Terrisa Lin Bukovinac (born April 4, 1981) is an American anti-abortion activist. A member of the Democratic Party, she formerly served as president of Democrats for Life of America and was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for president of the United States in the 2024 United States presidential election,[1] with the intent of running a campaign to outlaw abortion.[2][3][4] She is a subject of the 2022 documentary film Battleground which profiles three leading women in the anti-abortion movement.[5]
Terrisa Bukovinac | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | April 4, 1981 |
| Citizenship | United States |
| Occupation | Anti-abortion activist |
| Political party | Democratic |
Political career
editIn 2017, she founded Pro-Life San Francisco[6] and became the president of Democrats for Life of America in 2020.[7] The following year, she founded Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising (PAAU).[6][8]
In 2022, Bukovinac and Lauren Handy claimed to have uncovered the remains of 115 aborted fetuses from a medical waste box taken from outside of the Washington Surgi-Clinic in Washington, D.C. They believed that five of them were old enough to be viable outside the womb, which if true would mean the clinic violated the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act and the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act.[6][9][10][11][12][13] According to Bukovinac and Handy, the remains of 110 of the fetuses were buried by a priest after a funeral mass, and they contacted the DC Medical Examiner to coordinate the retrieval of the remaining five fetuses in hopes that they would perform an autopsy.[14] Along with some Republican senators, PAAU has pushed for an investigation into the Washington Surgi-Clinic, specifically relating to the circumstances of those five aborted fetuses.[15] D.C. authorities declined to perform an autopsy and stated that the five fetuses appeared to have been aborted in accordance with D.C. law, which permits abortion in all nine months of pregnancy.[16]
Bukovinac announced her presidential candidacy in early September 2023.[17][18][19] Her campaign is being managed by Catherine Glenn Foster, who was previously president of Americans United for Life and served as council for the Alliance Defending Freedom; both organizations were vital in overturning Roe v. Wade.[20] In relation to her views on abortion, Bukovinac supports a federal abortion ban, defunding Planned Parenthood, repealing the FACE Act and pardoning individuals convicted of crimes related to it, and decreasing costs related to giving birth.[6]
As of December 31, 2023, Bukovinac's campaign had raised more than $28,000.[21]
Political views
editIn addition to her support for the anti-abortion movement, Bukovinac furthermore supports:
- increased parental leave,[22]
- personhood for the pre-born, under the 14th Amendment.[23]
She is a self-described former pro-abortion Christian but now an anti-abortion atheist.[24]
References
edit- ^ Berstein, Brittany (September 14, 2023). "Progressive Pro-Lifer Enters 2024 Democratic Primary to Advocate for the Unborn". National Review. Archived from the original on September 28, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
- ^ Resnick, Sophia. "Anti-abortion Democrat runs for president to show graphic imagery in campaign ads". Michigan Advance. Archived from the original on October 4, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
- ^ Ramer, Holly (October 29, 2023). "New Hampshire's presidential primary ballots will have 24 Republicans and 21 Democrats, but no Biden". The Associated Press. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
- ^ Resnick, Sofia (November 13, 2023). "Abortion-rights victories cement 2024 playbook while opponents scramble for new strategy". Tennessee Lookout. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
- ^ Loayza, Beatrice (October 6, 2022). "'Battleground' Review: A Look at the Anti-Abortion Movement". The New York Times. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
- ^ a b c d "National Pro-Life Activist Declares Her Candidacy for the Democratic Party's Nomination for President". Yahoo Finance. September 14, 2023. Archived from the original on October 1, 2023. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
- ^ Boorstein, Michelle; Schmidt, Samantha (January 29, 2021). "Facing a post-Trump world, abortion opponents at March for Life strike a less partisan tone". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
- ^ Levenson, Michael (March 31, 2022). "5 Fetuses Removed From Home of Anti-Abortion Activist, Group Says". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on August 31, 2023. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
- ^ Levenson, Michael (April 5, 2022). "Anti-Abortion Activists Say They Were Allowed to Take 115 Fetuses". The New York Times. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
Anti-abortion activists claimed on Tuesday that five fetuses that were removed from an apartment in Washington last week had been in a box containing a total of 115...
- ^ O'Connor, Lydia (April 5, 2022). "Arrested Anti-Abortion Activist Claims She Was Given 115 Fetuses". HuffPo. Archived from the original on February 25, 2023. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
- ^ Boorstein, Michelle; Hermann, Peter; Lang, Marissa J. (April 5, 2022). "Medical waste company denies giving fetuses to antiabortion activists". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
- ^ Boorstein, Michelle (April 25, 2022). "After a secret funeral for fetal remains, a priest faced a choice". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
- ^ Shivaram, Deepa (April 6, 2022). "An anti-abortion group claims it took 115 fetuses from a medical waste truck". NPR. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
An anti-abortion group that is facing previous federal charges said it took 115 fetuses from a medical waste company and buried 110 of them at an undisclosed location.
- ^ "Lauren Handy: 'These children were murdered'". The Pillar. April 5, 2022. Retrieved February 20, 2024.
- ^ Kamman, Samantha (March 22, 2023). "Progressive activists continue push for justice 1 year after recovery of 5 full-term aborted babies". The Christian Post. Archived from the original on September 26, 2023. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
- ^ "Group claims fetuses in DC home proof of illegal abortions". AP News. April 5, 2022.
Late-stage and third-trimester abortions are legal in the District of Columbia. ... Ashan Benedict, MPD's executive assistant chief of police, told reporters last week that the fetuses appeared to have been aborted "in accordance with D.C. law."
- ^ Penley, Taylor (September 19, 2023). "Progressive activist launches presidential bid to protest Biden's stance on abortion". Fox News. Archived from the original on October 4, 2023. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
- ^ Foley, Ryan (September 18, 2023). "Pro-life Democrat running for president to serve as a 'thorn in the side of the Democratic Party'". The Christian Post. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
- ^ Severi, Misty (September 20, 2023). "Biden draws another challenger as 2024 troubles mount". Washington Examiner. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
- ^ Resnick, Sophia. "Anti-abortion Democrat runs for president to show graphic imagery in campaign ads". Michigan Advance. Archived from the original on October 4, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
- ^ "BUKOVINAC, TERRISA LIN - Candidate overview". Federal Election Commission. Archived from the original on October 7, 2023. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
- ^ Bukovinac, Terrisa; Bisits, Xavier (November 17, 2022). "American corporations will pay for abortions, but not for parental leave". America. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
- ^ Bukovinac, Terrisa (June 15, 2023). "The Pro-Life Movement Should Follow Its North Star: Equal Protection". National Review. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
- ^ Resnick, Sofia (August 30, 2023). "Why Were There Fetuses in Her Refrigerator? How a radical abortion opponent ended up dumpster-diving for remains". The Cut.