Since the HHS Mandate requiring insurance coverage of abortifacients, sterilization, and contraception was put forth over two years ago, supporters have largely relied on misleading and inaccurate statements to pretend the mandate is constitutional, effective public policy, and does not fund abortions. See a few examples here, here, and here.

Last week, the Supreme Court heard arguments about the mandate. In those arguments, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and U.S. Solicitor General Donald Verrilli joined the mainstream media in promoting falsehoods about the Affordable Care Act and the mandate. (Verrilli argued for the mandate on behalf of the Obama administration.)
The falsehoods were recorded by an unofficial transcript that came out shortly after the case was argued. First, Ginsburg's falsehood, as I reported last week:
Ginsburg said that the mandate's parent law, the Affordable Care Act, “passed overwhelmingly, both houses of Congress. People from all sides of the political spectrum voted for it.”
When the law passed in the House of Representatives, zero Republicans voted for it and 34 Democrats voted against it. In the Senate, zero Republicans supported the Act.
Additionally, in each chamber the vote in favor was very close. In the House, victory was gained by a mere seven votes out of 431 cast, and in the Senate the margin of victory beat the GOP filibuster attempt by only two votes out of 99 cast.

On to Verrilli. Later on in the arguments, he said that no law "requires for-profit corporations to provide abortions." He claimed that the owners of Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood, the plaintiffs in the case, are sincere in their beliefs, but factually incorrect.
 
This statement flies in the face of what the Department of Health & Human Services' (HHS) Office of Women's Health says in a document on contraceptive devices. According to this agency, copper intrauterine devices and hormonal intrauterine devices cause abortions by preventing a fertilized egg -- also known as a brand-new human being -- from implanting in the uterus.
There is strong evidence indicating that Ella and Plan B cause abortions, which means Verrilli's dismissal of such concerns is doubly disturbing.

The HHS Mandate has been controversial since the day it was introduced, using government policy to put those who believe birth control, abortions, and sterilization are moral above those who have moral opposition to their use. And while the misleading and dishonest statements from the media are problematic in their own way, Ginsburg and Verrilli are public employees. They should be focused on defending truth, justice, and the Constitution, not political agendas that directly contradict their oaths of office.
Note: The Public Affairs Office of the Department of Justice ignored multiple requests for comment about Verrilli's statement and where his information came from. A "public affairs specialist" did reach out in response to the requests, but no comment or information was provided.

Source: LifeSite News