Gardner knew about birth-control ban, says pro-personhood group

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by: Jason Salzman

(Gardner's amazingly selective ignorance – Promoted by Colorado Pols)

Rep. Cory Gardner (R).

Colorado Senatorial Candidate Cory Gardner withdrew his support from state personhood amendments because, he told The Denver Post's Lynn Bartels, he didn't understand that the measures would ban birth control.

Everyone rolled their eyes and moved on, as if to say,"It's obvious he's gunning for female votes statewide, so who cares if he might be lying."

To their credit, reporters cited Gardner's legislation that would have banned some forms of birth control, but, given Gardner's in-bedness with personhood supporters throughout his political career, you'd think we'd have seen more about what Gardner really knew and when he knew it.

Now, with ballots arriving in your mailbox (Yeah!) this week, comes a blog post from Colorado Right to Life, which was a major backer of personhood efforts in Colorado, stating, yes, Gardner knew all along about the birth control ban.

Colorado Right to Life: As you probably heard, Cory Gardner announced publicly that he no longer supports Personhood. He apologized for ever supporting it. He said he was well-meaning, but it was a mistake.

Of course the reason he gave for not supporting Personhood — that it would ban "contraceptives" — is completely false, and is a propaganda claim of NARAL and Planned Parenthood that is often repeated by the media.

Cory Gardner has attended briefings on Personhood by CRTL where this was discussed — Cory should KNOW better! But since he knew it was a false statement and he made it anyway, we can only conclude he has made a cynical choice to give up on principles so he would be more attractive to moderate voters.

As Bob Beauprez reminded us, personhood backers oppose birth control, like IUDs and Plan B, which they say threated or destroy zygotes (or fertilized eggs).

I get into this in more detail in a post this morning on RH Reality Check, but I reached out to Colorado Right to Life for more details on Gardner's briefings and got no response.

Personhood USA spokeswoman Jennifer Mason told me via email that, when Gardner was in the state legislature, Colorado Right to Life gave legislative briefings "detailing the effects of the amendment."

"I would assume that he attended, given his position at that time, but I couldn't guarantee anything," she wrote.

14 thoughts on “Gardner knew about birth-control ban, says pro-personhood group”

Moderatus says:

October 13, 2014 at 2:55 pm

Colorado Right to Life had no credibility in the pro life movement. They are no longer affiliated with National Right to Life. Nobody cares what they have to say. Gardner is pro life, but abortion rights are not in danger. Gardner will not ban birth control, that's crazy.

Democrats are running out of time. Mark Uterus, get ready for retirement.

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1. Miss Jane says:
  
  October 13, 2014 at 3:28 pm
  
  This is how Gardner refers to Mark Udall? Stay classy, guys. It is sure to win votes.
  
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2. Big Time says:
  
  October 13, 2014 at 4:04 pm
  
  Please, can Cory himself call Udall, Mark "Uterus" on camera – it's such a college fratboy thing to say, which is about what Gardner is, and it is unbelieveably demeaning … to women! Of course, Garden and his supporters can't see why that is, and so they blissfully keep repeating it, while remaining entirely ignorant that they are digging their own grave.
  
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  1. Moderatus says:
    
    October 13, 2014 at 4:40 pm
    
    The first time I heard "Mark Uterus" was from Lynn Bartels of the Denver Post. She said it in their debate and it stuck.
    
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    1. BlueCat says:
      
      October 13, 2014 at 5:27 pm
      
      It's no BWB. It makes haters feel good but doesn't appeal to anyone else. So use it all you want. You'll either get a "right on" reaction from the choir or an "eeewwww!" reaction from everyone else. Big deal.
      
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    2. Big Time says:
      
      October 13, 2014 at 5:31 pm
      
      She said: "Some people are calling you Mark Uterus" – gee, I wonder who "some people" are. It "stuck" with "some people".
      
      Like I said – please, keep using it.
      
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      1. JeffcoBlue says:
        
        October 13, 2014 at 7:25 pm
        
        "Some people"=her and Dick Wadhams.
        
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Andrew Carnegie says:

October 13, 2014 at 3:05 pm

Keep up with the Personhood nonsense.

It seems to be working real well for ya.

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1. Moderatus says:
  
  October 13, 2014 at 3:23 pm
  
  It's all they have left. Except planning for defeat.
  
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  1. Miss Jane says:
    
    October 13, 2014 at 3:48 pm
    
    Ebola, government shut down, underfunding the NIH and the CDC Enterovirus D68 are current issures. And how does underfunding government affect fire and flood control and disaster response? Did I remember to mention Enterovirus D68? How does it enter into this discussion? It has been on the rise in the 21st century.
    
    Remember, we are in the 21st century not the 19th. We are grossly underfunding the CDC, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. You and your friend here seem to be on the side of short sighted stupidity and cupidity.
    
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Davie says:

October 13, 2014 at 3:18 pm

Cory Gardner — lying? Cynical? Better alert the Denver Post, I *know* they'll immediately retract their honest, sincere endorsement…

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Conserv. Head Banger says:

October 13, 2014 at 4:09 pm

Article brings to mind a question. I find it somewhat disconcerting that the Udall campaign has not even mentioned Gardner's support of the special interest land grab; also know as turning over all federal agricultural lands in Colorado to the state. Agricultural lands have not been defined in any of the bills at the legislature, but do appear to exclude national parks, military bases, and Indian reservations (which are sovereign nations anyway). The main sponsors at the State House of been two of Gardner's 4th District cronies; Rep. Jerry Sonnenberg and outgoing Senator Scott Renfroe.

The land grab would severely damage Colorado's outdoor recreation economy by bringing about user fees to hunt, fish, hike, climb, ride your ATV, etc., on the public lands. These lands now, except for some campgrounds and other concessionaire places, are free and open to the public.

In addition, the land grab would trash the ranching industry because the state charges market rates for grazing on state land, where the federal grazing fees are set by Congress and are much lower.

One could call this the hidden war on rural Colorado by Cory Gardner (and Bob Beauprez, who also supports the land grab). C.H.B.

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1. BlueCat says:
  
  October 13, 2014 at 11:47 pm
  
  Excellent point. There is so much they could be using and the scheme to take over federal lands, which means taking them from the American public, is one that can be explained so easily. You just did in it in perfect sound bite ready fashion.
  
  I know they're convinced that the only way to win is to pump up the turnout among women and they're right. Dems do need women to turn out in a big way in order to win. Where they're wrong is in assuming that women don't care about anything but "women's" issues. Every issue that people care about is an issue that those people who happen to be women care about.
  
  I also don't understand why they don't use Gardner's established congressional voting record of pure partisan obstruction. He only deviates from his party leadership to join those insisting on even more extreme positions than the leadership advocates. The idea that he's just the kind of Senator we need to break up the log jams and get things done is ridiculous.
  
  If the Udall camp is avoiding going after Gardner's voting record on anything besides "women's" issues because of Republican attacks on Udall for voting 99% with Obama, that ship has sailed. Gardner's made sure that's out there so Udall may as well make sure everyone knows what Gardner's been spending his time supporting during his time in the House, and not just on abortion related issues.
  
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  1. Miss Jane says:
    
    October 14, 2014 at 1:20 am
    
    I like a three pronged approach. The center being the strongest and the sides doing sweep and an end around, if necessary.
    
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