PRO-CHOICE LEADERS DENOUNCE TOCCI RECORD
Call For Tocci To Apologize For Unauthorized Use Of Quotes In Campaign Literature

(September 4, 2002 )

With the Democratic primary just one week away, prominent pro-choice leaders are furious with Ron Tocci for his unauthorized and misleading use of their statements in campaign literature.

Last week, Tocci released a campaign flyer that included quotes from Marcia Allina of Family Planning Advocates of NYS, Reina Schiffrin of Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic, and the Westchester Coalition for Legal Abortion (WCLA). What’s the problem? None of these family planning advocates support Tocci, and several are strong backers of challenger Noam Bramson.

In a stinging rebuke, Allina, Schiffrin, and Catherine Lederer-Plaskett of WCLA denounced Tocci’s record on women’s reproductive health, branded the quotes misleading and out-of-context, and called on Tocci to apologize for his deceptive campaign literature.

The joint statement of the pro-choice leaders reads as follows:

“Last week, Ron Tocci’s campaign distributed promotional literature that included seemingly favorable quotes from each of us. The Assemblyman did so without our permission or knowledge. The specific quotes he used were taken entirely out of context and create the false impression that we approve of his record and support his candidacy. Nothing could be further from the truth. Ron Tocci is the only member of the Westchester Assembly delegation who has voted for dangerous restrictions on a woman’s fundamental right to choose. Noam Bramson, by contrast, is fully pro-choice and can be trusted to be an effective, vocal advocate for women’s health care. We are outraged that Mr. Tocci would misuse our names and besmirch the reputations of the organizations we represent. We call on Mr. Tocci to apologize immediately for his deceptive campaign literature.” --

Marcia Allina, Family Planning Advocates of New York State
Catherine Lederer-Plaskett, Westchester Coalition for Legal Abortion
Reina Schiffrin, Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic

Lederer-Plaskett pointed out that WCLA had unanimously endorsed Noam Bramson, and that the group had written to Tocci months ago to specifically warn him against using past correspondence out of context. Allina has contributed $500 to Bramson’s campaign. Francine Stein, the past President & CEO of Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic, is another strong Bramson supporter and donor. (See entire letter)

Bramson called Tocci’s mailing “deeply disappointing, but not surprising. Mr. Tocci has employed a strategy of evasion and deception throughout this campaign in order to conceal the true nature of his right-wing record. Pro-choice advocates know that I will stand with them in the fight to defend a woman’s right to choose. Mr. Tocci has not.”

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TEXT OF LETTER MAILED BY WCLA TO MR. TOCCI

June 24, 2002

Hon. Ron Tocci
77 Quaker Ridge Road
New Rochelle, New York 10804

Re: WCLA letter to Mr. Tocci dated June 21, 2002

Dear Mr. Tocci:

Although we appreciate your recent vote in support of the Women's Health & Wellness bill, we wish to advise you that the letter of thanks you received was limited solely to that specific vote. Your voting record on reproductive rights has been abysmal and, as you know, we have already endorsed your primary opponent who is an outspoken 100% pro-choice advocate.

We are writing to alert you to the fact that you may not use the above referenced letter or any portion thereof to state or imply that WCLA supports you or in any way considers you to be pro-choice. Such actions would clearly be deerned fraudulent and would result in a serious misrepresentation of the facts to the voters

Very truly yours,
Catherine Ledeter-Plaskett, Chair of the Board
Judith A. Kaufman, Executive Director

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