The ad says:
Republican Dino Rossi not only voted to deny insurance coverage for contraceptives, he wants to take away a woman’s right to choose and make abortion illegal.
The proof:
Rossi voted against requiring health plans that cover prescription drugs to cover the cost of prescription contraceptives. [SB5512, 3/9/99]
Rossi says he’s not running on the issue and doubts whether if a bill restricting abortion would ever come before him if he’s elected. But he indicated that he would sign such a bill. He said, though, that he would support exceptions for incest, rape and to save the life of the mother. “My wife and I are both Catholic and believe every soul has a value,” he said. “If it came before me, I’d vote my conscience, of course. If any of those issues do, I’d vote my conscience.” He said people have told him “you ought to change your position on life; you’d be a shoo-in for governor.” But Rossi said he won’t change. “If I’m going to make an error, I’m always going to err on the side of life. What’s the worse-case scenario? Someone is alive. So when it comes to those issues, I will always err on the side of life.” [Seattle Times, 9/18/08]
Rossi opposes abortion except in the case of rape or incest, or to save the life of the mother. [Seattle Times, 10/14/04]
The ad says:
Rossi not only voted to deny unemployment benefits to victims of domestic abuse…
The proof:
Rossi voted against allowing individuals that quit their jobs voluntarily, due to domestic violence victimization or stalking, to be considered as leaving work voluntarily with good cause, allowing a claimant to qualify for unemployment benefits. [SB 5189, 3/8/01]
On Thursday, after heated debate that at one point drew groans of disgust from Democrats, the state Senate approved a bill giving unemployment benefits to domestic violence or stalking victims who must leave their jobs. The vote was 26-23, mostly along party lines with Democrats in favor and Republicans opposed….The expected cost: $300,000 over two years….Republicans, many of whom said they support the idea, balked at the proposal because it threatens to add to the costs of employers, who pay taxes to support the unemployment system. The Republicans tried unsuccessfully to tack on an amendment to take the $ 300,000 program cost from a state fund for crime victims, rather than from unemployment. They also wanted to require applicants to file a police report or get a restraining order. “This is a societal problem, not an employer problem,” said Sen. Jim Honeyford, R-Sunnyside….The bill expressly avoids saddling a particular employer with higher unemployment insurance premiums because one of its workers leaves due to domestic violence. Normally, the amount an employer pays is based on how often that company lays people off. More claims mean the company pays more. Instead, the bill spreads the cost among all employers who pay into the system. Therefore, the net increase would be barely noticeable, Democrats said. “The only person who’s going to have a significant bottom-line impact is the individual who’s decided to leave an abusive relationship,” said Sen. Lisa Brown, D-Spokane. “It will be imperceptible to the rest of us.” [Spokesman Review, 3/9/01]
The ad says:
He voted to eliminate healthcare for forty thousand of Washington’s poorest children.
The proof:
Senator Rossi voted for his 2003-05 budget proposal. [ESSB5404, 4/4/03]
The Senate plan would drop from Medicaid rolls about 40,000 children in households with incomes above 175 percent of the poverty level. [Seattle Times, 5/15/03]
The Washington Senate’s chief budget writer, Dino Rossi, R-Sammamish, would have recommended moving 40,000 children off Medicaid even if the federal funding formula had remained the same because of the overall budget shortfall and Rossi’s determination to balance the budget without new taxes, Rossi spokesman Scott Armstrong said. [Bellingham Herald, 4/5/03]
Republican senators cut Medicaid coverage for 40,000 poor children…While cutting services to 40,000 poor kids, Senate Republicans would give $15 million in additional tax breaks to businesses. [The Olympian, 4/20/03]
The Senate plan would drop from Medicaid rolls about 40,000 children in households with incomes above 175 percent of the poverty level. [Seattle Times, 5/15/03]
Democrats ripped the budget for the cuts it will make to health care programs that help the poor – including cutting off 40,000 children who would become ineligible for Medicaid because their family incomes are more than 175 percent of the poverty level. [The Olympian, 4/5/03]