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N.J. congressman's suggested split of Planned Parenthood draws boos and catcalls at town hall

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New Jersey Rep. Leonard Lance, a Republican representing the 7th Congressional District, got a lot of flak at his 70-minute town hall gathering Wednesday. Although he was challenged on a number of issues by many in the audience of about 300, Lance caught the most boos when he answered a constituent’s question about reimbursing Planned Parenthood for clients it treats who are enrolled in Medicaid. He suggested, as he has in the past, that splitting Planned Parenthood might be a good idea. That sparked an outcry:

"What I have suggested to Planned Parenthood is that it have two completely separate organizations — one organization that deals with the services regarding women’s health and another organization that performs the abortion procedure. [...] I would hope that Planned Parenthood might look at that. [...]

"In the district that I serve, there’s a Planned Parenthood facility, and there are several federally qualified health care facilities." He added that "some deal with a whole panoply of service, and some are dental facilities, but —" before someone interrupted him to yell, "If I’m pregnant, I don’t need a dental plan."

The questioner actually had asked whether Lance would continue to support “defunding” Planned Parenthood. That’s right-wing code for ending Medicaid reimbursements. “Defunding” is pure polemic since the women’s health organization isn’t funded by the federal government. Lance backs the de-funders and voted last year with his Republican buddies to redirect money from Planned Parenthood to community health centers, many of which, like the one the woman at the town hall pointed out with her “dental plan” remark, don’t provide the non-abortion services that Planned Parenthood does.

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