Two Washington Senators call for insurance commissioner’s resignation
Sep 2, 2021, 7:50 AM
Debra Sweet holds up a sign as she joins people gathered for a reproductive rights rally on Sept. 1, 2021, in New York City. NOW-NYC and Planned Parenthood of Greater New York Action Fund organized a rally for reproductive rights after a Texas law that has been dubbed the "Heartbeat Bill" went into effect. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
(Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
Two Republican state Senators are calling for the resignation of longtime state Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler.
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The lawmakers are upset over a statement Kreidler posted on the Insurance Commissioner’s website criticizing Texas’ new restrictive abortion law. In it, he compared Texas Republicans to the Taliban.
State Senator Doug Ericksen says that should appall all Americans.
“No matter how you feel about the issue of abortion and the right to life, to compare other American citizens to the Taliban because of their religious beliefs or because of their beliefs about abortion, it’s just wrong. It divides the country and it harms us all,” Ericksen said.
In the statement, Kreidler urged everyone committed to women’s rights and health to work to overturn what he called the “grotesque and backwards law” in Texas.
State Senator Mike Padden calls the statement a cheap attempt to score partisan points, but one that missed the mark.
“He blamed only Republican legislators in Texas when it was a bipartisan bill. But the inflammatory rhetoric is unbecoming of a public servant and the opposite of thoughtful, civil discourse the people of Washington deserve,” Padden said.
Read Kreidler’s statement below:
The Republican party in Texas has once again shown its blatant disregard for women’s rights. The new law that effectively bans abortions in the state cannot be allowed to stand.
The Texas law is a threat to women’s health and – if allowed to stand – could become a model for other states to restrict the ability of women to make choices about their own health.
Texas Republicans have become America’s own version of the Taliban. Once again, Republicans are showing how little they care for women’s rights and health. I will do everything in my power to make sure this Taliban-like move by Texas never finds a place in the state of Washington.
I urge everyone committed to women’s rights and health to take action to overturn this grotesque and backwards law in Texas. It is a threat to all of us.
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The two state senators indicated they would accept an apology from Kreidler, or a resignation.
The KIRO Radio Newsdesk contributed to this report.
