Planned Parenthood calls out Rick Caruso during US Supreme Court abortion debate
Planned Parenthood Advocacy Project's Los Angeles chapter is asking mayoral candidate and billionaire real estate developer Rick Caruso to apologize for funding anti-abortion rights candidates in light of the U.S. Supreme Court's possible decision to overturn the landmark abortion- rights decision Roe v. Wade.
The draft opinion, written by Justice Samuel Alito, indicates the court privately voted to strike down Roe v. Wade.
Caruso tweeted that he "profoundly disagrees with the draft decision" and said he is pro-choice.
However, a profile of Caruso in Los Angeles Magazine in July 2007 reported that he said he opposes abortion in most cases, but would support stem cell research.
In response to questions about the L.A. Magazine article, Caruso's campaign said it wouldn't comment on particular stories, but "the bottom line is Rick has always been pro-choice and has always supported Roe v. Wade."
Political candidates who have worked to reduce people's access to abortion, including Sen. David Vitter, R-LA; Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-KY; Rep. Peter Sessions, R-TX, Rep. Joe Heck, R-NV; and Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-CA, according to Planned Parenthood Advocacy Project's Los Angeles chapter.
It also said he provided financial support to the National Republican Congressional Committee in 2017, noting that the committee's chairman "signed an amicus brief to the Supreme Court asking the court to overturn Roe v. Wade.
In 2016, Caruso served as Ohio Gov. John Kasich's California co-chair during his campaign for president.
Caruso switched his voter registration from independent to Democrat in January. He was registered as a Republican before 2012.
