Pullman Planned Parenthood faces political uncertainty

It has been one year since the Planned Parenthood clinic in Pullman reopened after its building was heavily damaged in an unsolved arson in 2015.

Karl Eastlund, the chief executive officer of the Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho, still keenly remembers being awakened by a 4 a.m. phone call on Sept. 4, 2015, with news that the building had been fire bombed.

Eastlund said leadership has worked with clinic staff to increase security patrols and the clinic has become one of the most secure in the area since the incident, but that does not mean memories of the attack are not still fresh. He said staff are “absolutely scared.”

“It would be impossible to say that it’s not in the back of peoples’ minds,” Eastlund said.

While the threat of violence is always there, Planned Parenthood now has another very real risk to deal with – a political one.

President Donald Trump made it clear on the campaign trail his goal was to deprive Planned Parenthood of federal funding because of its abortion services. Defunding has not happened yet, but the president reinstated a policy last month that bans foreign aid to health providers who offer, counsel or advocate for abortion services.

Planned Parenthood could be next.

Eastlund said local Planned Parenthood leaders will work with legislators to make sure they understand what’s at stake, which, he said, is access to afordable health care for thousands of women.

While Planned Parenthood’s main focus is to care for the patients it has now, Eastlund said it could mean hardship for local communities if the GOP were to follow through on its promise to completely defund Planned Parenthood.

Local clinics, Eastlund said, certainly are not going away, but a lack of funding from the government could mean the clinics would have to find alternative forms of funding, such as fundraising.

Despite questions last year that the arson attack would scare off visitors, the clinic is now struggling with an overwhelming number of patients, the CEO said.

“I mean, it’s been interesting,” Eastlund said. “We’ve always known there’s a lot of need in the Moscow-Pullman area.”

Clinics have also faced their usual numbers of protests, which have taken on more intimidating tones since the election, Eastlund said.

“It’s very sad to see because I think it’s nothing less than bullying and intimidation,” Eastlund said.