Richards dismissed. But Richards filled in the details in Make Trouble.
According to the book, a friend in the fashion industry had encouraged Richards to reach out to Ivanka; when Ivanka invited Jared to join them, Richards "begged" her husband to attend as well. ("If nothing else, I felt I needed a witness," she writes.)
When Richards explained how important it was that Planned Parenthood continue to received federal funds to provide access to care to millions of men and women, Kushner interceded: Planned Parenthood "had made a big mistake by becoming 'political.'" If Richards would discontinue abortion services at its clinics, Planned Parenthood could count on more federal dollars.
"He described his ideal outcome: a national headline reading 'Planned Parenthood Discontinues Abortion Services,'" Richards writes, per People.
Richards understood the implication. "In their eyes, if they could stop Planned Parenthood from providing abortions, it would confirm their reputation as savvy dealmakers. It was surreal, essentially being asked to barter away women’s rights for more money."
Of course, Richards turned them down. Over 12 months later, Planned Parenthood is still in business, Jared is down a clearance, and America sits and waits for evidence that there is even one "savvy dealmaker" in the White House, let alone two.
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