We are asking you to take 5 minutes out of your day to write an e-mail to Dr. John Seeds, the anti-choice activist physician recently appointed to the Board of Health by Governor Bob McUltrasound. We are demanding that he recuse himself from the vote at the Board of Health meeting on September 14th. It is clear that Dr. Seeds’ religious and political views will directly affect his vote, which will decide the fate of many abortion clinics in Virginia. The press attempted to contact Dr. Seeds after yesterday’s protest with no avail. We have no doubt this is because he knows his vote is biased and influenced by his religious and political views, and not based on science.

Let us make this clear: We are not saying he is a bad doctor or that he shouldn’t be on the Board of Health. We are saying that his activism against abortion makes him unqualified to vote on regulations that affect abortion rights in Virginia.

You can read more about John Seeds and why we’re demanding he recuse himself here.

Contact Dr. John Seeds: [email protected] and [email protected] and [email protected] (Send it to all three if you can!)

You can also cc the Chair of the Board, Bruce Edwards ([email protected]) or write him his own e-mail explaining that you think Dr. Seeds should recuse himself.

We would love to hear what you have to say to Dr. Seeds. If you don’t mind your e-mail being seen by the world, please send us a copy! We’d love to share your passion and dedication! [email protected]

If you have extra extra time, feel free to send some love to Anna Jeng ([email protected]) and Jim Edmondson ([email protected]) for fighting hard to amend the anti-choice regulations by adding a grandfather clause that would protect existing clinics. This clause was then removed by the Department of Health based on an order from The Cooch, stating that the Board of Health did not have the authority to add it. We want to let them know that we’re supporting them and hope they will fight for us again!

Cooch watcher Cliff M. has the winning caption this week!

We received so much support for “Hands Off, Crazy” that we’re making another video! We need enthusiastic, energetic, enraged pro-choicers to show off their dance moves and lip-synching skills. Bring your friends, children, parents, pets, and whatever else you want!

Date: Thursday, August 30th

Time: 4:00pm-6:00pm

Location: Monroe Park, VCU Campus, Richmond, Virginia

You can check out the Facebook event page here.

RSVP HERE to the Board of Health meeting on September 14th in Richmond, Virginia! This electronic RSVP is an attempt to tally the number of those who intend to attend the event and influence Commissioner Remley to reserve a larger space for the meeting. In June, the room couldn’t fit a third of the pro-choice supporters! We are also expecting a counter-protest by The Family Foundation, a Christian anti-choice organization based in Richmond. Please RSVP and show up on September 14th!

This message to Family Foundation supporters is meant to rally anti-choicers across the Commonwealth to counter-protest at the Board of Health meeting on September 14th in Richmond, Virginia. At the last meeting, pro-choice activists showed up en masse and our presence reminded the Board that politics have no place in healthcare. As a result, they added a grandfather clause protecting existing abortion providers from closure due to the proposed (medically unnecessary) structural requirements.

The email also mentions The Cooch, stating that his certification is to ensure the regulations are “constitutional and fulfill the requirements of the Virginia Code.” Since the Virginia Code referenced states that clinics should be “regulated” (other states have adopted grandfather clauses), Cooch Watch can only assume that what they really mean is that The Cooch will ensure the regulations are “so outrageously expensive and unnecessary that the majority of existing clinics already providing safe abortion care will shut down.”

This week’s contest was a close one, but as of midnight Wednesday Jeff R. had the most votes.  Congratulations Jeff!

We here at Cooch Watch want to say THANK YOU to all of our fans and fellow activists. Our new video “Hands Off, Crazy” has over 20,000 views in just 2 days! Big thanks to Maya at Feministing.com, Ms. Foundation for Women, Megan Carpentier from Raw Story, Rachel Maddow, and many, many more for sharing the video. Let’s keep spreading the word about The Cooch and his anti-choice agenda!

Also, a big THANK YOU to Carly from Two Spoons Photography for designing our flyers for the Board of Health meeting on September 14th.

A great article on the upcoming Board of Health meeting was published today by Steve Contorno of The Examiner. This has an informative overview of what has been happening with the Board of Health, TRAP regulations, and The Cooch’s unlawful use of power. Take a look and make sure you share the word and invite your friends to the upcoming Board of Health meeting on September 14th!

This is a great graphic of what women are up against. It was published last year and it has proven true. We are hearing a lot more of him, especially since he wants to be Virginia’s Governor. It’s our job to stop him.

The Cooch is attempting to shut down clinics in Virginia. In June, we showed up to the Board of Health meeting and they made a decision to amend the proposed TRAP regulations to include a grandfather clause that would save all existing clinics. The Cooch denied the Board of Health the right to make that amendment and the TRAP regulations are going back to the Board. This time around, Governor McDonnell brought in an anti-choice OB/GYN to stack the Board with more anti-choice representatives. It is even more important to show up on September 14th, as the fate of Virginia’s clinics is at stake and this may be the final round.

Check out the Facebook event page here.