Staten Island’s GOP Rep. Dan Donovan is under fire for his “refusal to stand up for women’s rights” and a “completely backwards view on sexual assault.”
In a letter to Donovan organized and circulated by his Democratic opponent Max Rose, more than two dozen of his female constituents wrote he’s “an absent leader who does the bare minimum” to protect women’s rights and their access to health care.
The women wrote that Donovan blamed teens who “fall in love” for Staten Island’s high number of reported rapes during a 2011 debate when he was the local district attorney. They also blasted the congressman for voting to defund Planned Parenthood.
“In your refusal to stand up for women’s rights and your completely backwards view on sexual assault, you lost our vote,” the women wrote.
Donovan’s campaign dismissed the letter.
“The truth is that Dan has a long and accomplished record of leadership from his establishment of the Family Justice Center and care for domestic violence victims to his work on women’s and children health issues in Congress,” Donovan spokeswoman Jessica Proud said.
Donovan recently beat ex-con Rep. Michael Grimm’s comeback attempt and faces Rose in the November general election.