Mayra Rodriguez wins $3 million Planned Parenthood lawsuit: fired for revealing illegal conduct, fake records, rape issues
An Arizona jury unanimously awarded $3 million in damages Mayra Rodriguez, a former Planned Parenthood director who was fired after reporting an abortionist’s illegal conduct and high complication rates, falsification of affidavits and patient records, incomplete abortions, and failure to report statutory rape.
Rodriguez ran three Planned Parenthood clinics in Arizona and worked for the organization for 17 years, sued the abortion provider after her wrongful termination in October 2017 after making claims that Planned Parenthood was endangering the health and safety of its patients.
Rodriguez is an illegal immigrant and her immigration status was used against her in court, forcing the woman to seek help from And Then There Were None (ATTWN), a non-profit that helps former abortion workers leave the industry.
Planned Parenthood “shamed me for my immigration status,” despite its public claims to “want to help and stand up for immigrants.”
She said Planned Parenthood representatives frequently called her a “liar” in court because of her immigration status and that it was hurtful to experience the deception by women she had considered friends and by Planned Parenthood executives themselves.
“But here we are,” she said. “The jury heard the truth.”
“I hope my case is a lesson to other workers that shows them that the truth will prevail. I also hope my case is a lesson to employers who abuse their power: sometimes the underdog wins and justice will be done,” said Rodriguez.
Rodriguez’s lawyer hadn’t asked the jury for any dollar amount during the trial. After three hours of deliberation, the jury awarded the whistleblower $3 million in damages.
Mayra Rodriguez with former Planned Parenthood head Cecile Richards
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