Pro-Abortion Cortez Masto Falsely Calls Crisis Pregnancy Centers ‘Fake Clinics’

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., speaks during a Senate Energy and Natural Resources h
AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib

Swing state Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), who has been labeled by her corporate media allies as possibly “the most endangered Democratic incumbent,” has once again aligned herself with far-left radicals by cosponsoring legislation that would punish crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) for supposed “false advertising.”

After an estimated 100-plus attacks against pro-life groups and CPCs nationwide, Cortez Masto decided to vilify CPCs as “fake clinics,” and joined in on Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s (D-MA) Stop Anti-Abortion Disinformation (SAD) Act. The legislation “directs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to prohibit deceptive or misleading advertising related to the provision of abortion services and to collect penalties from organizations in violation of the law,” according to the embattled senator’s office.

“Anti-abortion crisis care centers routinely mislead vulnerable women about the services they provide, delaying care and jeopardizing women’s health,” Cortez Masto claimed in a statement late last week. “As women continue to seek abortion services in Nevada, it’s crucial that these fake clinics are held accountable.”

The senator’s website claims that CPC’s deceive “pregnant people seeking objective and medically sound reproductive health care” by “falsely and deliberately advertis[ing] themselves as comprehensive reproductive health care providers; however, their intent is to discourage pregnant people from having abortions.”

“There are seven CPCs in Nevada, and many routinely use a variety of deceptive tactics, including making false claims about reproductive health care and disseminating inaccurate, misleading, and stigmatizing information about abortion and contraception. Additionally, most CPCs in the United States do not employ licensed medical personnel or provide referrals for birth control or abortion care,” the website further claims.

Much to the contrary, CPCs — instead of abortion — offer support for pregnant women in need who choose life for their unborn child. They also often offer help after the baby is born. The Charlotte Lozier Institute conducted a study of 2,700 pregnancy help centers in 2020 and found that in 2019, these U.S. clinics “served roughly two million women, men, and youth with services estimated at a value of over $266 million. This outreach was accomplished through 14,977 total staff and 53,855 total volunteers, of which over 10,200 were licensed medical professionals (3,791 as staff and 6,424 as volunteers).”

The report details:

Medical services were provided by an increasing number of centers since last counted in 2017 [13] with: free obstetrical ultrasound services provided at 2,132 centers (79 percent), STD/STI Testing provided at 810 centers (30 percent), and STD/STI Treatment provided at 563 centers (21 percent). [14] In addition, 486,213 pregnancy confirmation ultrasounds, 731,884 pregnancy tests, 160,201 STI tests, and 967,251 consultations with new (unique) clients were all provided at little or no cost. [15]

PHCs were shown to be rich resources for support and education to improve maternal, child, youth and family health all at no cost, including: Prenatal and Parenting Classes at 2,312 centers (86 percent), Childbirth Classes at 742 centers (27 percent), Breastfeeding Consultations at 518 centers (19 percent), After-Abortion Support and Recovery at 1,931 centers (72 percent), Fertility Awareness-Based Methods at 188 centers (7 percent), Sexual Risk Avoidance Education Presentations to youth through 979 centers (36 percent).

PHCs also widely provided Material Item Services at 2,525 centers (94 percent). These items included: 1,290,079 packs of diapers, 689,382 packs of wipes, 30,445 new car seats, 2,033,513 baby clothing outfits, and 19,249 strollers.

The study also found that these clinics report high client satisfaction (99 percent, on average per center), and are estimated to have saved 886,125 unborn lives since 2008.

When the Dobbs decision was leaked, far-left Democrats and the abortion industry knew some abortion clinics were at risk of closing in states that decided to ban or limit abortions. CPCs also outnumber abortion clinics nationwide 3 to 1, making them a prime target for abortion industry-backed Democrats, many of whom claim to be “pro-choice” but actively discourage alternatives to abortion.

Cortez Masto is one such Democrat, and is endorsed by some of the biggest pro-abortion organizations in her reelection campaign, including Planned Parenthood Action Fund, EMILY’s List, and NARAL Pro-Choice America. She has also supported the Women’s Health Protection Act, which passed the House but failed to pass the Senate in May. The legislation would prohibit local, state, and federal officials from preventing abortions at any stage of pregnancy.

Cortez Masto is going head to head with Trump-endorsed former Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt in November, and has made abortion central to her campaign. The incumbent often slams Laxalt for his pro-life values and falsely accused him of supporting a national abortion ban, though Laxalt has repeatedly clarified his stance. Laxalt points to Cortez Masto’s fixation on abortion as a sign of desperation and instead continues to focus on the economy, crime, and immigration.

Laxalt reacted to Cortez Masto’s legislative move and rebuked her for “demonizing” CPCs in the wake of “violent attacks.”

“Despite the violent attacks targeting crisis pregnancy centers, Cortez Masto is spending her time spreading lies and demonizing these charities. I’m proud to stand with women who give vulnerable and poor mothers support and the ability to choose life,” Laxalt wrote.

Secular Pro-Life criticized Cortez Masto for claiming to be pro-choice while actively working to eliminate choices for vulnerable mothers. The RNC said Cortez Masto is “pro-abortion, not pro-choice.”

While only time will tell, Cortez Masto’s support of extreme abortion policies may prove ineffective in a tight election, given that Nevada voters already codified access to abortion for up to 24 weeks in 1990. Moreover, polling shows that most Nevada voters do not align with Cortez Masto’s late-term abortion views. Nationwide polling also shows the vast majority of Americans support public funding of pregnancy resource centers and maternity homes despite a concerted effort from the left to spread disinformation about the organizations.

Disclosure: Breitbart News is represented by Cooper & Kirk, PLLC. Adam Laxalt is a partner at Cooper & Kirk. He is not actively engaged or working on any matters for Breitbart News.

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