Progress Iowa Executive Director Matt Sinovic issued the following statement in response to Governor Kim Reynolds’ announcement that she has filed a motion to challenge an injunction on the Fetal Heartbeat Bill, while being represented by Alliance Defending Freedom, which has been designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center:
“Iowans believe in protecting our freedom and ability to make our own health care decisions, including access to abortion. But once again, Governor Kim Reynolds is working to take that freedom away, and is teaming up with a hate group to do it.
“This morning, Gov. Reynolds announced that she has filed a motion to challenge the injunction on the Fetal Heartbeat Bill. The law would have barred most abortions after six weeks, often times before a person even knows they are pregnant. Back in 2019, an Iowa judge rightfully ruled that the law could not be enforced because it violates the Iowa Constitution.
“Now, Gov. Reynolds is trying to reinstate her radical Fetal Heartbeat Bill with the help of Alliance Defending Freedom, a hate group as identified by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Alliance Defending Freedom has been designated as a hate group because it ‘has supported the idea that being LGBTQ+ should be a crime in the U.S. and abroad and believes that is OK to put LGBTQ+ people in prison for engaging in consensual sex.’
“Not only are we standing up to this attack on our reproductive freedom, but we are demanding answers as to whether state funds are being given to a hate group. Iowans deserve to make their own healthcare decisions and know how their tax dollars are being spent.”
