If Planned Parenthood is so popular, why did a news station in the heart of the West Coast’s abortion stronghold – Sacramento, California – spotlight it in an investigation of shady expenditures by city council members?
And why did a complicit council member, when questioned ever so lightly about it, abruptly yank off her mic while still on camera and end the interview?
In an investigation into the large amount of discretionary spending allotted to Sacramento city council members – $400,000 annually – KCRA (the NBC station in California's state capital) noted that member Angelique Ashby gave a portion of hers to Planned Parenthood.
Ashby apparently didn’t like being asked about that. According to KCRA, in a December 17 broadcast story:
… she defended the contribution, took off the microphone and walked away.
“I hope that in doing so, that some of those young women grow up, love their city enough to come back, run for City Council and be the next mayor pro tem of the city of Sacramento,” Ashby said.
“Here you go,” she said, before taking off her microphone and walking off.
This came right after Ashby proclaimed transparency, “evidenced by the fact that I’m standing in front of you answering for those funds.”
...For only one second longer, until it came to Planned Parenthood.
You can view Ashby’s strange response here (during the last minute of the video).
KCRA followed up on December 18 with a story specifically on the fact that “[s]ince 2012, every City Council member gave some of their discretionary funds to Planned Parenthood, a total of $11,000.”
There was no vote on giving taxpayer funds to Planned Parenthood, no public announcement, no accountability on the part of Planned Parenthood to not use those funds for abortion, only a statement by unnamed Planned Parenthood “officials” that it is “their policy to keep funding for educational programs separate from other services.”
How do we know? What “other services” would those be?
Interesting that a mainstream media news organization saw a story, a controversy. Of all the odd expenditures made by city council members, the one KCRA knew would get a rise were those made to Planned Parenthood. Why?
Also interesting that the station didn’t bypass a story it knew had to be politically incorrect.
KCRA also found a resident who “doesn’t want her tax dollars going to Planned Parenthood programs – period,” who added:
“I think if people were aware of it, you would have an overwhelming amount of people showing up at a City Council meeting complaining. I think you would have calls to their offices. I think you would have long lines if there was an open forum for people to discuss. I think it would be a big issue.”
So don’t for a minute think Planned Parenthood maintains a sunny reputation, even in California. The work pro-lifers have done to expose the United States’ largest abortion organization to the light of day is slowly but steadily paying off.
Speaking of sunlight, KCRA reported that thanks to its investigation the Sacramento County Grand Jury has launched a “formal inquiry” into the city council’s discretionary spending habits.
I have a feeling Planned Parenthood has been cut off.
