FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Press Office
Dakotans for Health
605-610-8146
Deliberate and Organized Campaign to Coerce Petition Signers into withdrawing Support From Abortion Rights Freedom Amendment Petition
May 7, 2024
Dakotans for Health, spearheaded by co-founder Rick Weiland, is issuing a stark warning to the 55,000 signatories of its petitions aimed at putting the abortion issue on the ballot this fall in South Dakota. The organization cautions of a deliberate and organized campaign by the Right to Life (RTL) organization to coerce signers into withdrawing their support from the petition.
In a post (linked here) to the 55,000 individuals who lent their signatures to the Freedom Amendment petition, advocating for voters rather than politicians to decide the abortion rights of women in South Dakota, Weiland declared, “Right to Life has intensified their efforts to deceive you into retracting your support from our petition.”
Weiland revealed instances where parishioners at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Sioux Falls were provided with misleading materials, including a 'Liar Flyer,' and formal legal forms urging the removal of their names from the petition. He warned that similar tactics are being employed online, in public spaces, and within various churches across the state to pressure signers into renouncing their support.
“Don’t be misled by their falsehoods. Politely remind them that your intention when signing was to empower voters to decide this crucial issue, and that remains unchanged,” Weiland emphasized.
Dakotans for Health underscored the urgency of standing firm against this orchestrated attempt to undermine the democratic process. Weiland remarked, “It was evident from the outset that the Right to Life extremists controlling the State Legislature aimed to thwart our efforts when they hastily enacted emergency laws facilitating organized campaigns to coerce or intimidate petition signers into withdrawal.”
He added, “They recognize that South Dakotans support granting women and their healthcare providers the autonomy to make informed decisions regarding their health, hence their desperate bid to obstruct the democratic right to vote on this profoundly personal matter.”
In its concluding statement, Dakotans for Health reaffirmed the significance of democracy as a safeguard against governmental overreach. “Democracy is your shield against politicians dictating the course of your life. The right to vote on matters of paramount importance is the cornerstone of democracy,” the organization asserted.
“We are encouraging signatories to reaffirm their commitment to upholding democratic principles and support for the Freedom Amendment by visiting www.dakotans4health.com,” Weiland concluded.
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About Dakotans for Health:
Dakotans for Health is a grassroots organization focused on healthcare and protecting the democratic process. In 2024, our petitions to restore abortion rights in South Dakota and repeal the regressive state sales tax on groceries were certified and approved by the Secretary of State. Vote YES on Amendment G and IM 28! The organization was also instrumental in the successful 2022 campaign to expand Medicaid coverage to 52,000 low-income South Dakotans. Dakotans for Health is dedicated to ensuring all South Dakotans have access to the care they need, no matter who they are, what they look like, or how much money they have.
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