We can’t say we were terribly surprised that nearly all of the Religious Right leaders who had already sold out their stated principles to support Donald Trump’s presidential bid decided to stick by the candidate after the release of a tape of him boasting—in vulgar language—of how he can sexually assault women because he’s famous. But it has been especially ironic to see the anti-abortion movement—which in recent years has sought to portray itself as the real champion of women—shrug off his comments.

Joining the fray yesterday was Operation Rescue, the anti-abortion group who’s president, Troy Newman, helped launch the Center for Medical Progress’ Planned Parenthood smear last year. Newman was an anti-abortion adviser to Ted Cruz’s presidential campaign and endorsed Trump last month, saying, “No other GOP ticket in history has made such commitments to the Pro-life Movement.”

In a press release yesterday, Newman and his Operation Rescue colleague Cheryl Sullenger—who has spent time in jail for attempting to bomb an abortion clinic—slammed the tape release as a “gutter-level attempt by the Clinton campaign and its cohorts to smear” Trump before declaring that it is in fact Planned Parenthood that is “perhaps the largest abuser of women in the U.S.”

“It is clear that the biggest abusers of women are Hillary Clinton’s friends in the Abortion Cartel. If she is elected, women will suffer even more,” added a quote from Sullenger.