April 15, 2024

In the six days since Arizona’s MAGA Republicans voted to roll the clocks back to 1864, banning all abortions with no exceptions for rape or incest, Republicans have taken every opportunity to lie about their record while simultaneously keeping the ban in place. 

The latest liar to be caught red-handed is Rep. Matt Gress. In case you missed it, “After denying it all day Friday, Rep. Matt Gress agreed video footage showed he voted to shut down debate on his attempt to repeal Arizona’s Civil War-era abortion ban.” 

Here are the fast-facts:

• Rep. Matt Gress is one of the most pro-life members of the House, sponsoring House Bill 2427 that would have established fetal personhood in Arizona, opening the door for banning reproductive healthcare services such as IVF.
• When presented with legislation to repeal the ban, Rep. Matt Gress voted with the Republican majority so that the House enter recess and the discussion was shut down. 
• Rep. Matt Gress again voted with the Republican majority in adjourning session for the day without hearing discussion on the ban repeal. 
• When held accountable for his votes, Rep. Gress said, “I don’t remember voting aye ― my (GOP) colleagues would be surprised.”
• When held accountable for his votes, Rep. Gress called the attention to the video “unfair” and called the attempts to contradict his story a “partisan attack and a lie.”
• Rep. Gress finally admitted to lying for three whole days after the vote occurred and he could no longer deny video evidence.

Rep. Gress is one of many Arizona MAGA Republicans that are desperately trying to sweep their record under the rug:

• Rep. Shawnna Bolick joined every Senate Republican in urging voters to refuse to sign the abortion access initiative in Arizona, vowing to introduce anti-abortion legislation including banning abortion at the “moment of conception.”
• Senator T.J. Shope co-sponsored the bill to ban abortions at 15 weeks and it would have prosecuted doctors who performed abortions after 15 weeks.
• Kari Lake has made her opposition to reproductive rights clear, including supporting the 1864 territorial ban on abortion, and said just a few months ago her dangerous positions on abortion “haven’t changed, actually.” Lake’s extreme views include support for banning abortions without exceptions for rape or incest for Arizonans, that “life begins at conception,” celebrating the fall of Roe, and “banning those types of abortion pills” in reference to medication abortions.
• Congressman David Schweikert co-sponsored the Life at Conception Act six times. The Life at Conception Act would ban all abortions and does not exclude IVF treatments in defining “person” as “each and every member of the species homo sapiens at all stages of life, including the moment of fertilization.” 
• Congressman Juan Ciscomani co-sponsored H.R. 7, legislation that prohibits using government subsidies, including tax credits, to purchase insurance plans that cover abortions. Women who are serving in the military, veterans or covered under Medicaid, as well as federal employees and those covered by the Indian Health Service, would not be able to use their credits to purchase insurance that covers abortions.

Arizona Democrats are prepared to fight for abortion rights up and down the ticket. To learn more about key initiatives, how to vote or how to support Democrats this election cycle, please visit azdem.org.