Minnesota state rep named CEO of Planned Parenthood affiliate, plans to keep both jobs
Minnesota State Representative Ruth Richardson has been named the CEO of Planned Parenthood North Central States (PPNCS), which includes Minnesota, by a unanimous board vote. She will officially move into the role on October 6th.
Richardson replaces Sarah Stoesz, a registered lobbyist, who held the position for the last 21 years. “Stoesz will remain as president of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund and will oversee the organization’s political operations as long as Richardson is in office,” according to the Des Moines Register.
Richardson, a Democrat, is currently serving her second term in Minnesota’s House of Representatives and is running for re-election in November.
“Taking on this new role in this new post-Roe world definitely comes with some uncertainty and some challenges, but I’m really excited to step into this role because I know how important the work that Planned Parenthood does and has been doing for decades [is],” she said.
Have you ever wanted to share the miracle of human development with little ones? Live Action is proud to present the "Baby Olivia" board book, which presents the content of Live Action's "Baby Olivia" fetal development video in a fun, new format. It's perfect for helping little minds understand the complex and beautiful process of human development in the womb.
Receive our brand new Baby Olivia board book when you give a one-time gift of $30 or more (or begin a new monthly gift of $15 or more).
Richardson has claimed she will not lobby on behalf of Planned Parenthood, and that she will recuse herself from votes that directly impact the organization’s bottom line. “For example, I would recuse myself if there was a bill to directly give money to Planned Parenthood,” Richardson told reporters. Richardson said she would differentiate between “broad policy issues that sort of effect [sic] everyone versus a specific issue.” Richardson does not plan to recuse herself from votes related to general abortion policy.
Minnesota GOP spokesman Nick Majerus called Richardson’s acceptance of the position “a clear conflict of interest and a disservice to her constituents.”
According to Fox 9, Planned Parenthood “is in the process of adding abortion services in Minnesota,” as many neighboring states have restricted abortion in the wake of the overturning of Roe v. Wade. “Right now, the focus is really on ensuring there is access to abortion care,” Richardson said.
Live Action News is pro-life news and commentary from a pro-life perspective.
Contact editor@liveaction.org for questions, corrections, or if you are seeking permission to reprint any Live Action News content.
Guest Articles: To submit a guest article to Live Action News, email editor@liveaction.org with an attached Word document of 800-1000 words. Please also attach any photos relevant to your submission if applicable. If your submission is accepted for publication, you will be notified within three weeks. Guest articles are not compensated (see our Open License Agreement). Thank you for your interest in Live Action News!
Newsbreak
