PRESS RELEASES
MAGA Republican Burgess Owens Pushed to Restrict IVF Access, Reproductive Freedom
SALT LAKE CITY, February 26, 2024 — Utah families have been bracing themselves as they witness IVF being paused in Alabama because Donald Trump intentionally appointed three Supreme Court justices who would vote to overturn Roe v. Wade. What’s happening in Alabama is a direct result of the attacks Trump and Utah Republicans have been making for years on the most personal decisions a family can make, from contraception to IVF. Case in point: Rep. Burgess Owens cosponsored the Life at Conception Act just last year – an extreme bill that would severely restrict reproductive freedoms for Utah women.
“Let me be clear: The Alabama Supreme Court’s decision putting IVF in jeopardy was a direct consequence of Donald Trump’s presidency – and if he’s elected to another term, Utah could be next,” said Utah Democratic Party Chair Diane Lewis. “MAGA Republicans, including Burgess Owens, have already tried to restrict Utahns’ reproductive rights with no protections for IVF by co-sponsoring the Life at Conception Act. From birth control to IVF, the GOP has tried to insert itself into the most personal decisions a family can make – and they can’t run from that record. With freedoms hanging in the balance this November, Utahns know that the only way to protect the freedom to make decisions about their families and future is by rejecting Trump and MAGA Republicans at the ballot box.”
MAGA House Republicans support dangerous legislation that would rip away reproductive rights:
Just last year, Rep. Burgess Owens co-sponsored the Life at Conception Act, which would completely restrict reproductive freedom without any protections for IVF.
Donald Trump and his MAGA allies want to take this anti-freedom agenda even further:
Trump has bragged about restricting the reproductive freedom of millions of women, saying proudly that “I'm the one that got rid of Roe v. Wade.”
Trump’s extremist allies are already laying out plans for a nationwide abortion ban, attacks on same-sex marriage, and restrictions on contraception.
Trump has long supported a nationwide abortion ban, even saying in a speech to his MAGA supporters that “there of course remains a vital role for the federal government in protecting unborn life. And it’s very important.”
Trump has even gone so far as to call for punishing women who have abortions.
Trump has claimed credit for every extreme abortion ban passed thanks to his role in overturning Roe v. Wade, and said he was ‘proud’ to have terminated abortion rights.
And Trump’s close allies have plans to effectively ban abortion nationwide without the help of Congress. Trump’s allies could even attempt to prosecute doctors and patients for sending or receiving abortion medication in the mail.
According to a poll conducted by the firm of Trump’s own longtime advisor, 86% of voters support IVF.
Trump appointed an anti-IVF judge to a lifetime federal judicial appointment. He even added her to a list of potential Supreme Court picks.
The Trump administration proposed a rule that would have allowed health care workers to refuse IVF to women who were single, LGBTQ+ or in an interfaith relationship.
Trump’s White House and campaign hosted the Alabama Supreme Court chief justice who ruled to restrict access to IVF.
Trump’s Supreme Court appointee Amy Coney Barrett supported calls to protect life from fertilization and refused to answer questions about criminalizing IVF.
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The Utah Democratic Party is the face and voice of Democrats in the State of Utah. We believe that Utahns deserve strong, competent leadership that puts the people and democracy first.
For more information, contact Ben Anderson at press@utdem.org or +1 (801) 830-0645.
Utah Democratic Party Statement On Gov. Cox Sending National Guard And Troopers To Promote Political Agenda On Southern Border
SALT LAKE CITY, February 9, 2024 — This morning, Governor Spencer Cox announced that he’s sending members of the Utah National Guard and law enforcement to the southern border as part of the MAGA Republican party’s ongoing political grandstanding on immigration.
Utah Democratic Party Chair Diane Lewis released the following statement in response:
“This is just the latest in a long line of recent actions by Spencer Cox that prove that he is more interested in playing political games than getting important things done for the state of Utah. No matter how hard he tries to falsely justify his grandstanding through fear-mongering, the fact is that we have far more pressing issues facing our state that we should be devoting time, energy, and money to than posturing in an effort to please Donald Trump. Once again, if Cox and his Republican friends are so concerned about the border, they should be supporting the bipartisan proposal negotiated by President Biden and Senate Republicans. We deserve a governor who is more focused on doing work for the people of Utah than building his own personal brand on the national stage or protecting his own political ambitions.”
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“Organize Utah” is the Utah Democratic Party’s 2024 coordinated campaign, bringing together candidates, county parties, and other organizations in a unified effort to defeat Republican extremism and elect Democrats up and down the ballot.
For more information, please contact Ben Anderson at press@utdem.org or 801-860-0645.
Cox Joins The Culture Wars: Utah Democrats Call Out The Governor For Turning His Back On Vulnerable Communities
SALT LAKE CITY, January 30, 2024 — This evening, Utah Governor Spencer Cox signed into law two out-of-touch culture war bills, HB 261, which bans diversity, equity, and inclusion programs from public institutions, and HB 257, which restricts transgender Utahns from using bathrooms in public facilities that are in line with their gender identity.
Utah Democratic Party Chair Diane Lewis released the following statement in response:
“Spencer Cox rushing to make these divisive bills some of the first he signs this year is a perfect demonstration of the kind of governor he has become. Rather than placing common sense and good public policy over red meat culture wars, he has completely caved to the right wing of the Republican party in an effort to keep his political career alive.
“While Governor Cox might think it’s no big deal to throw vulnerable Utahns under the bus to secure his party’s nomination, there are real consequences to these culture wars, and real impacts which will be felt by communities of color and the LGBTQ community. We deserve a governor who will work for the better of ALL Utahns, and that’s why we’re working to defeat Spencer Cox and elect Brian King in November.”
We’ve seen a remarkable shift from Cox’s previous positions on these issues over the last few years:
In January 2021, as one of his first official acts, Governor Cox joined several other Republican leaders in signing the Utah Compact on Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, which said: “We advance solutions to racial ills by listening and creating policies that provide equal opportunity and access to education, employment, housing, and healthcare.”
In March 2022, Governor Cox vetoed a ban on trans kids participating in school sports, saying, “Rarely has so much fear and anger been directed at so few.”
His pivot comes as he has faced mounting criticism from Republican activists, and as he now faces two primary challengers from the right-wing of his party.
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“Organize Utah” is the Utah Democratic Party’s 2024 coordinated campaign, bringing together candidates, county parties, and other organizations in a unified effort to defeat Republican extremism and elect Democrats up and down the ballot.
For more information, please contact Ben Anderson at press@utdem.org or 801-860-0645.
Utah Democrats Stand With Transgender Utahns Against Discriminatory Political Attacks
SALT LAKE CITY, January 19, 2024 — Following the passage by the Utah House of Representatives of Rep. Kera Birkeland’s House Bill 257, Utah Democratic Party Chair Diane Lewis released the following statement:
“The latest anti-transgender bill passed by the House, which bans members of the transgender community from using public restrooms corresponding with their gender identity, is a shameful, discriminatory attack on a community that is already extremely marginalized and vulnerable. Unfortunately, despite trans people making up just 1% of our state’s population, Republican legislators have spent a massively disproportionate amount of time legislating their basic human rights.
“Not only does House Bill 257 perpetuate harmful and dangerous stereotypes about transgender Utahns, it is also not based on any facts or data, which the sponsor herself admitted. Repeatedly using vulnerable communities as a political punching bag, as the supermajority has done, is shameful and self-serving, and Utahns will hold extreme Republicans accountable for their votes in November.”
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“Organize Utah” is the Utah Democratic Party’s 2024 coordinated campaign, bringing together candidates, county parties, and other organizations in a unified effort to defeat Republican extremism and elect Democrats up and down the ballot.
For more information, please contact Ben Anderson at press@utdem.org or 801-860-0645.
“A Betrayal Of Our Utah Values:” Utah & Salt Lake County Democrats Call Out Utah Republicans For Self-Serving Attacks On Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion
SALT LAKE CITY, January 17, 2024 — This afternoon, the House Education Committee debated, and ultimately passed, House Bill 261: “Equal Opportunity Initiatives”, a bill which would eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion departments from all public institutions, and which would ban those institutions from considering anti-racism, racial privilege, or systemic discrimination in hiring.
This bill is directly oppositional to the Utah Compact on Racial Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, which was signed in December 2020 by dozens of state leaders, including high-profile Republicans like then-Governor Herbert, then-Lieutenant Governor Cox, Senate President Adams, and more.
The Compact promised to “…advance solutions to racial ills by listening and creating policies that provide equal opportunity and access to education, employment, housing and health care,” which is exactly what DEI programs exist to do. The fact that Republican leaders have now completely reversed course (Governor Cox even called DEI hiring practices “bordering on evil”) is a searing indictment of just how far they will go to appease the right-wing of their base, throwing communities of color under the bus for their own political gain.
“Three years ago, state and community leaders of both parties came together in a commitment to fight back against systemic racism. Unfortunately, House Bill 261 represents a major deviation from that commitment, and a huge step backwards for our state,” said Utah Democratic Party Chair Diane Lewis. “These out-of-touch culture wars are a betrayal of our Utah values: love for our neighbors, determination to allow everyone a fair shot at success, and embracing, not ignoring, our differences.”
“This bill will have drastic ramifications for years to come. This Republican-led legislation threatens jobs and explicitly targets minority and underrepresented communities, including but not limited to, Black, Latino, Women, Indigenous, and LGBTQ groups in Utah,” said Salt Lake County Democratic Party Chair Jade Velazquez. “I’m most concerned about the impact of this legislation on students of color. Utahns must stand united against this reprehensible bill and amplify our voices for what is right for our community. Democrats stand with communities of color and recognize that their lived experiences matter. We are asking all Utahns to please take action before it is too late and call on Governor Cox and his Republican colleagues to unequivocally denounce this bill.”
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“Organize Utah” is the Utah Democratic Party’s 2024 coordinated campaign, bringing together candidates, county parties, and other organizations in a unified effort to defeat Republican extremism and elect Democrats up and down the ballot.
For more information, please contact Ben Anderson at press@utdem.org or 801-860-0645.For more information, please contact Ben Anderson at press@utdem.org or 801-860-0645.
With Utah GOP In Disarray, Utah Democrats Announce 2024 Coordinated Campaign, “Organize Utah”
SALT LAKE CITY, December 19, 2023 – Today, the Utah Democratic Party announced the official launch of “Organize Utah,” its 2024 coordinated campaign. This unified effort is the first statewide Democratic coordinated campaign since 2016. By contrast, the extremists in the Utah Republican Party continue to show their dysfunction and disorganization, with bitter primary fights once again expected for the U.S. Senate, Congress, Governor, and more.
The launch of Organize Utah, which is made up of candidates, county parties, and other like-minded organizations, signals that Utah Democrats are ready to hit the ground running next year and make unprecedented investments across the state. Organize Utah will support Democratic candidates up and down the ballot through voter registration, direct voter contact, targeted get-out-the-vote efforts, paid media, and more.
“2024 is a crucial year for our party, and that’s why I am so excited about the launch of Organize Utah. Working hand-in-hand with our partners across the state, we are ready to make historic investments at every level of the ballot,” said Utah Democratic Party Chair Diane Lewis.
“While Utah Republicans’ vicious infighting and petty political games continue, Utah Democrats are more unified and organized than ever. We believe that not only will our early planning and preparation lead to Democratic gains next November, but that we are also laying the groundwork for success in the years to come.”
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“Organize Utah” is the Utah Democratic Party’s 2024 coordinated campaign, bringing together candidates, county parties, and other organizations in a unified effort to defeat Republican extremism and elect Democrats up and down the ballot.
For more information, please contact Ben Anderson at press@utdem.org or 801-860-0645.