Quits GOP

Franklin Graham quits GOP over Planned Parenthood funding

By Eliza Collins

Prominent evangelical leader Franklin Graham has quit the Republican Party because the omnibus spending bill passed last week in Congress will continue to fund Planned Parenthood.

Graham, who declared himself an independent in a lengthy Facebook post on Monday, said, “I have no hope in the Republican Party, the Democratic Party, or Tea Party to do what is best for America. Unless more godly men and women get in this process and change this wicked system, our country is in for trouble.”

Graham also announced a state-by-state tour of the country to hold prayer rallies. His tour — which will hit every state capital — kicks off Jan. 5 in Des Moines, Iowa.

“I want to challenge Christians, even pastors, across the country to pray about running for office where they can have an impact. We need mayors, country commissioners, city council members, school board members who will uphold biblical values,” he said.

Graham slammed both Republicans and Democrats for passing the bill last week and attached a Huffington Post article that called it “A big win for Planned Parenthood.”

“After all of the appalling facts revealed this year about Planned Parenthood, our representatives in Washington had a chance to put a stop to this, but they didn’t,” Graham wrote. "There’s no question — taxpayers should not be paying for abortions! Abortion is murder in God’s eyes.”