Sen. threatens students lobbying for birth control

BOISE, Idaho — A state senator shouted at University of Idaho students affiliated with Planned Parenthood who were trying to schedule a meeting with him to discuss birth control and sex education.

Republican Sen. Dan Foreman said he would call law enforcement officials if they attempted to visit his office at the Capitol again.

The students, who had traveled nearly 300 miles from the Moscow campus to participate in a Boise lobbying event, were trying to schedule a meeting with Foreman to discuss birth control and sex education.

Foreman, who is from the same community as the campus, emphatically refused to speak with them in an exchange that several people recorded on camera.

“Abortion is murder. I’m a Roman Catholic and a conservative Republican,” Foreman is shouting on the video. “I think what you guys are doing stinks.”

A voice on the video, which has been posted to multiple social media accounts, can be heard saying “that’s your choice.”

“You’re damn right it’s my choice, so stay out of my office,” Foreman said. “Next time you walk into my office, you’ll be dealing with Idaho State Police.”

Paul Dillon, public affairs director for Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho, said in a phone interview that Foreman’s response to their meeting request was scary.

Instead, the students were encouraging lawmakers to vote in favor of a bill that would allow women to receive up to a 12-month supply of prescribed birth control and promote better sex education on college campuses.

Foreman tweeted yesterday that Planned Parenthood goes against everything he believes in. He said in a separate tweet that “saving the lives of my constituents” was his priority and students should talk about “killing babies” with Democratic state Sen. Maryanne Jordan of Boise.