S5 E7: Crisis Pregnancy Centers, Scott Pruitt & Hungary Election: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
17 Sep 2024 (1 day ago)
Scott Pruitt's Security Spending
- Scott Pruitt, the EPA administrator, spent $832,000 in security costs during his first quarter in office.
- Pruitt has been accused of using the security funds for personal trips.
Pruitt's Housing Arrangement
- Pruitt rented a condo in Washington D.C. for $50 a night from the wife of an energy lobbyist.
- While living in the condo, Pruitt's security detail had to break down the door because he was unresponsive and they called 911, only to find out he was napping.
Hungary's Election Concerns
- Viktor Orbán, Hungary's right-wing prime minister, is likely to secure his fourth term in office.
- Critics have expressed concern that the country's democracy is at risk, citing laws targeting independent media and campaigns against immigrants.
Hungary's Opposition Parties
- Orbán's opposition included the historically anti-semitic party, Yic.
- Despite their past, some on the left supported Yic due to their opposition to Orbán.
Hungary's Election System
- Hungary's elections are funded with public money, leading to the emergence of fake parties that take the money and disappear.
- Joke parties, such as the Two-Tailed Dog Party, have also emerged, promising things like eternal life and beer-flooded streets.
Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPCs)
- Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPCs) are facilities whose purpose is to dissuade women from getting abortions.
- CPCs sometimes use misleading marketing tactics, such as including the word "choice" in their name or website, despite not offering abortion as an option.
CPC Tactics
- One anti-abortion activist, Abby Johnson, stated that the best clients for CPCs are those who believe they are entering an abortion clinic.
- Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPCs) often position themselves close to abortion clinics, sometimes even trying to physically intercept people seeking abortions.
CPC Mobile Clinics
- Some CPCs operate mobile clinics, such as those from Save the Storks, which are described as having amenities like leather seats, massage chairs, and bathrooms.
- CPCs have been known to mislead women about their pregnancy stage or delay their decision to have an abortion past the legal time limit.
CPC Services and Beliefs
- Many crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) do not provide access to birth control and some, like Barbara Beavers, question the effectiveness of condoms.
- Abby Johnson, a CPC operator, advises limiting assistance to expectant mothers after six months to encourage self-sufficiency.
CPC Legality and "Vanned Parenthood"
- It is currently legal for religious organizations to establish crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) that may present misleading information about reproductive health.
- A mobile crisis pregnancy center, named "Vanned Parenthood," was created as part of a non-profit organization called "Our Lady of Choosing Choice."