In light of unprecedented attacks on reproductive rights and Republicans’ extreme crusade to outlaw abortion, the PA Dems hosted a press conference featuring Democratic elected officials and community leaders from across Northeastern Pennsylvania
PENNSYLVANIA — Yesterday in Scranton, Mayor Paige Cognetti, Councilwoman Claudette Williams, Executive Director of Action Together NEPA Alisha Hoffman-Mirilovich and Krysten Xanthis, a home care worker from Scranton, held a press conference on Republicans’ escalating attacks on reproductive rights. They also stressed the importance of electing Attorney General Josh Shapiro as our next Governor and protecting and expanding the Democratic Senate majority in light of recent reporting that the Supreme Court of the United States is poised to overturn Roe v. Wade.
The press conference comes days after Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell confirmed that a federal abortion ban is “possible” under Republican control and every leading GOP candidate for governor in Pennsylvania would sign an extreme abortion ban — including GOP primary frontrunner Doug Mastriano who wants to outlaw abortion at three weeks with no exceptions.
See below for highlights:
WBRE: Pennsylvania Democrats vote for women’s rights
Mayor Paige Cognetti, Action Together NEPA, and other public officials spoke to the media about Roe vs. Wade. Calling out Republicans for anti-choice agenda following a recent Supreme Court leak. Pennsylvania Democrats are calling on voters to choose the right candidate to make what they believe is the right decision.
“Abortion is indeed healthcare. Something we forget oh so often. Something the people don’t know the struggles for those of us who had to go through this,” said Alisha Hoffman-Mirilovich, Executive Director, Action Together NEPA.
“There’s no more important thing we need to do than make sure we elect the leadership at the state, local, and federal level going into this year and all years that will protect a women’s right to choose,” said Mayor Paige Cognetti, (d) Scranton.
Senator Casey announced Tuesday he is supporting the “Women’s Health Protection Act.” It’s a bill coming up for a vote in the U.S. Senate.
The Times Tribune: Local women call for supporting abortion rights
SCRANTON — Alisha Hoffman-Mirilovich suffered two miscarriages as she tried to have a baby six years ago.
Both required abortions.
“It was something that I needed to discuss with my medical doctor. It’s something that needed to happen. And it was private to me and my family,” Hoffman-Mirilovich, executive director of Action Together NEPA, said during a Tuesday afternoon news conference on Lackawanna County Courthouse Square featuring abortion rights advocates. “While my situation was in the pursuit of having a family, abortion is indeed health care. … I don’t think, and I strongly do not believe, that legislators and judges have any right to make the decisions that I had to make.”
Organized by the state Democratic Party, the news conference included women who expressed that only a Democratic governor can block Republican legislators who control both state houses from restricting or banning abortions.
Mount Pocono Councilwoman Claudette Williams, a former Army sergeant major who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, said she stood up once for a female soldier who was raped and couldn’t get an abortion while in the military. She and the others criticized the draft U.S. Supreme Court decision that would overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court ruling legalizing abortion nationwide.
“You do not get that right to choose for us,” Williams said. “The 2022 election is very, very critical. And every woman, child and man should be looking at where we are today. And what is about to be taken from us.”
Scranton Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti wrote a term paper 20 years ago as a college senior about “The Handmaid’s Tale,” Margaret Atwood’s novel about enslaved women forced to have sex and bear children for others.
“It’s amazing that we’re standing here doing this, but we have to and there’s no more important thing that we need to do than to make sure that we elect the leadership at the state, local and federal level, going into this year and all years, that will protect a woman’s right to choose,” Cognetti said.
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