Urgent Petition Launched To Block Plans For New International Late-Term Abortion Clinic

August 10, 2009/Wichita, KS -

Operation Rescue has launched an on-line petition aimed at stopping abortionist LeRoy Carhart from opening an international late-term abortion clinic in his target city of Wichita, KS. The petition is considered an urgent priority in a larger campaign to block Carhart from resuming unpopular post-viability abortions in any state.

In order for Carhart to operate legally in Kansas, he must have an arrangement for treatment of emergency cases with a local hospital. Wesley Medical Center was the only hospital that would allow such an arrangement with local abortionists, including Carhart's former employer, the late George Tiller and his now closed Women's Health Care Services.

"We have confirmed that Carhart does not currently have an arrangement with Wesley Medical Center or any other local area hospital. Therefore we are petitioning Wesley to deny any attempts by Carhart and his associates to establish an agreement or plan for patient transport and/or admission to Wesley," said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman.

Because Carhart would target women for post-viability abortions from around the world in much the same way Tiller did, people everywhere are asked to sign this petition.

"The need is urgent. Carhart has announced that he is in negotiations now to open a post-viability clinic in Wichita that would attempt to draw women from every state and beyond for abortions in their latest stages of pregnancy. Wesley is the key to protecting women and their viable babies from such a predatory abortion business. But we must act now, before Carhart finalizes his plans," said Newman.

The petition is just one more facet to the larger "Keep It Closed" campaign aimed at preventing Carhart from resuming late-term abortions in any state.

Other aspects of the campaign have included a formal request to the Nebraska Attorney General for a comprehensive investigation into Carhart's abortion business, and an event scheduled for August 28-29 in the Omaha area that will include a rally, street activism at Carhart's Bellevue abortion clinic, and a training session for local pro-life activists.

"We plan to hand-deliver the petition to Wesley Medical Center," said Newman. "We encourage supporters to sign now then forward the petition link to their friends and family, and post it to their social networking sites. Working together using the power of the Internet, we can reach more people faster than ever and prevent this horrific late-term abortion clinic from opening."

READ AND SIGN THE PETITION