Oklahoma City, OK - Following Mary Fallin's launch of a petition opposing recent federal reforms of the health insurance industry, the Oklahoma Democratic Party (ODP) and the Oklahoma Federation of Democratic Women (OFDW) criticized her for spreading false rhetoric and ignoring the law's benefits for women.

"I can't see how Mary Fallin can try to paint herself as someone who fights for women, and yet oppose these reforms," stated Christie Breedlove, OFDW president. "Women by and large face more difficulty than men in obtaining health insurance, in keeping their coverage and in getting fair premiums. Many insurance companies charge more for women than they do men, seeing being a woman as equivalent to a pre-existing condition.

"These reforms will end those discriminations and make tremendous strides in ensuring women better access to quality health care. I can't fathom how Mary Fallin can be so brazen in her opposition."

ODP Chair Todd Goodman added that Fallin is risking alienating women with her opposition, as they are perhaps the biggest winners in the new health care reforms.

"Mary Fallin seems to be criticizing these reforms more after they became law than she did before," said ODP Chair Todd Goodman. "Evidently she was powerless to mount a strong protest before they passed Congress, and now she's using this issue as a political ploy. It's transparent to me."

Goodman also took note of the false rhetoric in Fallin's petition, in which she claims that the reforms constitute a "government takeover" of the health care industry and that it would create job losses.

"Repeating lies doesn't make them true," Goodman said. "Perhaps Mary Fallin doesn't realize that these are lies, though - perhaps she just hasn't read the bill, only Republican talking points."

Goodman invited Fallin to contact him if she needs more information on the actual effects of the health care reforms - especially the impacts on women.