Wendy Davis raises money for Planned Parenthood in Charlotte
Former Texas gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis wrapped up a two-day North Carolina fundraising tour for Planned Parenthood with a Charlotte fundraiser on Wednesday.
Davis ended a two-day swing through the state with an event at the Elder Gallery. A Tuesday night stop in Durham drew nearly 200 people including former Gov. Bev Perdue. And former U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan attended an event earlier Wednesday in Greensboro.
Davis gained national attention two years ago for her 11-hour filibuster against an abortion bill in the Texas legislature. Last year she ran unsuccessfully for governor.
She came to North Carolina to raise money for Planned Parenthood’s political arm.
Her visit came at a time when Planned Parenthood is under fire after secretly recorded videos showed some agency staffers discussing the sale of fetal tissues.
It’s not surprising but it’s discouraging … to see Planned Parenthood become a wedge issue.
Wendy Davis
Republican members of Congress have threatened to cut off federal funding for the agency. This week Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush joined the chorus of critics who want to defund Planned Parenthood.
“To me it’s political demagoguery of the worst kind,” Davis said shortly before Wednesday’s fundraiser. “There’s a human fallout. And (critics) don’t care about that.…
“It’s not surprising but it’s discouraging once again to see Planned Parenthood become a wedge issue.”
Jim Morrill: 704-358-5059, @jimmorrill
This story was originally published August 26, 2015 at 6:27 PM with the headline "Wendy Davis raises money for Planned Parenthood in Charlotte."