Rep. Diane Black Fires Back at Planned Parenthood for Characterizing the Little Sisters of the Poor as 'Out-of-Touch Bosses

A conservative female lawmaker is firing back at Planned Parenthood for their characterization of the petitioners in Zubik v. Burwell — such as the Little Sisters of the Poor — as “out of touch bosses” who are suing the government to merely avoid paperwork.

Mother Loraine Marie Maguire of the Little Sisters of the Poor speaks to the media after arguments at the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., Wednesday. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the consolidated Zubik case, which includes Little Sisters of the Poor Home for the Aged v. Burwell. Thirty-seven petitioners have asked the Court to exempt them from the Affordable Care Act’s Health and Human Services mandate that requires them to cover contraceptive and abortifacient drugs in their employee health insurance plans, because they believe providing such drugs or facilitating their dispersal would violate their conscience.

In a series of tweets regarding the case, but without explicitly naming the Little Sisters of the Poor, Planned Parenthood lashed out at “out-of-touch bosses” who are “suing to get out of basic paperwork.” They also criticized the notion that the case is about religious freedom.

“Just when we thought the nation’s largest abortion provider couldn’t sink any lower, they proved us wrong by picking a fight with the Little Sisters of the Poor,” Rep. Diane Black (R-Tenn.), told TheBlaze.

“This continues a disturbing trend on the part of Planned Parenthood,” Black said. “From fantasizing about ‘free and plentiful’ abortion, to lashing out at Catholic nuns who care for the elderly poor, the true, dark nature of this abortion giant is being revealed over time.”

The government and supporters of the mandate have argued that the groups have been offered an “accommodation” in which they notify their insurers of their objections to the drugs, who will provide contraceptive services to patients, but opponents and the petitioners liken the accommodation to signing a permission slip for things they don’t condone.

“Religious employers” were exempt from the mandate, but “other non-profit religious organizations” were not.

“The Little Sisters of the Poor are servants of their faith who are rightfully standing up for their First Amendment guarantee of religious freedom,” Black added. “Ultimately, I believe that Planned Parenthood’s foolish decision to go after such a laudable organization will help further the Little Sisters’ cause, because it sets up a stark contrast between the compassion of life-giving ministries such as theirs and the callousness of the big abortion industry.”

Rep. Diane Black (R-Tenn.) listens during a news conference on Capitol Hill. (AP Photo/Lauren Victoria Burke)

A spokesperson for Planned Parenthood did not immediately return TheBlaze’s request for comment.

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