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CV NEWS FEED // President Joe Biden this week awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to former Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards, a decision that has drawn sharp criticism from pro-life advocates.
After a ceremony at the White House on Wednesday, November 20, Biden commended Richards, who was the organization’s president from 2006 to 2018, as a leader of “absolute courage.” He stated in a post on X that she “fearlessly leads us forward to be the America we say we are — a nation of freedom.”
In the post on X, he also said, “Through her work to lift up the dignity of workers, defend and advance women’s reproductive rights and equality, and mobilize Americans to exercise their power to vote, she has carved an inspiring legacy.”
Pro-life advocates strongly rejected this characterization. Lila Rose, president of Live Action, responded on X, writing, “Cecile Richards presided over the abortions of 3.9 million babies as president of Planned Parenthood. She belongs in jail. Not in the White House receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom.”
Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America reported in a fact sheet that analyzed previous Planned Parenthood annual reports that the organization performed more than 1.6 million abortions from 2012 to 2017 alone.
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Richards followed Gloria Feldt as president of Planned Parenthood and quickly became known for transforming the organization into what she described as the “largest kick-butt political organization.” However, during her tenure, Planned Parenthood’s non-abortion health care services declined, while abortions and taxpayer funding surged, according to LiveAction.
LiveAction reported that from 2006 to 2018, Planned Parenthood’s annual government funding increased by 67%, from $336.7 million to $563.8 million. During the same period, the number of abortions performed by the organization rose by nearly 15%, climbing from 289,750 annually to 332,757 annually.
Critics also highlighted Richards’ role in controversies involving Planned Parenthood, including allegations of Medicaid fraud, child abuse cover-ups, and the sale of fetal tissue. The Center for Medical Progress (CMP) accused Planned Parenthood of illegally selling fetal organs, an allegation that gained national attention when Richards publicly apologized for the “tone” used by one of the organization’s medical directors, Dr. Deborah Nucatola. In a CMP video, Nucatola was shown casually discussing the extraction of fetal organs during abortions.
While Biden lauded Richards’ legacy, pro-life advocates emphasized the scandals that marred her tenure. Live Action noted that Planned Parenthood was accused of covering up child sexual abuse by failing to adhere to mandatory reporting laws. Critics also condemned the Planned Parenthood founder, Margaret Sanger, who is well-documented to have held white supremacist beliefs.
According to LiveAction, under Richards’ leadership, Planned Parenthood falsely claimed to provide mammograms, and internal accusations of racism and privacy violations surfaced. Pro-life advocates argue that her leadership did not represent an “inspiring legacy” but rather a tragic chapter in the history of abortion in America.
One critic wrote of Richards on X, “She has been given a medal for killing the most number of Americans.”
Writing for LiveAction, Carole Novielli added, “An America that allows and even promotes the killing of innocent preborn human beings is not truly free, nor can it claim to stand for freedom when it unjustly robs children of their right to life.”
