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News and commentary from the Pro-Life Action League
You are currently browsing the archives for the Planned Parenthood category.
What could cause pro-life Christians to join forces with Planned Parenthood?
Lies. Planned Parenthood’s go-to move, and, I believe, the largest reason why Mississippi’s Initiative 26 ballot measure was defeated at the polls yesterday.
The measure, a proposed “Personhood” law, would have declared “every human being from the moment of fertilization, cloning or the functional equivalent thereof” to be a person deserving of the full protection of the law. Resulting laws the measure would require, would likely ban all forms of abortion.
There were strong indications prior to yesterday’s vote that the measure stood a very good chance of passing and that many, even most, Mississippians supported the idea. So what happened? [Continue reading ...]
“Planned Parenthood is the most cost-effective provider of family planning services in this country.”
Cecile Richards may rue the day she said these words in an interview last month with an Oregon newspaper.
Jill Stanek is reporting that a former employee of Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast has filed a whistleblower’s complaint [PDF] with the Attorney General of Texas and the U.S. Department of Justice alleging that PPGC’s management engaged in an elaborate Medicaid fraud scheme:
Karen Reynolds, who worked as a “health care assistant” from 1999 to 2009 at the Lufkin, Texas, branch of the affiliate formerly known as Planned Parenthood of Houston and Southeast Texas, has submitted company memos and emails to support her charge that PPGC has engaged in a systemwide scheme to bilk Medicaid, Title XX, and the Women’s Health Program of tens of millions of dollars over the course of at least a decade.
The complaint alleges that PPGC’s policy of which medical services to provide and charge for depended largely on who was paying. If the patient was self-paying, then only “services based on medical necessity” were provided. But if the government was footing the bill through a program like Medicaid, then Planned Parenthood would run up quite a tab, “often provid[ing] services on an ‘across the board’ basis even when such services were not medically necessary.” [Continue reading ...]
Swedish Hospital in Seattle, Washington
A strange story emerges out of Seattle, brought to our attention by Catholic blogger Mark Shea, that finds Planned Parenthood pitted against their longtime allies at the National Organization for Women (NOW) as well as the hospital establishment.
Swedish Health Services, a secular healthcare organization, and Providence Health & Services, a Catholic healthcare organization, have tried over the last decade to find a way to join forces to provide the best possible medical services at Seattle’s Swedish Hospital. A detailed account of the situation can be found here.
They’re poised to come to a historic agreement that would allow both organizations to do the most good for everyone, but controversy has crept in because, as part of the agreement, Swedish is committing to not perform elective abortions.
NOW is in an uproar that any hospital anywhere would dare to not provide abortions. But Planned Parenthood is actually excited about the move. Why? Why else: money. [Continue reading ...]
Planned Parenthood in Kansas has been under investigation since 2003, spearheaded by former Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline. Kline brought charges in 2007 of 107 counts of falsifying abortion records and committing illegal late-term abortions, 23 of which are felonies.
Today the judge in the case granted prosecutors two weeks to re-work their case based on new evidence that records crucial to the case were destroyed in 2005 under the watch of then Kansas governor and current Obama Administration Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius. The League protested Sebelius earlier this month when she spoke at a NARAL luncheon.
It also appears that Planned Parenthood may have falsified records to make it appear that they had complied with record-keeping laws after the fact.
Sebelius was a known ally of Planned Parenthood and notorious late-term abortionist George Tiller, both of whom filled her campaign coffers with large donations, but it’s surprising that even she would sink to the depths of destroying evidence to protect her cronies.
The story is developing and we’ll know more when prosecutors return to court after reviewing the evidence. Until then, get the full story from these reports:
In an interview published yesterday in the Oregon paper Williamette Week, Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards was asked about her annual salary — nearly $400,000 — and why Planned Parenthood has shied away from publicly commenting on the widespread belief that such an amount is a bit extravagant for the head of a non-profit organization that receives over $360 million of your tax dollars annually.
Richards’ answer: “I work hard for my salary.”
She continued her dismissive response by proclaiming, “Planned Parenthood is the most cost-effective provider of family planning services in this country.”
The interviewer apparently didn’t ask any follow-up questions. That’s a pity, because it would have been interesting to see how Richards would have responded if she’d been asked how she squares her belief about PP’s unparalleled cost-effectiveness with the recent finding that increasing government funding of Planned Parenthood has had zero effect on the rate of unintended pregnancy nationwide. [Continue reading ...]
Eric speaks in Anneville, PA Oct 14 [Photo by Henri Lively]
Last week I was honored to join the Defend Life Speaking Tour—the longest running pro-life speaking tour in the nation—at the invitation of stalwart pro-life activist Jack Ames. Jack is famous for putting his speakers to work, and Jack managed to line up 5 talks for me in just two days.
I arrived the morning of Thursday, October 13 and was picked up at the airport by Fran Griffin, who helped Jack arrange my speaking engagements. After lunch with some of the pro-life leaders of northern Virginia, we drove to Seton School in Manassas, founded by Catholic historian Anne Carroll, whose late husband Warren founded Christendom College.
I addressed the all-school assembly about how they can help restore a culture of life. After a brief overview of the humanity of the unborn child and the key facts about abortion, I explored how Catholics like them are called in a special way to actively fight against abortion. [Continue reading ...]
Joe Scheidler (right) with St. Joseph Right to Life County President Tom Gill [Photo by Ann Scheidler]
On Thursday, October 6, League Director Joe Scheidler gave the keynote address at the 20th anniversary celebration of St. Joseph County Right to Life in South Bend, Indiana. Joe had also been the speaker at the group’s inaugural banquet in March 1992.
Scheidler congratulated Indiana on its decision to de-fund Planned Parenthood, a move that Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius immediately objected to, claiming that Indiana had no right to make such a determination. Scheidler assured the crowd that many other states are watching the drama over de-funding Planned Parenthood, with the aim of taking the same action.
Scheidler emphasized the importance of prayer and action in our battle against abortion. As a former Benedictine seminarian, he still adheres to St. Benedict’s motto, Ora et Labora — Pray and Work. “Prayer is essential,” said Scheidler. “But it is not enough. We have to take action to change the culture.” [Continue reading ...]
Eric Scheidler leads pro-lifers in song outside Planned Parenthood in Aurora, IL [Photo by Matt Yonke]
This past Sunday, October 2, marked the 4th anniversary of the dark day that Planned Parenthood opened the doors of their “Abortion Fortress,” the first of their mega-centers which are now spreading across the nation.
Though it might seem counter-intuitive, the Pro-Life Action League marked this grim day with a “Do-it Yourself” pro-life concert on the vacant lot across the street from the midwest’s largest abortion clinic.
The DIY concert is an idea League Executive Director Eric Scheidler came up with to celebrate the closing of the second 40 Days for Life vigil in 2008 and we’ve held them several times since. Pro-lifers bring a lawn chair and copies of their favorite hymn or praise song and an instrument if they play one, and we sing praises to God thanking Him for the victories He’s granted us as a movement. [Continue reading ...]
Illinois Supreme Court Building
This morning the case of Sandholm v. Kuecker begins oral arguments before the Illinois Supreme Court.
Normally a case like this involving a high school athletics coach who was fired and later sued a group he claimed was libeling him wouldn’t make pro-life news, but Sandholm is different because it involves the Illinois Citizen Participation Act (CPA).
The CPA is the same law that Planned Parenthood has used in the Scheidler v. Trombley libel case to put the Pro-Life Action League and League Executive Director Eric Scheidler on the hook for nearly $500,000 in legal fees.
The CPA states that, when pursuing favorable governmental action, a person cannot be held responsible for public statements made in pursuit of that action, even if those statements are libelous.
Scheidler v. Trombley began when Planned Parenthood ran a smear campaign on the League and local activists while trying to open their massive “Abortion Fortress” in Aurora, Illinois. When Eric and the League sued for libel, Planned Parenthood counter-sued under the CPA and won, claiming that they weren’t responsible for their false claims about pro-lifers because they were seeking the favorable government action of getting the Aurora City Council to approve their new clinic.
This is obviously ridiculous as it essentially grants Planned Parenthood, or anyone else invoking the CPA, a license to lie and say whatever they please about their opponents without being held responsible. [Continue reading ...]
Picket outside Planned Parenthood in Aurora, IL [Photo by Sam Scheidler]
On Saturday, September 17, over 50 pro-lifers beat the pavement outside the “Abortion Fortress” of Aurora, Illinois just as they have every third Saturday since the facility opened in the fall of 2007.
With signs reading Moms for Life, Dads for Life, Planned Parenthood LIES to You and Planned Parenthood: BAD for Aurora the group witnessed to the community’s continuing resistance to the presence of the Midwest’s largest abortion mill in their town.
I’ve been a part of the League’s protest efforts at Planned Parenthood Aurora since the very beginning, and it’s been a great encouragement to get to know the area’s faithful activists. As I handed out signs on Saturday, I saw many of those who have been there since the beginning as well as some new faces. [Continue reading ...]