Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellOn The Money: Treasury rejects Dem subpoena for Trump tax returns | Companies warn trade war about to hit consumers | Congress, White House to launch budget talks next week | Trump gets deal to lift steel tariffs on Mexico, Canada Schumer calls on McConnell to hold vote on Equality Act House Dem cites transgender grandson in voting for Equality Act MORE (R-Ky.) shrugged off the idea that Republicans are waging a war on women, calling it a "manufactured issue."
"Talk about a manufactured issue," McConnell said in an interview with local Louisville, Ky., radio station WHAS on Monday.
He said his female Republican colleagues in the Senate would agree with him on that.
"There is no issue. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison [(Texas)] and Kelly Ayotte
Kelly Ann AyotteSinema, Gallagher fastest lawmakers in charity race New Hampshire senator to ask 2020 Dems to back repeal of state residency law Schultz recruiting GOP insiders ahead of possible 2020 bid MORE from New Hampshire and Susan Collins
Susan Margaret CollinsThe Hill's Morning Report — Presented by Pass USMCA Coalition — Trump: GOP has `clear contrast' with Dems on immigration Overnight Health Care — Presented by Campaign for Accountability — House passes drug pricing bills amid ObamaCare row | Senate Republicans running away from Alabama abortion law | Ocasio-Cortez confronts CEO over K drug price tag Colorado secretary of state bans employees from traveling to Alabama after abortion law MORE and Olympia Snowe from Maine, I think, would be the first to say — and Lisa Murkowski
Lisa Ann MurkowskiOvernight Health Care — Presented by Campaign for Accountability — House passes drug pricing bills amid ObamaCare row | Senate Republicans running away from Alabama abortion law | Ocasio-Cortez confronts CEO over K drug price tag Senate Republicans running away from Alabama abortion law Bipartisan senators unveil measure to end surprise medical bills MORE from Alaska — ‘We don’t see any evidence of this.' "Democrats have increasingly lobbed the "war on women" charge since Republicans strongly resisted an Obama administration rule requiring certain religious organizations to provide contraceptive coverage to employees. Democrats took Republicans' opposition to the rule and spun it as the latest example of a long list of efforts to disenfranchise American women.
GOP Sens. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Olympia Snowe (Maine) both voiced opposition to Republican efforts to overturn the Obama administration's rule.
On Sunday, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) said the charge was something of an exaggeration.
"We’ve got to quit exaggerating our political differences," Cleaver said on CNN's "State of the Union."
