Pennsylvania Dem Lawmaker Who Harassed Pro-Life Women Offers Lame Non-Apology

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May 7, 2019

A Pennsylvania Democratic lawmaker recorded footage of himself verbally harassing an elderly woman praying the rosary outside a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic. But Facebook has not banned this man, even though he posted the video on Facebook, and he has not resigned from office. (RELATED: Sims Offers Cash To Dox Teenage Pro-Life Girls).

Sims followed up Tuesday with a non-apology that stated, “I will do better.” But the non-apology also glorifies himself for his stunt.

In the footage a woman can be seen praying out of Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, when Rep. Brian Simms scolds and hurls insults at her, demanding the “old white lady” pray at home.

“She’s an old white lady who’s going to try avoid showing you her face,” Sims can be heard yelling in the video. “How many children have you clothed today? Have you fed any children today, or have you just stood out in front of Planned Parenthood shaming people for something that they have a constitutional right to do?”

He then berates the woman, calling her “disgusting” while urging viewers to support Planned Parenthood.

“Do me a favor please, if you are watching this, Planned Parenthood of southeast Pennsylvania is one of the most heavily protested Planned Parenthoods in the country and they deserve your support,” he said. “These are the kind of attacks that we can expect on Planned Parenthoods in the current administration.

He continued: “Shame on you, mam, for you standing out here thinking you know what’s right for other people’s bodies. There are people that come here from miles away, counties away because people like you are standing out in front of their Planned Parenthood shaming them.”

The woman asked him to stop recording, he refused, stalked her and threatened to dox, or release her private information, and protest her house.

“If you know who this woman is, if you can give me her address, we’ll protest out in front of her home,” Sims told the viewers. “This is what they deserve.”

The Pennsylvania state lawmaker posted footage shaming the pro-life, Christian woman on Twitter Thursday, warning Americans who oppose the “constitutional right” to abortions are “bigots.”

“Push back against Planned Parenthood protestors, PLEASE!” Sims wrote on Twitter. “They prey on young women, they use white privilege, & shame. They’re racist, classist, bigots who NEED & DESERVE our righteous opposition. Push back, please!”

Pro-life organization, Live Action notified Periscope of Sims video, noting the “broadcast violates your own rules on abusive behavior. He is harassing, intimidating and using fear to silence this sweet elderly woman.”

Sims fired back, “Bring it, Bible Bullies! You are bigots, sexists, and misogynists and I see right through your fake morals and broken values.”

“Planned Parenthood protesters are scum!” Sims wrote in lamented in another tweet. “I’ve spent years as a patient escort witnessing firsthand the hate, vitriol, hostility and BLATANT RACISM they spew. You can ‘pray for a baby at home.’ You sure as hell can feed a kid or clothe one instead. Old, fake, White, wrong! #BeReal”

President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Southeastern Pennsylvania, Dayle Steinberg, released a state Tuesday noting that it does not condone Sims’ approach but thanked him for championing the abortion giant.

“While we do not condone Representative Sims’ approach, our patients deserve to have access to health care without shame and stigma. Nobody should have to face shaming, judgment, harassment, or intimidation in order to get or provide health care,” Steinberg said.

“At Planned Parenthood, we work every day to ensure every patient receives high-quality health care they need – including abortion services – in a safe, respectful environment,” he continued. “It’s important to know that in Pennsylvania, we’re facing several abortion ban bills that are being pushed by politicians who want to roll back the right to safe, legal abortion. We thank our champions – including Representative Sims – for their unwavering opposition to these bans.”

An online petition demanding Sims resign has garnered 5,700 signatures as of Tuesday afternoon.