Rating:

5.0 (1 vote)

TUCSON-When a constituent asked Tucson Representative Terri Proud to vote no on HB 2036, Proud reportedly said no, and then took it even further saying there should actually be a bill requiring women to witness an abortion before having one.

Adena Lees shared the correspondence between her and Representative Terri Proud that she claims shows the Representative's unprofessionalism towards constituents.

Lees said it wasn't Representative Terri Proud's opinion that offended her so much as the way she delivered it.

Lees tell us what offended her was that there was no salutation or appreciation of the letter, just two paragraphs explaining her position.

"It was just a blast of what I thought was provocative, violent and offensive," said Lees.

What upset her the most is how Proud responded after she expressed her feelings to the Representative.

"(She said) ‘You're kidding, right?'" said Lees.

Michelle Steinberg of Planned Parenthood said it's responses like that that discourage people from writing to their representatives.

"Not many of us go out of our way to contact our lawmakers and become part of the process, and I just don't think we can afford to alienate our constituents," said Steinberg.

But not everyone disagreed with Proud's delivery.

"God bless her for being courageous enough to say it the way she wanted to say it," said Sunny Turner with Arizona Right to Life.

This is a copy of correspondence (constituent's email and address withheld):

________________________________________
From: "Terri Proud"
To:
Sent: Thursday, March 8, 2012 10:54:38 AM
Subject: RE: Vote NO on H.B.2036
you're kidding right?

Representative Terri Proud
Arizona House of Representatives
1700 W. Washington Street
Phoenix, Arizona 85007
Email: tproud@azleg.gov
Administrative Assistant
Sue Adams
Phone: 602-926-3398
Email: sadams@azleg.gov

________________________________________
From:
Sent: Wednesday, March 07, 2012 4:13 PM
To: Terri Proud
Subject: Re: Vote NO on H.B.2036
Dear Representative Proud:

I am speechless at your response to my email below.
To speak to a constituent of yours in this manner is unacceptable, unprofessional and unethical.
Your response also does not address the request and the bill up for vote. I feel sad and afraid that you appear to be violently against women, children and families who are in tragic situations.

To live in this state and have a representative who believes and behaves the way you do is embarrassing and frightening.

Sincerely,

Adena Bank Lees

________________________________________
From: "Terri Proud"
To: "adena lees"
Sent: Monday, March 5, 2012 12:16:12 PM
Subject: RE: Vote NO on H.B.2036

Personally I'd like to make a law that mandates a woman watch an
abortion being performed prior to having a "surgical procedure". If
it's not a life it shouldn't matter, if it doesn't harm a woman then she
shouldn't care, and don't we want more transparency and education in the
medical profession anyway? We demand it everywhere else.

Until the dead child can tell me that she/he does not feel any pain - I
have no intentions of clearing the conscience of the living - I will be
voting YES.

Representative Terri Proud
Arizona House of Representatives
1700 W. Washington Street
Phoenix, Arizona 85007
Email: tproud@azleg.gov
Administrative Assistant
Sue Adams
Phone: 602-926-3398
Email: sadams@azleg.gov

Sue Adams

Assistant to Representatives:

Terri Proud

District 26

602-926-3398

tproud@azleg.gov

And

Ted Vogt

District 30

602-926-3235

tvogt@azleg.gov

sadams@azleg.gov

602-926-3487

-----Original Message-----
From:
On Behalf Of adena lees
Sent: Saturday, March 03, 2012 10:33 PM
To: Terri Proud
Subject: Vote NO on H.B.2036

Mar 3, 2012

Representative Terri Proud
Capitol Complex- House, Room 309
1700 West Washington Street
Phoenix, AZ 85007-2890

Dear Representative Proud,

I am asking you to vote against H.B.2036 in the Arizona Senate.

This legislation is harmful to women across Arizona. H.B.2036 bans
abortion at 20 weeks, and has no exception for women who receive a
diagnosis of a fetal anomalies.

The reality is that, while many women can look forward to a safe
childbirth, for some, pregnancy can be dangerous, and this bill is
harmful to those women. This bill is an unbelievably cruel attempt to
block access to care for women and families facing tragic situations.

Banning abortion without adequate exceptions and subjecting Arizonans
to new health-care restrictions is out of touch with our values and
priorities. These changes will place an even larger burden on families
in need of health care and on women's reproductive rights.

I urge you to vote against H.B.2036.

Sincerely,
Adena Bank Lees

Proud responded to the story with this statement:

OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM REP. PROUD REGARDING
HER EMAIL TO A CONSTITUENT

STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX (March 21, 2012) - For too long, Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry have placed selling abortions above the health and safety of women. My message to a constituent last week emphasized my concerns with how abortion providers have not been honest with women about the realities of abortion, and the short and long-term risks of this dangerous surgical procedure.

I'm thankful to be a part of a state legislature that has taken bold action in recent years to protect women and preborn children. Laws like the Abortion Consent Act, which ensure women have an in person consultation with a doctor at least 24-hours before an abortion, and the ultrasound before an abortion law, which guarantees a women has an ultrasound and the opportunity to view the picture of her child before an abortion, are steps in the right direction for our state.

As a pro-life legislator, I look forward to continuing to stand for the well-being of women and the life of every child.