Planned Parenthood’s Dr. Leana Wen said Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court ruling that legalized abortion, “could well be overturned” with the addition of Brett Kavanaugh to the nation’s highest court.
“I’m a doctor and a scientist and I have to look at the evidence,” Wen told TIME at the TIME 100 Gala on Tuesday. “The evidence is clear on Brett Kavanaugh’s record of being anti-women’s healthcare, anti-reproductive healthcare, anti-healthcare, anti-rights. We are very concerned about what he’ll do.”
When Wen was named president of Planned Parenthood last year, she became the first physician to lead the health care organization in five decades. She attended the TIME 100 Gala as one of the event’s honorees.
Kavanaugh was narrowly confirmed to the Supreme Court after a bruising nomination fight, which included Christine Blasey Ford publicly accusing him of sexually assaulting her decades ago in high school. Kavanaugh repeatedly denied the allegation.
Both Blasey Ford and Kavanaugh were named to the 2019 TIME 100 list of influential people.
In a divisive political environment with an increasingly conservative Supreme Court — both of which have threatened abortion providers like Planned Parenthood — Wen has also stressed Planned Parenthood’s important role as an provider of affordable health care, for people of all genders.
She said despite the political opposition, her organization will continue with its missions.
“Planned Parenthood has been attacked countless times before,” she said. “Our doors are open today, they’ll be open tomorrow, they will be open for another 100 years.”
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