Former Planned Parenthood president and MSNBC host spread disinformation on pro-life violence

Former Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards made an appearance on MSNBC with Andrea Mitchell on the same day as the March for Life in D.C. The two women insinuated that the FBI is offering a reward to capture violent pro-lifers when, in actuality, the majority of the attacks relating to the reward have been perpetrated by abortion activists against the pro-life movement.

According to Newsbusters, Mitchell said the FBI has offered a $25,000 reward for information relating to a series of attacks against “reproductive health facilities.” But what Mitchell did not clarify was the fact that the vast majority of these attacks were perpetrated against pro-life pregnancy centers. In fact, Mitchell’s use of the term “reproductive health facilities” — borrowed from the title of the FBI National Press Office’s press release — failed to give the full picture of the statement from FBI Director Christopher Wray (emphasis added):

Today’s announcement reflects the FBI’s commitment to vigorously pursue investigations into crimes against pregnancy resource centers, faith-based organizations, and reproductive health clinics across the country. We will continue to work closely with our national, state, and local law enforcement partners to hold responsible anyone who uses extremist views to justify their criminal actions.

Therefore, Mitchell’s omission falsely led viewers to believe most of the attacks were against abortion providers instead of against pro-life centers. And Richards quickly used the opportunity to promote the disinformation that it is pro-lifers who are perpetrating most violence. FBI Director Wray testified last November before Congress that 70% of threats and violence since the Dobbs Supreme Court leak were committed against pro-lifers.

“[I]t’s horrifying to think that this is happening in the United States, but it is,” Richards said. “You are right, these attacks on doctors, on health care providers. But, Andrea, I think you mentioned a point that to me is really important and that is, what the Republican party through these abortion bans — the kind of bounty hunter system that is in place in places like Texas — it has created fear across the country for women, for young people, for families.”

Yet seven out of the 10 incidences specifically mentioned by the FBI were against pro-life offices and pregnancy care centers, which aligns with the information previously reported by the FBI. But in Richards’ false narrative, pro-life laws have somehow led to an epidemic of attacks against innocent abortionists.

The media has long ignored pro-abortion violence, labeling pro-lifers as violent extremists while painting pro-abortion activists as people merely protesting for their rights. And though this pro-abortion violence has increased in the past year, it was still something that took place frequently in years past, even as the media denied it even existed. That tactic is clearly continuing to take place today, with violent abortion groups attacking the pro-life movement, while the Biden administration largely looks the other way.

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