Biden Accused of Being 'Extremist on Abortion' for Picking Xavier Becerra for HHS - Here's Why

Former Vice President Joe Biden announced Monday that he has selected California Attorney General Xavier Becerra as his future secretary of Health and Human Services, which immediately drew backlash from Republicans and conservative groups on social media. 

Becerra, 62, a former congressman, has no experience working at HHS and no medical background. He has never been chief executive of a state, or even of a large, complex organization, the National Review reported. And according to the media outlet, the reason he was selected by Biden was for the issue of abortion. 

It was Becerra who in 2017 filed 15 felony charges related to David Daleiden's work that revealed Planned Parenthood's involvement in harvesting, marketing, and selling human body parts from aborted babies to biotech companies. 

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In a tweet, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) plainly said he would be "voting no, and Becerra should be rejected by the Senate."

"Xavier Becerra spent his career attacking pro-life Americans and tried to force crisis pregnancy centers to advertise abortions. He's been a disaster in California and he is unqualified to lead HHS," Cotton wrote.

In a follow-up tweet, Cotton wrote, "Xavier Becerra's lockdowns in California have been a disaster.  Liberal politicians dine on caviar at the French Laundry while working Californians are locked down and playgrounds are closed. Now, Joe Biden apparently wants California's lockdowns for the whole country."

Read: CA Gov. Newsom Ignored Own COVID Rules During Party, Group of Lawmakers Travels to Hawaii

US Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) agreed with Cotton on Becerra, writing "Worst possible cabinet choice" and retweeting the response of Erielle Davidson @polticalelle, who wrote, "Yes, California is run so well. Let's make one of their Senators our VP and their AG our Health and Human Services Secretary. Good idea. Spread the mismanagement everywhere."

Rev. Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, said Becerra is a threat to freedom of religion.

In his daily podcast, "The Briefing", Mohler said, "It would be hard to create even in imagination a nominee for this kind of position who would be of deeper concern for anyone who is pro-life or pro-marriage or pro-religious liberty than Xavier Becerra."

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The national pro-life group Susan B. Anthony List (SBA) responded to Biden's HHS secretary pick.

"Far from 'uniting' the country, Biden has proven yet again he is an extremist on abortion," said SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser. "Becerra is aggressively pro-abortion and a foe of free speech. As attorney general of California, he continued what his predecessor Kamala Harris started by persecuting citizen journalists who exposed Planned Parenthood's role in baby parts trafficking. Not only that, he went all the way to the Supreme Court to try to force California's pro-life pregnancy centers to advertise and refer for abortion – a policy the Court rejected as unconstitutional. In Congress, he even voted in favor of partial-birth abortion." 

Read: Supreme Court Rules Pro-Life Pregnancy Centers Can't Be Forced to Join 'Sales Team for Abortion'

"This pick underscores the importance of winning in Georgia to prevent pro-abortion forces from taking control of the US Senate. Republican senators must stand firm and stop this unacceptable nomination from going forward," Dannenfelser added. 

In a tweet, the SBA also spoke out about Becerra's record. 

"Continued persecution (started by predecessor Kamala Harris) of citizen journalists who exposed Planned Parenthood's role in baby parts trafficking. Tried to force pro-life pregnancy centers to refer for abortion. Voted for partial-birth abortion," the group wrote. 

The Alliance Defending Freedom's Kirsten Waggoner questioned Biden's choice, noting, "There's nothing moderate about this pick. Nothing."

"ADF had to go all the way to the Supreme Court to stop Becerra from forcing religious pro-life pregnancy centers to advertise for abortions. He is an extremist who has no regard for conscience or protecting life," she wrote.

Students for Life of America/SFL Action President Kristan Hawkins announced a nationwide petition Monday calling for all concerned citizens to contact Senators Mitch McConnell and Chuck Schumer, as well as their US Senators, in opposition to Becerra to head Health and Human Services. Click here to read the petition. 

SFLA's petition to the Senators notes: "The goal of Healthcare appointees should be to protect patients' medical interests, not abortionists' financial interests." 

"The Department of Health and Human Services should not be run by a radical activist who puts his friends in the abortion lobby first, over the needs of women," Hawkins said.