FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 17, 2024
Contact: Laura Macklem
[email protected]
NORTH CAROLINA STATE SENATOR ABUSES POWER IN HARASSMENT OF NC PREGNANCY CARE CENTERS
State Senator Gladys Robinson violated North Carolina statutes in a harassing request sent to pregnancy care centers who are members of the N.C. Pregnancy Care Fellowship in an obvious effort to intimidate the organization from applying for future state funds. The Pregnancy Care Fellowship distributes funds to approximately 80 pregnancy care centers around the state to provide support and supplies to pregnant mothers in crisis.
On letterhead from the General Assembly’s Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations, Senator Robinson, incorrectly acting on behalf of the Commission, sent a letter citing N.C. General Statute 120-75.1(6) as her authority for requesting an extensive list of information, threatening criminal penalties for non-compliance if a 60-question survey was not answered. The four-page questionnaire contains unlawful inquiries pertaining to operations and services paid for independently. In addition, N.C. General Statute 120-77(a)(1)(c) states that the “Commission,” not individual members, has the authority to make auditing requests of non-State recipients of public funds.
“North Carolina law states the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations is authorized to send a request for information, not an individual member. This letter is a violation of state statutes, is an abuse of power, and is clearly intended to intimidate these non-profits who do nothing but help pregnant women in crisis,” said NC Values Executive Director Tami Fitzgerald. “Pro-abortion activist members of the General Assembly have been trying to bully pregnancy care centers with their disinformation campaign and are now going the extra mile with unethical authoritarian tactics.”
Last fall State Senator Natasha Marcus, Representatives Julie von Haefen and Maria Cervania made wild misrepresentations about pregnancy care centers, protesting the state funding intended to help pregnant mothers in crisis with free medical care, diapers, groceries, counseling, baby clothes and more. Senator Marcus even admitted “we haven’t been able to ensure we have all the relevant information” during a dramatic floor speech full of slander against pregnancy care centers and their operators.
“Pregnancy care centers help pregnant women and their babies, but the billion-dollar abortion industry and their surrogates only offer death as a solution to pregnant women in crisis and continue to stoop lower and lower with their sordid tactics,” said Fitzgerald. “Senator Robinson’s unethical request exceeded her legislative authority, bullied pregnancy care centers, and betrayed pregnant women all over North Carolina who desperately need support and care.”
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