House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) pushed back Friday against Rush Limbaugh's inflammatory comments about Georgetown Law student Sandra Fluke.
"The speaker obviously believes the use of those words was inappropriate, as is trying to raise money off the situation," said Boehner spokesman Michael Steel in a statement. House Democrats have raised $1.1 million off the "War on Women" campaign.
Limbaugh called Fluke a "prostitute" and a "slut" for advocating that employers cover contraception in their health plans.
Limbaugh charged that Fluke was promoting casual sex. "What does it say about the college co-ed Susan Fluke [sic] who goes before a congressional committee and essentially says that she must be paid to have sex -- what does that make her? It makes her a slut, right? It makes her a prostitute," Limbaugh said. "She wants to be paid to have sex. She's having so much sex she can't afford the contraception. She wants you and me and the taxpayers to pay her to have sex."
Limbaugh continued to attack Fluke in a subsequent radio show.
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) did not allow Fluke to testify at a recent hearing on contraception. House Democrats later allowed her to testify at an unofficial hearing where she talked about the medical need for contraception. She spoke of a friend who needed contraception to prevent the growth of cysts and had to have an ovary removed.