Gottheimer: Trump and Garrett Declare War on Women
Press Release
Early this morning, presidential candidate Donald Trump launched a tirade on Twitter with another visceral, misogynist rant against former Miss Universe winner, Alicia Machado. Trump's remarks are the rhetorical equivalent of Tea Partier Scott Garrett's own abhorrent anti-woman voting record. The contents of the Tweet were utterly shameful, and yet Scott Garrett -- who has endorsed Trump -- has neither called on Trump to apologize nor retracted his endorsement.
It's clear that Garrett shares the same anti-women views as Trump.
"As his lifelong record indicates, Scott Garrett's radical voting record against women is the moral equivalent of Donald Trump's rhetorical war on women. Garrett's Tea Party beliefs are against the values of our country, they undermine our economy, they are an assault on our families, and they have no place in 21st century America," said Gottheimer.
Gottheimer's Women's Advisory Board issued the following statement: "As professional women and mothers, we are appalled by Scott Garrett's anti-women record and Trump's despicable comments. Scott Garrett and Donald Trump owe an apology to women of all ages. We need a problem solver not another divider."
Scott Garrett's Extreme Anti-Women Record
Only NJ legislator to vote against mandatory life sentences for repeat sexual offenders. In 1994, Garrett voted against creating life sentences for repeat sex offenders, particularly those preying on children. The bill passed, 70-1 [GovNetNJ.com, S11, 10/20/94].
One of only 9 in House to vote against the Violence Against Women Act. When VAWA was due for reauthorization in 2013, Garrett didn't just vote against the final passage of the bill. He was one of only nine House members, all men, who tried to stop Congress from holding a vote on it in the first place [S47, Vote #52, 2/28/13]. After failing to prevent Congress from moving forward, Garrett voted against VAWA when it passed with bipartisan support [S47, Vote #55, 2/28/13].
Garrett supports an extreme Constitutional amendment that would ban a woman's right to choose, even in cases of rape and incest [New York Times Editorial, 10/25/08].
Garrett voted against an amendment that would have protected the medical privacy of women, specifically victims of rape and incest, when it came to their choice of insurance [HR 7, Vote #44, 1/22/15].
Garrett voted against creating a permanent Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program that would work with rape crisis centers to offer assistance to rape and sexual assault victims [GovNetNJ.com, A2519, 5/08/97]. Garrett was just one of three in the state assembly to vote against the legislation.
Unlike other Members of Congress, Garrett has refused to denounce and donate to charity the $15,000 worth of campaign contributions from sex offender and child abuser and former Speaker Dennis Hastert, who is now in prison for his crimes.
Opposed mammograms being covered by insurance providers. Scott Garrett was just one of four New Jersey legislators to vote against a popular bill that required insurers to cover mammograms for women over the age of 40 [GovNetNJ.com, A2133, 6/24/99].
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