Boxer Justifies Cecile Richards’ $600K Salary: She ‘Puts Her Life on the Line’

MITCHELL: “Senator, one of the issues at the hearing has been Cecile Richards’ salary. She’s being questioned because she makes $525,000 a year. That is an issue that the House members have been [challenging her on. Do you think that that is an inappropriately] high salary for someone working in women's health services.”

BOXER: “Absolutely, I do not think it is. If you look at CEO salaries across the board, and Cecile Richards essentially puts her life on the line in this job. Let’s be clear, let's be clear, I would say that this line of attack is outrageous. I served in the House for ten years. I never saw such a personal assault as this. They ought to be ashamed of themselves. All they want to do is hurt women. It’s the war on women. It’s a sad day, and I stand in solidarity with the women and men of America who believe that women should be respected, that the right to choose is a personal choice. Everyone should make it for themselves. We don't use federal funds for abortion. It’s very clear. They’re frustrated because they don't know how to make abortion illegal. They know they can never do it. So they want to conduct a witch hunt against Planned Parenthood. You know, I remember the days that Planned Parenthood board included Republicans and Democrats, it still does. Yet, the national Republican Party has turned against freedom of choice. It seems to me wanting to put government right inside your home, inside your bedroom, is wrong for a party that says, ‘get government out of our lives’. They want to take us back, Andréa. It’s very serious. It’s going to be a big issue in the presidential race. It should be. Let the American people decide if they respect women's choices or they want to go back to the days when women were considered criminals and doctors were considered criminals if they had an abortion.”