First district Democrats challenged to return Planned Parenthood related contributions

CEDAR RAPIDS - As the debate over federal funding of Planned Parenthood takes center stage in Washington, it has become a campaign issue for those who want to represent northeast Iowa in Congress.

In Iowa's U.S. House 1st District, two Democratic candidates who have received Planned Parenthood-related contributions have been challenged to return the money because of allegations the organization profited from 'the horrific practice of selling the body parts of aborted babies,” said Cody Hoefert, state Republican Party co-chairman.

Democrats Monica Vernon and Pat Murphy should 'do the right thing and return the thousands of dollars they've taken from Planned Parenthood and stand with the majority of Americans who condemn these inhumane acts,” Hoefert said.

According to the state Republican Party, Vernon accepted $5,900 from Planned Parenthood executives - past and current presidents of Planned Parenthood of the Heartland. Murphy received $1,500 from the Planned Parenthood PAC in 2014, the party said.

Murphy promised to 'stand strong” with Planned Parenthood, which he said provides 'vital health care services to women who have nowhere else to turn.”

'I'm proud to have had their back throughout my legislative career ... and will stand strong for them in Congress,” he said. 'I won't let any political attack or smear campaign jeopardize the health care of women in our state.”

Vernon also defended Planned Parenthood against attacks from prolife conservatives, including 1st District Republican Rep. Rod Blum of Dubuque, who sits on the House Oversight and Reform Committee that heard testimony Tuesday from Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards.

'Planned Parenthood provides critical health care to millions of women and families across the country,” Vernon said. 'It's outrageous that Rod Blum and congressional Republicans are pushing to shut down the government in order to defund health care for those who need it - an extreme agenda out of the 1950s. It's time Washington worked for Iowa families, not against us.”

Vernon and Murphy, along with Gary Kroeger of Cedar Falls, are seeking the Democratic nomination in the northeast Iowa district. Murphy topped Vernon in a five-way race in 2014 but lost to Blum in the general election.

Planned Parenthood has been embroiled in controversy since the release of videos in July that purport to show its officials discussing the sale of fetal tissue. Planned Parenthood says the videos made by abortion opponents were edited to mislead. In congressional testimony, Richards said Planned Parenthood sells only a small amount of fetal tissue and receives only reasonable expenses allowed by law.

Also Tuesday, a former GOP congressional candidate took Planned Parenthood to task for its role in a 'deplorable, degrading” demonstration Saturday at presidential hopeful Carly Fiorina's campaign stop outside Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. Demonstrators, including Planned Parenthood supporters and employees, threw condoms into the crowd of people around Fiorina, according to news reports.

'While reasonable people can disagree, only unreasonable people would shower a presidential candidate with condoms during a campaign stop, Mariannette Miller-Meeks said. 'This deplorable action shows just how dangerous the truth has become to Planned Parenthood.”