Nicole Clegg’s recent commentary, “Planned Parenthood’s Maine patients need health care, not politics” (June 22), was disturbing on many levels.

For instance, in Georgia’s recent 6th Congressional District special election, the Planned Parenthood Action Fund funneled about $820,000 to back a pro-choice candidate in what has been touted as the most expensive House race in U.S. history. What the media left out was that Planned Parenthood was the second largest spender in that candidate’s costly campaign.

It just goes to show that money can’t buy everything.

Even forcing taxpayers to provide Planned Parenthood with over $554 million last year did not guarantee enhanced health care services. Nor did increasing its president’s salary to nearly $1 million in fiscal 2015 increase services. Many are surprised to know that despite doubling of taxpayer funds over the past 10 years, Planned Parenthood’s health care services have actually decreased, according to its own annual reports, while its taxpayer funding and abortions have increased.

In the lead-in to her column, Clegg muses, “What would a world without Planned Parenthood look like?” If only I could ask even one of the 899 unborn children who are aborted every day at Planned Parenthood.

Planned Parenthood is not what you think. And no amount of rationalizing, rhetoric, romanticizing or anecdotal testimony can condone the continued forced tax funding of an organization decreasing in services, while increasing in controversy and scandal.

Taxpayers should not be held hostage by Planned Parenthood or its surrogates. Enough is enough. The voice of the defenseless innocent unborn child and her mother deserve to be heard through the rhetoric. They deserve our best care and compassion. And our hard-earned tax dollars should not be sent to any organization promoting and profiting from the wholesale destruction of innocent human life.

Teresa McCann-Tumidajski

executive director, Maine Right to Life Committee

Auburn