As a far-right Republican, Representative Sean Duffy has built a career on being anti-choice, opposing health care reform and undermining President Obama. So much so that he was willing to lie to the American people. He lied about Planned Parenthood and about President Obama’s budget to fight violent extremism. He even peddled the lie that health care reform took $500 billion from Medicare.
Representative Duffy fits right in with the current Trump model: try to scare the American people in every way possible, even if it’s not true.
SEAN DUFFY LIED ABOUT PLANNED PARENTHOOD
Rep. Sean Duffy: Planned Parenthood was “able to take taxpayer funds to then, in essence, use for abortion.” “But the contention that comes around Planned Parenthood is that they are the largest abortion provider in the country, and so they are able to take taxpayer funds to then, in essence, use for abortion.” [Congressional Debate, Wausau, WI; 10/22/12]
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The Washington Post: “Federal dollars are not used to provide the service at the center of the political debate around Planned Parenthood: abortions.” “But, it’s important to note that federal dollars are not used to provide the service at the center of the political debate around Planned Parenthood: abortions. That’s been banned by law in almost all cases since 1976. (The details of the ban have shifted over time.) Instead, the organization uses money from other sources — private donors and foundations as well as fees — to fund its abortion services.” [The Washington Post, 8/4/15]
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FactCheck.org: “Planned Parenthood cannot use the money it receives from the federal government for abortions.” “But Planned Parenthood cannot use the money it receives from the federal government for abortions anyway. According to the Department of Health and Human Service’s website, ‘by law, Title X funds may not be used in programs where abortion is a method of family planning.’ Medicaid funding is restricted by the Hyde Amendment to only abortion cases involving rape, incest or endangerment to the life of the mother. Some states use their own funds under Medicaid to go beyond that.” [FactCheck.org, 4/18/11]
SEAN DUFFY LIED ABOUT PRES. OBAMA’S FUNDING TO FIGHT VIOLENT EXTREMISM
Rep. Sean Duffy said Pres. Obama’s homeland security budget put “$16 million to fight climate change” and “didn’t have a line item to fight violent extremism.” SEAN DUFFY: “When the president sent over his budget to the House of Representatives, he had a homeland security budget. He put $16 million to fight climate change in Homeland Security, and didn’t have a line item to fight violent extremism. The president doesn’t take this seriously.” [Fox Business Network’s Varney & Co., 12/9/15]
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Politifact Wisconsin rated Rep. Sean Duffy’s statement that there was no line item to fight violent extremism in the homeland security budget Mostly False. “Duffy said Obama’s homeland security budget had ‘$16 million to fight climate change’ but ‘didn’t have a line item to fight violent extremism.’ There is no line item in the Department of Homeland Security budget for fighting violent extremism. But that ignores the fact that millions of dollars are allocated, inside and outside the Department of Homeland Security, to counter violent extremists. Duffy’s statement contains an element of truth but ignores critical facts that would give a different impression — our definition of Mostly False.” [Politifact Wisconsin, 12/18/15]
SEAN DUFFY LIED ABOUT HEALTH CARE REFORM SLASHING $500 BILLION FROM MEDICARE
Rep. Sean Duffy said government health care reform “slashed $500 billion from Medicare.” “Regarding the law’s effect on Medicare, Duffy said: ‘Kreitlow’s full-throated support for the government’s unwarranted takeover of healthcare slashed $500 billion from Medicare, too.’” [Politifact Wisconsin, 12/18/15]
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Politifact Wisconsin rated Rep. Sean Duffy’s claim that $500 billion was cut from Medicare Mostly False. “Duffy said the federal health care reform law ‘slashed $500 billion from Medicare.’ There is an element of truth in his statement because Medicare spending will grow by about $500 billion less than it would have without the law. But the law has not already reduced Medicare spending by $500 billion, as Duffy suggests. We rate Duffy’s statement Mostly False.” [Politifact Wisconsin, 7/11/12]