The “activism” of a radical-left Democratic lawmaker in Pennsylvania has ended up helping out the cause he was attempting to undermine. The mother and father of the young teen girls — who are just 13 and 15-years-old — that State Rep. Brian Sims harassed for several minutes as they prayed for unborn children outside an abortion clinic, have turned his actions against him, starting a GoFundMe account designed to “Show Brian the Power of the Pro-Life Movement.”
Over just a couple of days, Sims has unintentionally raised over $70,000 dollars to help protect unborn children.
“State Rep. Brian Sims tried to Harass and Dox my Daughters. He Offered $100. Let’s Donate $100,000 to the Pro-Life Movement Instead,” reads the GoFundMe account set up by the young girls’ parents, Joe and Ashley Garecht, on Monday.
The Garechts set a goal of $100,000. As of Wednesday evening, just two days after they set it up, they’ve raised a total of $71,276, with over 1,300 people having donated so far.
“On Holy Thursday (April 18, 2019) my wife, two teenage daughters, and their friend were peacefully praying outside of a Planned Parenthood in Center City Philadelphia when a man started yelling at them… after ranting at them for several minutes, he left, and returned with his cell phone to record the above video,” Joe Garecht explains (video below). “It turns out that the man is an elected official. Pennsylvania State Representative Brian Sims. In his video, later posted on Twitter, Rep. Sims not only attempts to shame them for praying for the unborn babies facing abortion, but offers viewers $100 if they will identify the teen girls in the video. It’s bad enough that a grown man would be trying to dox three teenage girls. It’s even worse that he is an elected official.”
Garecht then offers some comments directly to Sims: “I’ve got two responses to these despicable actions by ‘Representative’ Sims: First, Brian, if you have a problem with my wife and daughters praying outside of an abortion clinic, I’m the one you can talk to… instead of harassing teenage girls. It seems like you like to pick on women, teenagers, and senior citizens (see him harass a senior citizen who was praying by clicking here). That’s shameful, and unacceptable.”
Garecht then offers a challenge to the pro-life community: In response to Sims offering money to those who’d identify his young daughters, pro-lifers should offer money to the movement. “I00% of your donations will go to the Pro-Life Union of Greater Philadelphia,” he said, listing what the organization does to promote the movement, including:
- Hosts prayer vigils and outreach campaigns outside Philadelphia’s abortion clinics (like the one in this video)
- Provides thousands of diapers, wipes, articles of clothing for babies, and resources to mothers in need
- Operates a home caring for pregnant mothers
As Fox News reported Wednesday, the calls for Sims to resign have been mounting as more details of his various over-the-top actions targeting pro-lifers have come to light. LifeNews launched an online petition on GoPetition on Monday which has amassed nearly 20,000 signatures so far.
“Pennsylvania state Rep. Brian Sims repeatedly bullied the pro-life woman in an unhinged rant as she stood alone outside a Planned Parenthood in his district in southeastern Pennsylvania,” the petition reads. “Sims called the woman a ‘racist’ and her sidewalk counseling ‘grotesque.’ He followed her around, hurtling insults at her; and at one point, he got in her face with his camera and ignored her requests to leave her alone. Sims also doxxed the pro-life woman, subjecting her to potential violence. The videotaping and harassment is shameful, potentially illegal, and is conduct unbecoming a member of the state legislature. Sims should resign immediately.”
In addition to the GoFundMe and GoPetition launched in response to the lawmaker’s actions, The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh is helping lead a pro-life rally in front of a Planned Parenthood in Philly on Friday, and Sims is invited. “The rally is planned for 11 AM on Friday at the Planned Parenthood on 1144 Locust St in Philly,” Walsh announced Tuesday. “A bunch of different pro-life groups reached out to me minutes after I sent that original tweet and this all came together quickly. We invite @BrianSimsPA to come with his camera!”