Clinton campaign: Pence is ‘most extreme pick in a generation’
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Hillary Clinton campaign was quick to respond to news that Donald Trump has chosen Indiana Governor Mike Pence as his running mate.
“By picking Mike Pence as his running mate, Donald Trump has doubled down on some of his most disturbing beliefs by choosing an incredibly divisive and unpopular running mate known for supporting discriminatory politics and failed economic policies that favor millionaires and corporations over working families,” said John Podesta, chair of Hillary for America said in a statement.
The Religious Freedom Restoration Act made national headlines in 2015. Critics believed it would allow discrimination against homosexuals.
“Pence is the most extreme pick in a generation and was one of the earliest advocates for the Tea Party,” said Podesta. “He was the first of GOP leadership to join Michele Bachmann’s Tea Party Caucus. As governor, Pence personally spearheaded an anti-LGBT law that legalized discrimination against the LGBT community, alienated businesses, caused boycotts, lost investments and embarrassed Hoosiers– a law he was later forced to revise.”
The Clinton campaign also brought up controversial legislation from 2016. Earlier this year, Pence signed a bill banning abortions due to fetal genetic abnormalities, a move that set off lawsuits.
“Pence also personally led the fight to defund Planned Parenthood while serving in the House and fought to pass Indiana’s 2016 anti-abortion law, with some of the most outrageous restrictions in the country that threatened women’s privacy and limited their choice,” said Podesta.
John Gregg, Democratic candidate for governor also released a statement on Pence being named the VP pick.
“This campaign has always been about Indiana’s future and who is best equipped to clean up the mess Mike Pence made. I look forward to hearing from my opponents if they’ll continue his damaging policies or join me working to correct them. In the meantime, I’ll continue outlining my plans for creating and retaining high-paying jobs, strengthening schools, fixing long neglected infrastructure, combating the state’s drug epidemic and all the other very real challenges facing Hoosiers which have taken a back seat to Mike Pence’s personal ambition and extreme ideologies for so long.”