Trump Names Hard Core Pro-Lifer to Key HHS Post

By streiff | 2:17 PM on April 29, 2017

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FILE - In this July 1, 2010, file photo, Dr. Charmaine Yoest testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington. With a deeper-than-ever split between Republicans and Democrats over abortion, activists on both sides of the debate foresee a 2016 presidential campaign in which the nominees tackle the volatile topic more aggressively than in past elections. "It's an amazing convergence of events," said Yoest, CEO of the anti-abortion group Americans United for Life. "We haven't seen a moment like this for 40 years." (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)

Yesterday, President Trump appointed a strong pro-lifer, Charmaine Yoest, as Assistant Secretary of HHS for Public Affairs.

Charmaine Yoest, tapped to be assistant secretary of public affairs, is a senior fellow at American Values. She is the former president of Americans United for Life, which has been instrumental in advancing anti-abortion legislation at the state level to restrict access to the procedure.

…

AUL’s website — which states that the group offers state lawmakers 32 different pieces of model legislation to restrict access to abortion — characterizes Yoest as “public enemy #1” for abortion rights organizations.

Yoest’s appointment does not require Senate confirmation, which is too bad because we could sell PPV tickets to the confirmation.

https://twitter.com/jesseberney/status/857969157261983746

#Trump's hoping you don't notice his latest appointment. We did. And it's yet another attack on #reprofreedom. https://t.co/JnctjdwtnZ

— Senator Patty Murray (@PattyMurray) April 28, 2017

Charmaine Yoest is a threat to women's reproductive rights & should have no place at an agency meant to protect our health https://t.co/IQQSAaF2fC

— Sen. Maggie Hassan (@SenatorHassan) April 28, 2017

Charmaine Yoest's nomination should deeply concern the #7in10 Americans who are pro-choice. Our statement: https://t.co/UcBt6X2Ffm pic.twitter.com/Mh66PI8Vtg

— NARAL (@NARAL) April 28, 2017

To give you an idea of what these people consider normal, the former ASPA is now vice president for communications at Planned Parenthood.

This is an important position because the ASPA determines what the huge HHS bureaucracy can talk about and what they say when they do talk. If you are going to appear on-air, your remarks have to be cleared, in advance, by the ASPA. If you are going to represent HHS at a conference, ditto. If you are going to put out any material to the public, in any form, that material has to be cleared by ASPA. The ASPA has a seat at the table when new programs are being developed.

Say what you will about Donald Trump but he’s already done more for the pro-life cause than the last two Republican presidents combined.