Politics

MSNBC Host Fudges Facts On Planned Parenthood [VIDEO]

Amber Athey Podcast Columnist
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MSNBC host Stephanie Ruhle incorrectly stated Friday that Planned Parenthood has had “huge increases” in the number of essential women’s health services they provide.

Florida Rep. Francis Rooney was arguing for defunding Planned Parenthood on “Velshi & Ruhle,” and stated that Planned Parenthood has decreased its non-abortion activities, which is consistent with Planned Parenthood’s own statistics.

Ruhle challenged his claim, rebutting, “I don’t know where you read that but I don’t believe that’s true based on our reporting and what we cover.”

“It’s actually somewhat stagnant with what they do in terms of abortion but they’ve seen huge increases in breast cancer screenings, cervical cancer screenings, and actually the amount of men that are going to Planned Parenthood to get screenings,” she falsely stated.

Planned Parenthood’s own annual report, published on May 26, disagrees with her.

The statistics from that report indicate that Planned Parenthood performed 328,000 abortions in 2015-16, an increase of more than 4,000 from the previous year. 

Meanwhile, the number of breast exams it performed fell by more than 42,000 and its colposcopies fell by more than 2,000. Overall cancer screenings decreased by nearly 17,000.

Planned Parenthood indicated in its 2014-15 report that 11 percent of its patients were men, but the 2015-16 report doesn’t even provide the same statistic.

It’s not all that surprising that Ruhle isn’t familiar with Planned Parenthood’s annual report considering MSNBC didn’t even cover it when it was released. (VIDEO: CNN, MSNBC Ignore Planned Parenthood Report)

Rep. Rooney promised Ruhle after she made her false claims, “I will try to find the stuff and send it to you.”

WATCH:

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