Massachusetts AGO Maura Healey rejects ballot initiative petition to protect infants born alive

Sept. 1, 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Evan Lips, communications director

617-523-5005 ext. 245

BOSTON -- Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, the beneficiary of thousands of dollars in donations from pro-abortion organizations ranging from NARAL to Planned Parenthood, rejected a ballot initiative petition Wednesday seeking to let voters decide whether infants born alive in the commonwealth should be guaranteed access to lifesaving medical care.

Massachusetts Republican Party Chairman Jim Lyons said there's "absolutely no question" that Healey's history of involvement with the abortion industry played a role in her decision to reject the initiative.

"Today’s denial by AG Healey confirms the radical left has no problem eliminating medical care for babies born alive," Lyons said. "The attorney general's failure to put her political views aside constitutes a dereliction of her duty.

"The people of Massachusetts have a right enshrined in the constitution to bring issues to the voters, and the evidence is clear that the attorney general is an extension of NARAL and Planned Parenthood."

Healey in her dismissal declared that the proposal "is so ambiguous that it is impossible to determine, or inform potential voters of, the proposed law's meaning an [sic] effect."

Massachusetts Newborn Protection Coalition Chairwoman Bernadette Lyons said Wednesday that Healey's response is "an insult to the intelligence of Massachusetts voters that they cannot comprehend what a child born alive is."

"There's nothing at all ambiguous about any of this," she added. "How is a legal guarantee to provide life-saving medical care for babies born alive ambiguous? It cannot get any clearer than that."

Link to press release

Addendum

AG Maura Healey has:

Appeared in videos produced to advocate for the passage of the ROE Act.
Consistently advocated for the ROE Act on social media.
Benefited from large campaign donations from both NARAL and PP of MA.
Published op-eds advocating for the passage of the ROE Act.

Media:

Source: https://www.shondaland.com/act/news-politics/a30644463/the-future-of-reproductive-freedom-is-on-the-ballot-in-2020/

Source: https://www.bostonmagazine.com/health/2019/10/28/maura-healey-ayanna-pressley-abortion-rights/

Social media:

Campaign Donations:

8/28/2020 Planned Parenthood Advocacy Fund of Massachusetts

1055 Commonwealth Ave Boston, MA 02215

$160.00* Healey, Maura T.

10/20/2014 Planned Parenthood

1055 Commonwealth Ave Boston, MA 02215

$1,256.17* Healey, Maura T.

8/22/2014 Planned Parenthood

1055 Commonwealth Ave Boston, MA 02215

$437.43* Healey, Maura T.

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11/2/2017 Hart Holder, Rebecca