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Maximos Nikitas

Conscience and Religious Freedom Analyst, Office for Civil Rights

Maximos Nicholas “Max” Nikitas is a Conscience and Religious Freedom (CFR) analyst at the Departmenf of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR). His short career has consisted of work at multiple conservative think tanks for the Republican party and on the Hill.

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HOW THEIR ROLE AFFECTS ACCESS TO REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the Departmenf of Health and Human Services (HHS) is charged with enforcing anti-discrimination laws, health privacy laws and conscience laws. The Washington Post reported that the Office for Civil Rights during Nikitas’ tenure “has been greatly strengthening and expanding protections for health care providers who have religious- or conscience-based objections to procedures such as abortion.” It went on to say that “the makeover appears radical, one that critics worry will jeopardize the care of pregnant women and transgender individuals, as well as others who could be denied certain procedures.”

PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT OF NOTE

Legislative Fellow, U.S. House of Representatives, 2018

Regional Field Director, Massachusetts Republican Party, 2017 – 2018

Intern, The Heritage Foundation, 2016

Intern, James Wilson Institute on Natural Rights and the American Founding, 2015

Constituent Services Intern, Office of the Governor of Massachusetts, Deval L. Patrick, 2013

TIES TO OTHER ANTI-CHOICE EXTREMISTS

The Heritage Foundation:

Nikitas worked at The Heritage Foundation as an intern in the summer of 2016. The Foundation consistently takes extremist, anti-abortion positions on reproductive rights; while Nikitas worked there, it published an article remarking that “Planned Parenthood…is creating conditions that make it difficult if not impossible for other smaller providers to survive. For those who are concerned about human rights for the unborn, this is good news. Abortion clinics are shutting down, and an increasingly pro-life demographic is likely to lead to additional, sensible pro-life reforms and reduced demand for abortion.” Since then, The Heritage Foundation has been credited with “stocking Trump’s government” with people including extremist Roger Severino — head of OCR, Nikitas’ boss, and Heritage alum.