September 2010 Archives

By Liz Townsend
September 29, 2010

A study in the pro-abortion strong>Guttmacher Institute's journal, Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, claims to show that adolescents who have abortions have no increased risk of depression or low self-esteem. The study, published not in a peer-reviewed journal but in a publication of the former research arm of Planned Parenthood, attempts to contradict recent studies that have shown the mental health risks of abortion.

However, Priscilla K. Coleman, Ph.D., an expert on abortion and its effects on women, has identified numerous flaws in the study that "seriously compromise" its findings, beginning with its small sample size.

The study data was taken from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, which surveyed adolescents in grades 7-12 beginning in 1994-95, asking the same group questions every few years. The journal article's authors, Jocelyn T. Warren and S. Marie Harvey of OR State University and Jillian T. Henderson of the U of CA, San Francisco, extracted answers that girls gave in 1994-1995, 1995-96, and 2001-02.

The authors concluded that only girls who had depression or low self-esteem before their abortion had those problems afterward. "The only predictor of depression ... was prior depression," they wrote. In addition, "Low self-esteem prior to the pregnancy was the only significant predictor of low self-esteem."

They also attempt to use their results to denigrate laws requiring counseling before abortion that includes a full discussion of risks and alternatives. "[L]aws mandating that women considering abortion be advised of its psychological risks may jeopardize women's health by adding unnecessary anxiety and undermining women's right to informed consent," according to Warren et al.

Coleman, associate professor of human development and family studies at Bowling Green State University, told NRL News that the authors' conclusions are based on only 69 adolescent girls who had abortions. "This sample doesn't have the statistical power to predict events," she said....

Read entire article here.

Homosexual and AIDS activists heckled President Obama during a Democrat fundraiser in New York on Sept. 22, complaining about the military's "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy and inadequate AIDS funding.

Obama responded that his administration had increased AIDS funding and offensively added, "The people [who] will potentially take over if we don't focus on the election, I promise you, will cut AIDS funding," as if that really would happen, as if Republicans really want those afflicted with AIDS to die. Obama's comment was no different than one made by boorish Democrat Rep. Alan Grayson, who accused Republicans opposing Obamacare of wanting sick people to "die quickly."

Here's video of the heckling and remark...

In fact, worldwide AIDS funding increased dramatically under President Bush.... And Obama flatlined that funding.

But I digress. The point is that we know the most prevalent cause of AIDS in the U.S. is men having sex with men. The Centers for Disease Control has just released tragic new statistics...

The fact is, men having sex with men is bad for their health. The prevalence of AIDS is just one indicator.

Likewise, promiscuous heterosexual sex is bad for one's health, leading to a prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases - some incurable, like herpes; some incurable and deadly, like AIDS - unwanted pregnancies and infertility, to name just three physical consequences.

But where are the health warnings?...

Continue reading my column today, "Sex and consequences: Link between pro-gay and pro-abortion agendas," at WorldNetDaily.com.

FRONT ROYAL, VA/September 28, 2010/Christian Newswire -

Human Life International's Director of International Coordination, Joseph Meaney, strongly condemned a statement from Li Bin, head of China's National Population and Family Planning Commission. In the statement, Bin said that China's "One-Child Policy" will remain in place "in the coming decades."

"The Chinese government is stubbornly persisting in leading their country into a demographic disaster with their population control policy," said Meaney.

"It is simply incomprehensible that the Chinese National Population and Family Planning Commission can seriously mean to extend this destructive policy for an unspecified number of decades into the future," said Meaney. "China's population is currently projected to start shrinking in absolute numbers by 2026, but the coerced low fertility of Chinese women means that the Peoples' Republic of China is one of the fastest ageing societies in the world."

"There are 4 grandparents for each only child resulting from the 'One Child Policy.' What is the Chinese government's economic plan for paying the pensions of these hundreds of millions of elderly persons?" asked Meaney. "One shudders to think what draconian measures will be implemented by the Chinese government once it becomes fully apparent that they cannot financially support the millions of disabled and elderly persons who are no longer seen as contributing to society. Coercive euthanasia cannot be far behind their renewed commitment to coercive abortion and birth control."

To interview Joseph Meaney, contact Stephen Phelan at 540-622-5270 or sphelan@hli.org.

Washington DC/September 27, 2010/Religion Press Release Services --

In a research presentation for the Family Research Council, Dr. William Jeynes, a professor at CA State University in Long Beach and a non-resident scholar at Baylor University, shared the long awaited results of his meta-analyses that summarizes the relationship between faith & family values and academic and behavioral outcomes for youth. Jeynes' speech was based on the findings of his research, which examines a research synthesis of all the available studies on the influence of personal religious faith and family factors on children. This research synthesis, commonly called a meta-analysis, involves statistically synthesizing all the research that has been done on a given topic.

There were several of Jeynes' findings that were most salient.

First, personal religious faith among youth had a dramatic relationship with children's academic outcomes and what are commonly referred to as at-risk behaviors, including consuming various types of illegal drugs and unhealthy amounts of alcohol and becoming involved in a single parent teenage pregnancy.

Jeynes noted that, "Faith has a particularly ameliorative impact on academic and behavioral outcomes for children of color and those from single parent family structures. That is, faith plays an important role in helping youth overcome other disadvantages. American society should therefore encourage and not discourage these children from drawing strength from their religious faith."

Second, youth that come from family structures outside of the two biological parent intact family, on average, face academic, psychological, and behavioral disadvantages across virtually every measure. American society should therefore take more definitive actions to support the two biological parent intact family.

Third, religious schools particularly benefit children of color and those of low socioeconomic status. Jeynes asserts that, "Faith and family are two of the foremost pillars sustaining the most healthy parts of society. Yet we live in a society that frequently disparages Christians, in particular, and the value and unique nature of the two-parent family. The question we need to ask is whether we are undermining the institutions that are largely responsible for the strength, health, and compassion that made this country great."

Some of the results Jeynes shared appear in his newest books, including Parental Involvement and Academic Success (Routledge), which was released within the last week, and a book he wrote on character education (Praeger), which was released earlier this year.

Dr. Jeynes is a graduate of Harvard University and the University of Chicago. He is one of the leading quantitative researchers on faith and family issues and their effects on children. He is a well known public speaker, having spoken in 47 states and in every inhabited continent.

 He has spoken for the White House, the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Department of Education, Harvard University, and the Harvard Family Research Project and has spoken for both the Bush and Obama administrations. He may be interviewed or contacted at (714) 901-4274 or (714) 397-7763 or at whjharvard@post.harvard.edu.

Posted by Lyle Shelton, Chief of Staff on September 23rd, 2010

They live among us but they weren't meant to.

Of the one billion unborn babies killed since society decided abortion was a better choice than supporting women in pregnancy, a handful survive to speak beyond the womb.

Melissa Ohden is one of them and listening to her is spooky.

"We know there are far more of us - people like us," Melissa told a small gathering in Canberra last week.

Sometime in the fifth month of pregnancy, a doctor injected a toxic saline solution into her 19-year-old mother's amniotic fluid.

Five days later she was delivered and a nurse left her beside the bed.

Upon hearing grunting noises from the 3lb 'corpse', doctors were alerted and her life was saved.

Her medical records explain her existence this way: "Saline abortion that was unsuccessful".

Melissa has met around 10 other survivors and says because of the 'failure rate' saline abortions have been ditched for more effective methods.

Chillingly, she told of meeting a man who showed her his partially crushed skull from a failed late term abortion attempt.

"For some women out there to have a choice would mean that I would never have a choice."

Melissa was adopted into a loving family and had a happy and normal childhood, unaware of the circumstances of her birth until her older sister became pregnant in grade 11.

In a bid to encourage her to choose life, Melissa's adoptive parents told their grade 11 daughter of Melissa's birth.

In the process, the teenaged Melissa found out.

"To say that it was devastating would be an understatement," she says with raw emotion and tears welling in her eyes despite the fact she has told her story many times.

In adulthood Melissa attempted to track down her biological parents.

She wrote to her birth mother's parents. "We have been waiting," her grandfather wrote back.

This was the man who marched his 19-year-old daughter to the abortion clinic saying 'you will do this'.

She has never heard from her mother.

A letter of forgiveness to her birth father was not answered. He died in January 2008 and her letter was found in the top drawer of his desk.

"When I saw his picture next to the obituary in the local newspaper, it was me staring back at me," Melissa says.

She made contact with her father's father and her grandfather is now her biggest fan, encouraging her to tell her story.

"If they (her grandparents) had ever been told about me they would have adopted me. They are grieving the loss of the choice they never got. Abortion hurts families."

Today Melissa is the proud mother of two-year-old Olivia (pictured with her).

She has just completed an Australian speaking tour organised by Life Network Australia.

• Around 90,000 abortions occur each year in Australia which is 1 for every 3 live births.
• In Victoria, the 2007 annual report of the Consultative Council on Obstetric and Paediatric Mortality and Morbidity revealed that 52 of 181 late-term babies who were aborted survived and were left to die. ACL has presented this information to politicians on more than one occasion. No action has been taken - yet.
• Visit http://www.notbornyet.com/

Orlando, FL/September 23, 2010/Operation Rescue --

Police surrounded the Orlando Women's Center last night on a tip from pro-lifers and arrested abortionist Randall Whitney on an open arrest warrant for failure to appear at his criminal trial that was to be held on September 7, 2010. Whitney was also charged with resisting a police officer. At this time, he is being held in the Orlando Jail without bond.

Whitney had been arrested on March 27, 2010, for felony assault on a pregnant woman after he slapped an abortion patient who complained when he repeatedly failed to properly administer an injection into her arm. (See police report.)

Upon his arrest, eyewitnesses said that Whitney threatened pro-lifers and told them they would "be sorry" for notifying the police of his whereabouts. (Read eyewitness account)

After his failure to appear has his felony criminal trial, the arrest warrant was issued for his capture. Pro-lifers who often hold vigil at the Orlando Women's Center, noticed that Whitney had taken to sleeping in his vehicle in an apparent effort to avoid apprehension by the police.

Whitney has faced license suspension and probation in the past and has been accused of illegal late-term abortions beyond the limits set by law by improperly using ultrasound to determine fetal age. Whitney defiantly closed his Daytona Beach abortion clinic rather than comply with laws governing clinic safety.

Orlando Women's Center is owned by the notorious abortionist James Pendergraft, who is also no stranger to legal problems. On July 6, 2010, Pendergraft had his medical license suspended for a 4th time for botched abortions, committing illegal late-term abortions, and dispensing drugs without a license.

According to Michele Herzog, the director of Orlando's Pro-life Action Ministries, Whitney has since taken over the work load from Pendergraft, doing an estimated 75% of all abortions at Pendergraft's five Florida abortion mills.

"We will be forwarding documents to the Florida Medical Board today asking for the emergency suspension of Whitney's license based on unprofessional conduct and criminal activity," said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman.

Whitney's arrest follows recent news of abortionists nationwide in trouble with the law, including the conviction and jailing two weeks ago of Massachusetts abortionist Rapin Osathanondh on a charge of manslaughter in the abortion death of Laura Hope Smith. Medical licenses of 4 other abortionists were suspended this month in Maryland and New Jersey on charges ranging from wrongful death, illegal late-term abortions, and aiding and abetting the unlicensed practice of medicine.

"The dirty truth about the unseemly side of the abortion industry is being exposed like never before and abortionists are finally beginning to be brought to justice after years of abortion abuses," said Newman. "Whitney is by far no exception, but rather the rule when it comes to abortionists who are operating outside the law. Illegal activity by abortionists is systemic in the industry and that places lives at risk."

Operation Rescue works to expose and report abortion abuses and is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and convictions of abortionists who are breaking the law. Click for more information about the Abortion Whistleblowers Program.

SOUTH BEND, IN, Sept. 21, 2010/Christian Newswire --

Late Monday, a St. Joseph County Circuit Court Judge ruled that attorneys from the Thomas More Society may depose a former official recently fired by the University of Notre Dame -- a key ruling for the defense in the case of the "ND88," the 88 pro-life demonstrators arrested at the University for protesting President Obama's receiving honors at the commencement ceremonies in 2009.

Chief Judge Michael Scopelitis ruled that William Kirk, former associate vice president for residential life at the University, may be deposed by the TMS's special counsel, Tom Dixon, about the decision to arrest and prosecute the pro-lifers. A motion by the prosecution to quash the deposition was overruled, and Chief Judge Scopelitis will pass on any objections arising during the deposition, as he stipulated that it must take place at the St. Joseph County Courthouse.

"This represents a major victory for the defense, and perhaps even a decisive turning point in this case," said Tom Brejcha, president and chief counsel of the Thomas More Society.

At a hearing late last week, Dixon argued that the deposition should not be quashed, as Kirk's testimony would likely shed new light on why Notre Dame had treated the pro-life protesters differently than others. As recently as January 2010, gay rights activists had demonstrated on campus without an allegedly requisite written permit. In sharp contrast, the 88 pro-life demonstrators have been arrested, jailed, charged with trespass and prosecuted. TMS has argued that the ND88 were not criminal trespassers but victims of "viewpoint discrimination," a violation of the First Amendment, which applied to Notre Dame security police as they exercised statutory arrest powers vested in them under Indiana state law.

Chief Judge Scopelitis will set a date for the deposition in the coming weeks. For more information and to follow all developments in the ND88 case, please visit thomasmoresociety.org.

Yes, the Republican Party is the pro-life party. But the abortion issue often seems like its red-headed stepchild.

For example, the 1994 House GOP Contract with America, which provided a Republican roadmap out of that decade's liberal abyss, completely omitted any mention of abortion....

This week I'm happy to report the 2010 House GOP Contract with America is now anticipated to address the abortion issue....

I also wrote last week the pro-life political projectile right now is the tea party. Some disagree, complaining tea partiers don't necessarily want to spotlight our issue either, because it's "too divisive."

But pay attention to the sterling pro-life candidates the tea party is giving us. As John Avlon wrote at The Daily Beast Sept. 20:

But the soothing big-tent implications offered by those who say the GOP should de-emphasize social issues only seem to go one way. There is no concurrent sense of tolerance for candidates with liberal or libertarian social positions. Where are the tea party candidates who are pro-choice?

MSNBC liberal host Rachel Maddow incredulously pointed out last week that five GOP tea party-backed U.S. Senate candidates are pro-life with no exceptions: Sharron Angle of Nevada, Ken Buck of Colorado, Joe Miller of Alaska, Christine O'Donnell of Delaware and Rand Paul of Kentucky.

This is huge.... Planned Parenthood CEO Cecile Richards understands, hence her frantic email alert Monday calling this development, "not just crazy - truly frightening."...

And, of course, there is the superfluity of pro-life female candidates, causing many to proclaim this "The Year of the Pro-Life Woman."...

Continue reading my column today, "Republican pro-life paradigm shift," at WorldNetDaily.com.

... We know with absolute certainty that oral contraceptives (OC's) and abortion both raise a woman's risk of developing breast cancer. Renowned breast surgeon Dr. Angela Lanfranchi of the Breast Cancer Prevention Institute, along with City University of New York Professor of Endocrinology Dr. Joel Brind explain the mechanism:

Prior to a first full term pregnancy (FFTP) the cells that comprise the lobules of the breast are immature and cancer-prone Type 1 and Type 2 cells. Under the influence of the high levels of estrogen in OC's and during pregnancy, the lobules of the breast roughly double in number. This results in a doubling of the number of cancer-prone Type 1 and Type 2 cells. In pregnancy, it isn't until the third trimester under the influence of the hormone human placental lactogen that the immature cells mature into cancer-resistant Type 3 and Type 4 cells.

... The science is clear that the earlier a woman bears children, and the more she nurses, the greater her protection from breast cancer. The science of the past fifty years is also abundantly clear that having an abortion prior to a FFTP allows for the proliferation of the cancer-prone Type 1 and Type 2 cells, while terminating the pregnancy prior to the onset of the third trimester's protective mechanism that converts these cells to the cancer-resistant Type 4 cells leads to increased incidence of breast cancer. The risk of breast cancer in women having an abortion prior to a FFTP ranges from 40% to 90% in most cases. In girls under the age of 18 with a family history of breast cancer the risk becomes incalculably high.

Other institutes devoted to getting the word out about breast cancer in relation to OC's and abortion are the Polycarp Research Institute, under the direction of Chris Kalenborn, M.D.; and The Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer, under the direction of Ms. Karen Malec. Malec's website is loaded with links to the scientific data and refutations to the lies told by pro-abortion apologists such as Dr. Louise Brinton of the National Cancer Institute whose own research through the years has shown the link between abortion and breast cancer, and who convened a panel in 2003 to deny the validity of fifty years of research showing that link....

Read the article in its entirety here.

The first part of this series showed how the Food and Drug Administration's newest contraceptive drug, Ella (Ulipristal acetate), is in reality an abortifacient like RU-486. It argued that FDA's marketing of Ella as strictly a contraceptive that denies its abortifacient capabilities, which are abundantly evident to most informed non-scientists, is the culmination of a series of lies through omission.

Here in Part II, we will see all the safety data that the FDA deliberately ignored, and all of the safety investigations it didn't bother to make the manufacturer perform....

Continue reading here.

Albuquerque, NM/Sept. 16, 2010/Operation Rescue --

A man that had been verbally harassing pro-lifers outside a late-term abortion mill in Albuquerque for days, escalated his abuse to violence yesterday by driving his large paneled delivery truck up on a curb and striking the large pro-life sign being held by Bud Shaver.

Shaver was unhurt in the incident but his sign showing an image of an aborted baby was damaged.

Shaver jumped into the Truth Truck and was able to get the license plate number of the vehicle that hit him. He reported the incident to the police.

"We just explained our concern [to the police] that this man is starting to escalate his behavior," said Shaver. Police told Shaver that they would talk to the man, but it was unlikely that charges would be filed.

This incident took place just two weeks after an Arizona man was arrested and his weapons cache seized by police at the same abortion clinic after he threatened to shoot 2 pro-life women.

These incidents have not deterred pro-life work in the least. Shaver and his wife, Tara, are full-time missionaries with Project Defending Life. Bud also drives Operation Rescue's Truth Truck, which is on extended loan to the Albuquerque pro-life group.

The Truth Truck has been outfitted with new signs that specifically address late-term abortions that are being done at Southwestern Women's Options, an abortion clinic that operated by Texas abortionist Curtis Boyd.

Since the Shavers relocated to Albuquerque, they have been involved in saving several babies from abortion with the help of Operation Rescue's Truth Truck.

In one incident, Tara Shaver spoke at length to a woman named Makayla who had been considering abortion at the nearby Planned Parenthood. Tara explained the images of aborted babies on the Truth Truck and offered the woman help. A few days later, Tara received a call from Makayla, who told Tara she was not going to go through with the abortion. Makayla said that it was the images on the Truth Truck that made the difference.

A homeless woman named Theresa was also considering an abortion at Planned Parenthood. Tara used the Truth Truck pictures to open a conversation with her. Tara was able to help Theresa get an ultrasound, housing, health insurance, and counseling. Because of the Truth Truck and the help, Theresa has decided to keep her baby.

"I am so excited to be there for both Makayla and Theresa and am praying that God will use their testimony in the lives of others. People must see abortion for what it is: the murder of innocent children. The truth truck does just that and is a powerful tool that saves countless lives," said Tara.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 16 /Christian Newswire --

This morning, the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee will hold a hearing titled "The Promise of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research."

Penny Nance, CEO of Concerned Women for America, said, "The problem with the 'promise' of destructive embryonic stem cell research is that it is simply a dead end street, especially when compared to the successes seen with adult stem cell research. Clinical trials using adult stem cells have proven far more successful and have made significant strides in treating Leukemia, brain tumors, breast cancer, anemia, and especially autoimmune diseases.

"To harvest embryos and destroy life as part of a research process that has little hope of living up to promised success is wrong.

"The Obama administration has already said they are exploring all possible avenues to make sure that they can continue funding this destructive research. President Barack Obama and Senator Harry Reid (D-Nevada) are determined now more than ever to push for the destruction of innocent human life for the sake of scientific study that, in fact, has very little 'promise.'"

BARNSTABLE, MA, Sept. 14, 2010/Christian Newswire --

Abortionist Rapin Osathanondh, 67, was sentenced to 6 months in jail today after pleading guilty yesterday to one count of manslaughter in the 2007 abortion-related death of 22-year old Laura Hope Smith.

Osathanondh will serve 3 months in a county jail after which he will likely be paroled. He must then serve 9 months under home confinement with an electronic monitoring device, and three years of probation. In addition, Osathanondh is barred from practicing medicine and teaching, according to a plea agreement that was reached after a day of in-court negotiations.

Also settled was the civil suit filed by Smith's mother, Eileen Smith. Osathanondh agreed to pay the family a substantial sum of money as a punitive measure.

"Today, justice was done," said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman, who helped advise Eileen Smith after her daughter's death and encouraged her to file complaints with the medical board and prosecutors. "Our condolences and prayers continue to be with the Smith family, who showed such an amazing strength of faith and courage throughout this ordeal."

"This conviction is an object lesson to prosecutors across the nation that abortionists can and should be held criminally accountable to the law for the sake of justice and public safety. There are abortionists out there right now who are endangering the lives of women who should be joining Osathanondh in jail. We hope today's sentencing will encourage prosecutors to file criminal charges against abortionists who are breaking the law. Leaving these kinds of cases to the medical boards and civil courts is simply not good enough."

Osathanondh admitted in court to behaving in a wanton and reckless manner that endangered Smith's life. He failed to properly monitor Smith while under anesthesia and did not call for emergency assistance in a timely manner when she suffered complications. He was also found to have lied to cover up his negligence by claiming he administered emergency care that was never done.

"Osathanondh lawyers need to stop saying that he gave Laura 'good care' because he has now admitted in court that he did not, and she died as a result. It doesn't get any worse than that," said Newman.

Earlier, Osathanondh surrendered his medical license and closed his two abortion offices. A sign from his Hyannis office where Laura died now hangs as a memento at Operation Rescue's national headquarters in Wichita, KS.

Two conservative GOP leaders with presidential aspirations, Mitch Daniels and Haley Barbour, both recently stated they think the GOP should ignore social issues in lieu of fiscal issues.

Some think such chatter is a concerted effort emanating from establishment Republicans anxious to win over/hold on to independents heading into the 2010 and 2012 elections.

Indeed, the Los Angeles Times reported yesterday that the much-touted GOP book released that same day, "Young Guns: A New Generation of Conservative Leaders," is "a manifesto of fiscal conservatism" that "avoids the hot-button social issues, including abortion and gay rights, which have been featured in previous GOP campaigns."

In addition, the Republican National Coalition for Life reports that the Republican's upcoming 2010 version of the "Contract with America" currently excludes any mention of Life issues whatsoever. RNC4L writes that pro-life stalwart Rep. Steve King is battling for the GOP to include at a a minimum a pledge to defund Planned Parenthood, the United States' largest abortion provider.

I get really, really tired of the constant, senseless battle with Republicans to uphold the sanctity of human life....

Continue reading my column today, "GOP establishment vs. tea party on abortion," at WorldNetDaily.com.

PHOENIX, Sept. 13, 2010/Standard Newswire --

"Arizona has a long and proud history of fighting the Washington, D.C. elite's insatiable appetite for bigger government at the cost of States' rights. The battle over the Affordable Care Act better known as "ObamaCare" is the latest round. Once again, the feds have gone too far.

"The cost of ObamaCare places unsustainable burdens on our federal government, our state government, and on American families. Further, the scheme is based on the unconstitutional mandate that every American buy health insurance. For these reasons, the State of Arizona, at my direction, has joined 19 other states in challenging ObamaCare in federal court in the Northern District of Florida.

"Shortly after the states filed their suit, President Obama directed his counsel at the Department of Justice to file a motion to dismiss the case. The federal district court in Florida will hear arguments this Tuesday, September 14, on whether the states' challenge to ObamaCare may move forward. I have no doubt that Arizona and the other states will ultimately prevail in striking down the most oppressive provisions of ObamaCare. The Act is simply unreasonable, unsustainable and unconstitutional.

"The costs of ObamaCare are indefensibly high and unsustainable. The current federal budget deficit will exceed $1.3 trillion. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the 10 year deficit is another $6.2 trillion. This is not the time for America to be expanding entitlement programs, and thereby shackling our country to ever expanding debt obligations. Instead, the federal government should follow Arizona's example and cut spending. America needs a long-term plan that will balance our federal budget and bring stability to our economy.

"In addition to burdening the federal budget, the Act unconstitutionally imposes staggering new costs and obligations on the states. It transforms Medicaid from a federal-state partnership to reimburse needy persons' medical costs into a vast federally-mandated program to benefit millions of persons with incomes above the poverty line. While the states previously had discretion to manage their programs consistent with the needs of their citizens - indeed, Arizona's own Medicaid program, AHCCCS, is a model nationwide - the Act now limits state flexibility and turns the states into an administrative arm of the federal government. It also compels the states to assume responsibility not only for cost reimbursement but for the provision of the healthcare services. These changes will add more than $1 billion per year in costs to an already overstrained state budget.

"ObamaCare also forces private insurance plans to expand coverage. While some of these changes may seem fair on the surface, ultimately the costs of these changes are borne by families. According to the Wall Street Journal, coverage changes demanded by ObamaCare could increase some premiums as much as 9 percent. Many Arizonans have already been told by their employers to expect high increases in their insurance premiums that will dramatically impact their household budgets....

Continue reading press release here.

ANNAPOLIS, MD/Sept. 13, 2010/Christian Newswire --

Operation Rescue has released an investigative report that contains shocking details of an elaborate late-term abortion scheme operated by the notorious abortionist Stephen Chase Brigham that landed 1 woman in the hospital and resulted in the license suspensions of three abortionists in 2 states.

The report is largely based on 302 pages of documents released to OR by the State of NJ through an open records act request and includes redacted medical records and interviews with those involved in the botched 22 week abortion that was started in Voorhees, NJ, and continued at a secret abortion clinic in Elkton, MD.

The report reveals:

• The two-state late-term abortion scheme violated NJ and MD laws.


• Shows discrepancies in the abortionist's story compared to hospital records and other testimony.


• Reveals the horrific ordeal endured by the abortion patient and her family.


• Shows that abortions as late as 36 weeks were being started in NJ and ended in MD.


• Reveals how evasive abortionists described their suspicious "secret abortion clinic" to stunned emergency room staff.


• Details an encounter with the Elkton police where abortionist Brigham fled the scene to avoid questioning.


• Details a police raid on Brigham's Elkton clinic where UT abortionist Nicola Riley slipped away to warn Brigham's caravan of women evade police by diverting to a Baltimore clinic, where 4 late-term abortions were completed.

Troy Newman, President of OR, will be in Annapolis, MD on Wednesday, September 15, at noon for a press conference outside the MD AG's office where he and other pro-life leaders will remark on this evolving story concerning Brigham and the 3 other Maryland abortionists whose licenses were suspended this week.

The group of pro-life/pro-family leaders will call for criminal charges against four abortionists in New Jersey and Maryland.

OR's investigative report: "Botched Abortion Nightmare: 'I wish I never heard of them'"

TRENTON, N.J., Sept. 9, 2010/Christian Newswire --

Medical boards in NJ and MD took action yesterday to insure that four abortionists halted operations after declaring that they pose a danger to the public.

The NJ Medical Board acted Wednesday to suspend the medical license of the notorious abortionist Stephen Chase Brigham after an investigation into a botched abortion discovered that he was starting late-term abortions in NJ then leading the women across state lines to MD where he and his associates would complete the abortions, some as late as 35 weeks gestation.

NJ is the last state in which Brigham maintained an active medical license. He has been banned from the practice of medicine in PA, NY, FL, and CA. He was never licensed to practice in MD, a state that ordered him to cease and desist from the unlicensed practice of medicine in that state on August 25, 2010.

A botched abortion on August 13, 2010, exposed Brigham's illegal late-term abortion racket, which included two other abortionists, Nicola Riley of UT and George Shepard of DE.

MD authorities issued suspension orders for Riley and Shepard on August 31, 2010. A hearing was held yesterday in which evidence against the two was to be heard. Neither abortionist attended the hearing. Shepard's suspension was upheld since his attorneys did not show up for the hearing. However, Riley's attorneys were granted a continuance and have pledged to fight to restore Riley's license. Meanwhile, her suspension remains in effect.

In another case, Maryland abortionist Romeo Ferrer's medical license was suspended based on a 4-year old abortion death complaint.

On February 3, 2006, a 21-year old African American woman went to Gynecare Center for a second trimester dilation and evacuation abortion by Romeo Ferrer. The patient was overdosed on pain-killing narcotics. She was not properly monitored and appropriate emergency protocols were not followed. This negligence resulted in the patient's death.

At a disciplinary hearing in June, the Maryland State Board of Physicians failed to act to suspend his license, but yesterday, the Board issued a suspension order that stated, "Based on the foregoing facts, the Board concludes that the public health, safety or welfare require emergency action in this case."

Pro-life groups including Operation Rescue, Defend Life, and Pro-Life Unity have publicly demanded Board action against Ferrer and have worked to bring him to justice, and consider yesterday's suspension a partial victory.

Calls placed today to Brigham's 15 abortion clinics and Ferrer's Severna Park, MD, mill show that all locations remain operating and taking abortion patients with other abortionists at the helm.

"While we applaud the suspensions of the four abortionists, is it shocking to learn that their dangerous abortion businesses continue to operate," said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. "In the interest of public safety, we implore the medical boards to close these clinics before more women are maimed or killed."

Wisconsin RTL/September 8, 2010 --

Philip Nitschke is known throughout the world as one of the biggest proponents of assisted suicide and euthanasia. One of his pet projects is enticing older people to come to his workshops where they can learn all of the ways to kill themselves. His favorite weapon is what he calls the "peaceful pill." Nitschke is proud to teach people how to make their own.

A promo for his workshops scheduled for Canada is as follows:

Exit Safe Suicide Meetings & Workshops

Nth America Tour 2010

Meetings & Workshops with Dr Philip Nitschke MD PhD

Public Meetings provide an outline of the legislative history & current political status of safe/ Assisted Suicide. These meetings are free & open events (11am - 12 noon).

Safe Suicide Workshops follow immediately from Public Meetings & provide the latest end of life information for Seniors, the Seriously Ill &
their Families based on the Peaceful Pill eHandbook updates on practical end of life issues (1 - 4pm).

Topics Covered

Includes the latest research on:

• The Barbiturates: Sources, Storage, Testing & the Ohio Single Drug Protocol
• Gases: Helium, Nitrogen, Argon - the physiology of hypoxia, flow rates & detection, the role of carbon dioxide
• Peaceful Poisons: Carbon Monoxide, Cyanide - Production, Risks, Safety Procedures
• Other Options - Prescription and Non-Prescription Substances - Combinations, Substitutes, Warnings

Makes you sick, doesn't it?

GRAPEVINE, Texas, Sept. 8, 2010/Christian Newswire --

With an unexpected overflow attendance, the 2010 Care Net National Pregnancy Center Conference kicks off Wednesday in Grapevine, TX from September 8-11th at the Gaylord Texan Resort. Pregnancy center leaders from across North America will be challenged by the conference theme that "this is the time" to expand their ministries of compassion, reach the underserved, and lead the pro-life movement.

"Everyone facing an unplanned pregnancy needs to know that there is hope, help, and alternatives to abortion," said Care Net President Melinda Delahoyde. "Until that day, pregnancy centers -- this amazing, nationwide movement of compassion -- must expect, plan, and pray for ministry expansion. Our conference theme, 'this is the time,' was truly inspired by the fact that doors of opportunity are opening all over the country for pregnancy centers to do just that."

Who better to speak into this message than Dr. Bruce Wilkinson, author of The Prayer of Jabez? Dr. Wilkinson will be one of the many powerful conference keynote speakers, including: Patrick Lencioni, author of The Five Dysfunctions of a Team; Kay Coles James, founder and president of The Gloucester Institute; Elisa Morgan, former CEO of MOPs International; Fr. Frank Pavone, president of Priests for Life; Norm Miller, chairman of Interstate Batteries; Chet McDoniel, an amazing man with an inspiring testimony of faith; and Melinda Delahoyde, Care Net president.

The more than 1,300 conference attendees will be trained by some of the nation's top pro-life and non-profit leaders in over 63 workshops session on best practices, legal issues, board governance, client marketing, spiritual leadership, underserved outreach, fundraising, and other topics.

Additional Care Net conference highlights include:

• A "National Care for Life Forum" hosted by Care Net and EvanTell for select national leaders to discuss strategies to advance the Gospel and the life-saving work of pregnancy centers.
• A forum for African American pastors on opening pregnancy centers in underserved areas and a tour of a local Dallas pregnancy center opened by Pastor Tony Evans and Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship.
• A screening of "Maafa 21," a chilling documentary on the eugenics movement and abortion.
• An event to launch a new program to mentor and dialogue with Generation Y pregnancy center leaders.

All media must acquire a Care Net conference media badge for on-site coverage. Contact Care Net with name, media outlet, and day/time requested.

Shreveport, LA /September 7, 2010/Operation Rescue --

The LA Dept. of Health and Hospitals revoked the clinic license of Hope Medical Group for Women in Shreveport, LA, last week and ordered them to halt all abortions there. The action was the first immediate suspension under the new LA law that allows the State to order a clinic to cease operations.

According to a press release issued September 1, 2010, by the LDHH, they found the following violations that posed an immediate threat to the health, welfare, or safety of a client or patient:

Several violations were noted during a recent investigation of the facility, including the facility's failure to ensure that a physician performed and documented a physical exam on each patient prior to a procedure, failure to properly monitor vital signs of patients under anesthesia, failure to have proper procedures in place for administering anesthesia and failure to have properly trained professionals performing certain medical procedures related to the administering of anesthesia.

"When we see this level of egregious conduct at a facility, it is incumbent on us to take steps necessary to protect our residents," said LDHH Interim Secretary Anthony Keck. "The Legislature gave us this authority because they recognized we must have the ability to stop unsafe practices that place these already vulnerable women in danger."

Prior to the passage of the new law, known as Act 490, suspension orders could not be immediately enforced, allowing dangerous abortion mills to continue to endanger the public for months.

Such was the case in January, 2010, when the LDHH suspended the license of Gentilly Medical Clinic for Women in New Orleans operated by troubled abortionist Ifeanyi Charles Anthony Okpalobi (pronounced ok-PAH-luh-bee). The State charged Okpalobi's clinic with violating laws requiring that abortion clinics have a licensed nurse on staff, and that they have proper state and federal licensing for controlled substances. 9 months later, the clinic continues uninterrupted operations pending appeal, even though there is no evidence that the dangerous conditions were ever remedied.

At that time, Operation Rescue called on the State of LA to consider the health and safety of women and take action that would allow the State to close this dangerous abortion mill. Now, the laws give the State the ability to act on suspensions in the interest of public safety.

"Given what we know from our investigations in to Louisiana's abortion clinics, the suspension of Hope Medical Group for Women's seedy abortion operations will not be the last suspension issued by the Health Department," said Newman.

"This is more evidence that pro-life laws, when enforced, close abortion mills and save lives. We are relieved that there is now another layer of protection for vulnerable women and their innocent pre-born babies, but we cannot not rest until every abortion mill is closed and our pre-born children are fully protected by law."

Read LDHH Press Release Concerning Suspension

WASHINGTON, Sept. 2, 2010/Christian Newswire --

Today, the Susan B. Anthony List announced the launch of its "Life Speaking Out Campaign" aimed at encouraging House GOP leadership to make protecting women and the unborn a priority in its legislative blueprint expected after Labor Day. The campaign includes a website for pro-life activists to lobby House GOP leadership and an encouraging letter to leadership signed by SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser.

"The Republican Party must show what it is made of this time around. They can do so by acting on their convictions and those of their party, and by making a commitment to passage of common-sense, life-saving legislation," said Dannenfelser. "Missing from the GOP's original Contract in 1994 was any emphasis on policies protecting the unborn. Pro-life legislation was not made a priority in the following Congress. With the support of a vibrant pro-life movement that understands the urgency of addressing the tragedy of nearly 4k abortions per day coupled with the vast majority of Americans who support a commonsense pro-life agenda, enacting that agenda would not require a heavy lift."

Since the format for the blueprint was originally floated, it has been widely reported that the agenda consists of five basic planks which were outlined in a recess document: jobs, national security, spending restraint, government reform and health care. The SBA List praised its reported inclusion of anti-funding of abortion language, but the "Life Speaking Out Campaign" asks that GOP leaders include a separate "Family Values" plank under which pro-life priorities would be included.

"It would be an electorally costly mistake for the future for the GOP to write off one leg of the three-legged stool of Ronald Reagan conservatism. Real leaders multi-task. The strongly pro-life GOP leadership should be able to respond to the economic crisis and enact pro-life legislation," Dannenfelser said.

"With the majority of Americans labeling themselves pro-life, and with an even stronger majority agreeing that tax dollars should not fund abortion, the consensus for passage of serious pro-life legislation could not be stronger. Today's SBA List initiative will communicate the message loud and clear that Americans are ready to support such leadership and that the pro-life movement is ready to help make pro-woman, life-saving proposals law."

Albuquerque, NM/September 1, 2010/Operation Rescue -

Additional information has come out concerning the incident on August 25, 2010, where a man threatened to shoot two pro-life women outside Curtis Boyd's late-term abortion mill in Albuquerque, NM. That information raises questions of coerced and/or forced abortions there.

The man, identified in police reports as Hal Cox of AZ, brought his 16-year old daughter to Boyd's Southwestern Women's Options for an abortion and became upset when his wife and daughter voluntarily approached two sidewalk counselors that spoke with them about abortion alternatives. He flashed what appeared to be a gun and threatened to shoot them if they said anything else to his daughter.

Police were called to the scene where they discovered that Cox was in immediate possession of a magazine filled with bullets. They also discovered a number of firearms in the trunk of his vehicle. Police confiscated the weapons.

"This raises an important question of whether or not this young lady held any fear for her armed father, and whether she was seeking an abortion of her own free will," said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. "We know that there is a silent epidemic of coerced abortions and even forced abortions going on in this country."

"Pregnancy is a vulnerable time for women," said Cheryl Sullenger, Senior Policy Advisor for Operation Rescue. "After over two decades of working with abortion-bound women, it has been my experience that a high percentage of them feel like they have no other choice than to abort because of pressure from family and even because of fear of domestic violence."

Two cases in point are the dramatic stories of Michelle Armesto-Berg from KS and Caitlin Bruce from MI.

Armesto-Berg was coerced into an abortion she did not want out of fear that her family would disown her. Her abortion was started before the clinic staff obtained written consent. She gave stunning testimony of her ordeal before a KS Legislative Committee in 2007.

Bruce filed a lawsuit against abortionist Alberto Hodari for a forced abortion she endured in 2008. She says she withdrew her consent for an abortion after viewing an ultrasound image of her pre-born baby. According to Bruce, Hodari ordered a male clinic worker to hold her down while Hodari forced the abortion on her. Her mouth was covered to muffle her screams.

These stories are just the tip of a very large iceberg. More needs to be done to insure that vulnerable women do not have to endure abortions they do not want.

Boyd's clinic is of particular concern because women come to it from all over the country for late-term abortions that are not legal or available in their home states. Studies show that domestic violence against women actually increases in their last 4 months of pregnancy, a time during which Boyd particularly solicits women for abortions.

"We hope that the police thoroughly investigate the Cox case to determine if the young woman was coerced or aborted out of fear for her safety. But unfortunately, in New Mexico abortion laws are so permissive that there is likely no statute that could punish a person for forcing or coercing an abortion on an unwilling woman," said Sullenger. "This lax attitude toward abortion coercion and accompanying domestic violence places women and their wanted babies in grave risk. It is really outrageous that more hasn't already been done to protect women at this vulnerable time of their lives."

As for Cox, his case has been referred to the district attorney, who will evaluate it to see if charges should be filed.

"If they let this man walk away without charges this will send the wrong message to bullies who want to threaten peaceful pro-lifers and coerce young girls into unwanted abortions, as we suspect may have been the case in this instance," said Newman. "They need to make an example out of Mr. Cox in order to stem the violence inside and outside the abortion clinic."

See original story with photos

[Note: The news video incorrectly identifies Bud Shaver as a member of Operation Rescue. Mr. Shaver is a former intern with Operation Rescue, but currently works with Project Defending Life in Albuquerque, NM.]

Planned Parenthood of the Heartland has taken Nike's "Just do it" challenge to tackle life with gusto and run the other way with it.

Without checking with any ruling body in the state of IA whether their plan was legal, PP abortionists 2 years ago began dispensing RU-486 abortion pills by computer screen to mothers scattered throughout Iowa, some hundreds of miles away....

It is a felony in IA for anyone other than licensed physicians to commit abortion. Since physical contact is never made with telemed abortions, or even possible in most cases, PP's scheme was questionably legal at best, criminal at worst....

Operation Rescue, through the IA Open Records Act, has received 900 pages of e-mails sent between officials and staff members at the Attorney General's office, IA Board of Medicine and PP of the Heartland. They smell of collusion.

Example: Citizen's Information Center is a Boston, MS, citizen's watchdog group that investigates the medical industry through public-records requests.

In July, CIC formally requested from IBOM copies of the licenses of PP of the Heartland's abortionists as well as any record of complaints and disciplinary actions against them. These are supposed to be available to the public.

But the Board gave PP a heads up and ample time to file an injunction to stop the release of records to CIC.

Here's an e-mail from PP attorney Mike Falstrom to Kent Nebel, IBOM's director of legal affairs (click to enlarge):

The Board then informed CIC it couldn't give it the records because PP said no....

Continue reading my column today, "Collusion in the Heartland," at WorldNetDaily.com.