Pro-Life Page

by Steven Ertelt | Washington, DC | LifeNews.com | 7/23/14 10:40 AM

The liberal 9th Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed a case yesterday that alleges the Planned Parenthood abortion business defrauded the state of California out of hundreds of millions of dollarsby overcharging customers for birth control and improperly asking the state for taxpayer-funded reimbursements.

Former California Planed Parenthood financial official P. Victor Gonzalez is behind the lawsuit. Gonzalez says his own internal audit estimates that Planned Parenthood overcharged California taxpayers for purchasing birth control by at least $180 million.

Gonzalez says the abortion business fired him because he raised concerns about illegal practices of overcharging the state hundreds of millions of dollars on birth control. The former Planned Parenthood official filed a lawsuit in March 2008 but, in January 2009, a federal district court judge dismissed the case and Gonzalez filed an appeal. Represented by the American Center for Law and Justice, Gonzalez is now considered a federal whistleblower and

Gonzalez says his own internal audit estimates that Planned Parenthood overcharged California taxpayers for purchasing birth control by at least $180 million. He was the vice president of finance and administration for Planned Parenthood of Los Angles and, according to a Los Angeles Times report, the overbilling began in the late 1990s.

Now, the liberal federal appeals court has dismissed the suit:

The three-judge appeals panel found that a series of letters between Planned Parenthood and state officials attached to plaintiff P. Victor Gonzalez’s complaint “fatally undercut” his allegations.

“Stated simply, even if bills sent by Planned Parenthood were false in portraying its costs, one cannot plausibly conclude that there was knowing falsity on the part of Planned Parenthood given the explicit statements addressing this subject made by the State of California through CDHS and the state’s silence after being told what procedures Planned Parenthood was following,” the appeals court ruled.

During oral arguments in the appeal last month, Gonzalez’s attorney Walter Weber of the American Center for Law and Justice argued that because Planned Parenthood was required by law to bill the government only its acquisition cost for the birth control, but actually asked for marked up prices, its overcharging was inherently a false claim.

“If charging the government more than 10 times the amount that is allowed by law is not a false claim, then it is hard to imagine what is a false claim,” he said.

While other public health facilities and private facilities charged the state between $8 and $9 for a cycle of birth control pills, Planned Parenthood charged almost $12. The Planned Parenthood charge to the California government was several times more than it paid for the drugs originally.

Gonzalez alleges that other California-based Planned Parenthood affiliates and Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California knowingly engaged in a scheme to defraud state and federal taxpayers by deliberately over-billing the Medi-Cal program.

Judge A. Howard Matz dismissed Gonzalez’s suit in October 2008 and he ruled that Gonzalez did not qualify as a whistleblower under federal law because he was not the “original source” of the data exposing the fraud. As a result, he said his court lacked jurisdiction in the suit.

The federal False Claims Act (FCA) forbids government contractors from submitting “false or fraudulent” claims for payment. The FCA also authorizes private individuals to bring suit against the offenders to recover the fraudulently obtained funds.

The allegation in this case is that PP affiliates in California illegally marked up the supposed cost of various birth control drugs when seeking government reimbursement, resulting in tens of millions of dollars of overbilling – at taxpayer expense. State audits in both California and Washington State have found PP affiliates guilty of overbilling.

When Gonzalez sued Planned Parenthood, a prominent law firm began representing the abortion business at no cost to the defendants and asked the federal district court to dismiss the case on technical jurisdictional grounds.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Planned Parenthood overbilling occurred until state Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson of Santa Barbara sponsored legislation allowing Planned Parenthood to charge more based on concerns the abortion business presented her that it would suffer financial problems without it.

However, altering the statute didn’t address the billing practices prior to it and a 2003 state audit found at least $5.2 million in overbilling in 2003 alone from just one of the nine California Planned Parenthood affiliates.

Medi-Cal officials first noticed the problems in 1997 and Planned Parenthood received two separate letters at that time pointing out the problems.

State officials now say Planned Parenthood was given conflicting information on billing practices. They say Planned Parenthood does not need to repay the millions it overcharged state taxpayers.

Still, Gonzalez wants the abortion business to be held accountable for firing him abruptly on March 9, 2004 for doing his job and pointing out that it was breaking the law.

by Steven Ertelt | Washington, DC | LifeNews.com | 7/22/14 

In a new expose’ video released today, a former Planned Parenthood abortion clinic director says Planned Parenthood put a price on the value of a human life: $313.29.

That’s the amount of money Abby Johnson says the Planned Parenthood abortion clinic she ran in south Texas would make every time it would kill a baby in an abortion. Johnson, who is now pro-life, released a video this morning exposing the abortion quotas that take place at Planned Parenthood.

In the video, Johnson says her supervisor informed her that her clinic needed to double the number of abortions it was doing and that it should be killing 1,135 babies per year to make the financial goals set up for her clinic by Planned Parenthood’s head honchos.

“This was bothersome to me as I truly believed that our goal was to reduce the number of abortions…after all, that’s what we always said to the media,” Johnson said. “When I voiced my concerns to my supervisor, she laughed and said, ‘But Abby, abortion is how we make our money.’”

“Just a few weeks later, I witnessed the ultrasound guided abortion procedure that caused me to flee from Planned Parenthood,” she said. “About a year ago, I was sorting through some old files and came across that same budget from 2010. Since then, I have been waiting for the perfect time to release this project.”

“Ever since I left Planned Parenthood, I have been talking about the abortion quotas that are established inside abortion facilities,” Johnson said.

“Since releasing the photo a couple weeks ago, we have heard from many abortion supporters who have expressed their disgust of Planned Parenthood and their unsavory practices,” Johnson said. “Women and their children are worth far more than $313.29. Their lives are priceless.”

The new videos comes on the heels of a document obtained from Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, which gave its abortion clinic in Aurora, Colorado an award for doing more abortions in the past fiscal year than the one prior.

by Micaiah Bilger | Harrisburg, PA | LifeNews.com | 7/21/14 

We have a young heroine for life in our state.

Her name is Chloe Kondrich, and she has Down syndrome. The 11-year-old and her family have made it their mission to educate people about the precious value of individuals with Down syndrome. The family received our Pennsylvania Pro-Life Leadership Award in 2011.

On Friday, July 18, Chloe stood with Gov. Tom Corbett as he signed “Chloe’s Law,” a measure that ensures Pennsylvania moms have access to accurate information and support when their preborn baby is diagnosed with Down syndrome.

Sadly, preborn babies who are diagnosed with Down syndrome often become victims of abortion. One study suggests that 90 percent are aborted.

According to an article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

“Kishore Vellody, medical director of the Down Syndrome Center at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC … [said] he sees the necessity of the new law, which will outline physicians’ responsibilities in delivering the news of a Down syndrome prenatal diagnosis.

“‘Published data shows that less than half of people felt like their training was accurate in communicating prenatal diagnosis,’ he said. ‘Even in my med school textbooks, a lot of things we learned about Down syndrome was inaccurate because it takes so long to have them updated.’

“Within the past 30 years, the increase in information and standard medical care has been dramatic and is mirrored by the increase in life expectancy for people with Down syndrome, from 25 in the 1980s to 60 and beyond now.

“‘Our goal in medicine is to make sure people receive balanced and accurate information when they make decisions about health care,’ Dr. Vellody said. ‘That’s why we support endeavors to help expectant parents.’”

Chloe’s parents, Kurt and Margie Kondrich, understand the emotions that families feel when they discover their child has Down syndrome. They believe the new law will help alleviate fears and give hope to the families.

Chloe and her family truly are Pennsylvania heroes, spreading the message to families that there’s always a reason to choose life!

by Steven Ertelt | Washington, DC | LifeNews.com | 7/18/14 

The pro-life movement is sometimes scoffed at by abortion activists when it points out that abortion is mostly used for birth control reasons. Here’s a report that provides more confirmation that that’s the case.

A British schoolgirl had her fourth abortion in 2012, figures today revealed. She is one of 200 teenage girls who have had repeat abortions before the age of 16.

The figures show five girls had three abortions by the time of their sweet 16 birthday, which is the legal age of consent in England. That means abortion practitioners are doing abortions on girls who are victims of statutory rape and, as is the case in the United States, they may not be reporting those rapes to authorities.

Here’s more on these tragic repeat abortions:

In 2011, a total of 84 under-16s had abortions for a second time or more, according to the Department of Health figures obtained by The Sun.

Last night, Norman Wells, of the Family Education Trust, said too many teenagers were having sex without thinking about the consequences.

Too many are being taught that they have a right to sex without consequences and are free to dispose of any unborn child that threatens their lifestyle,’ he said.

Last year, 185,331 British women of all age groups had terminations. Of these, 50 were treated for a staggering nine abortions of more.

FIGURES: ABORTIONS IN THE UK

• 2,538 under-16s had an abortion in 2013
• This is compared to 2,925 girls in 2012
• 68 had already undergone a termination
• Five of these were on their third abortion
• 185,331 women of all age groups had abortions in the UK last year
• Of these, 50 were treated for nine abortions or more

Earlier this year, a 13-year-old schoolgirl was given the right to choose whether to have an abortion by a High Court judge.

Mr Justice Mostyn ruled that the youngster was capable of making up her own mind as to whether or not to keep the child.

The teenager, who lives with her parents, only realised she was pregnant when her grandmother spotted her growing bump and took her for medical tests.

by Robyn McLean | Washington, DC | LifeNews.com | 7/17/14 

I couldn’t believe I was pregnant. “How did I get to this point?” I thought.

Anywhere from a couple to a few weeks before, I had expressed to my fiancé that I didn’t want to be living sexually impure anymore; I wanted to wait until marriage. My conscience and debilitating relationship with God were tearing me apart. Then he violently raped me.

Similar scenarios followed even if it wasn’t the “if you don’t give it, I will take it” approach. Either way, they were all against my will. During that time frame (winter/spring 2010), I had discussed breaking up.

Well, it really wasn’t much of a discussion.

He duct-taped my wrists and my ankles, and I laid helplessly on the living room floor of his apartment. I begged him to cut me loose, and he began to fill up a bowl of water. As he heated a metal spatula on the stove I begged even more, panicking in fear.

Eventually, he came over with the hot spatula, put the bowl of water in front of my face, dipped the spatula in the water so it sizzled, and in a scary tone he said, “Now imagine how hot that’d feel on your skin.”

Thank God it was one of the two threats he didn’t follow through on. I had been hit with thick fiber glass rods, punched, etc. I was in a physical, mental, verbally, and sexually abusive relationship. Now, I had a baby.

I felt all my secrets were going to be exposed before I could “fix” them.

How could I have a baby? I was the pastor’s kid who was supposed to lead by example, not just because of what I was, but who I had become as a Christian, and now, here I was pregnant, not married, and caught in a web of lies. I was living in a mess I was ashamed for anyone to know I was in. For as much shame as I already carried, I felt I couldn’t bear to take on any more.

I never believed killing a baby in the womb was okay, and now I was faced with a life circumstance that would test me to great limits. My parents were already in turmoil over my relationship. I couldn’t bear to witness their knowledge of me being pregnant on top of it, much less all the other pastors and church district superintendents I knew. “

They can’t know! I don’t want anyone to know!” I thought.

I started to cry as the faces of all the people I had let down flashed through my mind, all the way down to the girls who I had been a counselor for at kids camp.

For once in my life, I wished I wasn’t known. I may not have been a celebrity, but in some ways, there was that limelight effect. You can be known, but never have really taken on accountability for actions, and in this case, I was one who was set up with a lot of accountability. To make it worse, when I had talked about breaking up, my fiancé told me if I did, he’d walk through the Bible college halls yelling everything I’ve done and say whatever he wanted.

They wouldn’t know what was lie or not, so I would be at loss in whatever he’d say.

Thinking back to that, shame filled me once again. I could barely face people knowing what I HAD done, how could I face lies of what I hadn’t done too? What if we DID break up? What then? With this baby on the way, I was thinking, “How am I going to do this at all? Mentally, emotionally, financially, relationship-wise”? I’d have the responsibility as a single parent and deep-pained memories. I waited until the cancellation of that semester (spring 2010) to be completed; I didn’t need the classes to graduate with an A.A. in Biblical Studies/Generals.

The president, dean of students, office people, my parents, and staff were all against me ending the semester; they were baffled. It was true that I didn’t want to complete Elementary Education, so I didn’t want to spend money on the classes for a career I was unsure about. I was also lower on money from my fiancé “needing over $1,000” from my savings for rent. Beneath all the shame, agony, hurt, and knowing that in some way I was going to be tied to these psychopathic and hurtful memories forever, I knew that my baby was beyond it. The precious life within me, was worth more than all of it. To kill my baby to “cover” my shame, mistakes, preserve finances, look better, etc., would not solve the problem nor help it in any way.

My fiancé voiced how excited he was to be a father. He gave a speech on how good of a husband he wanted to be for me, and how good of a father he wanted to be for the coming baby. He apologized for not treating me as a treasure of a person I was, and how sorry he was that he failed to see that. Hope filled me. Maybe it’d all be redeemed after all; I could see the person I first dated returning in character.

Then I was taken to a nearby field on a dark night and told to defend myself with a fiberglass rod he threw at me. I quickly picked it up and blocked his blow as he came after me. I was three and a half month’s pregnant and terrified. I am normally a very fiery, and aggressive person in sports, and a defender to other people, but it all changed when I found myself in a manipulative relationship withsomeone that my emotions were tied to in mixed ways.

I also didn’t want to hit him, and make him full-out in rage; I was afraid of how worse it could get. I wanted to defend myself as I had before, but I was scared to leave my belly exposed during a block. So, I went the timid route, hoping he’d stop. I fell to the ground in a fetal position to protect my stomach, taking hits on my back, head, arms, etc.

Finally, he stopped.

There is so much more to this story, but eventually we got married in hopes all would change. I didn’t realize at the time how blinded and trapped I was, but I was just trying to survive and avoid issues. I allowed myself to just see hope and redemption.

When I gave birth to my son (January 15, 2011), my husband was not around. He was gone for about a month or more at basic training (which didn’t turn out). The first time my son, Adriel (AJ) entered the world, excitement and joy filled me! My parents were so proud and joyful to see him. They held him and shed tears. He was so precious to all of us. Little did we know, just how precious he’d be to so many people, even to strangers.

There are a lot of cute, sweet babies, but there was just something about AJ to us. It was nothing like everything I had previously worried about. There was no shame in looking at him. New feelings and new memories emerged. This was not pain and agony. This was a child who was such a dear, so captivating! I figured it was that effect of being a proud family of this cute baby with amazing brown eyes, but more and more I saw how he captured people of all types.

AJ really breaks down the walls that say preciousness cannot come from rape and traumatic circumstances.

Society says, “Who wants this child?”, “Who wants these memories?”, “Do you realize whose kid I’d be keeping?!”, “I don’t want that tied to me!” Even Christians have said these things and yet many have loved and wanted AJ; they can’t help but be drawn to him!

There are those who think abortion is okay, that absolutely adore AJ, and cannot imagine me not having him regardless of how he was conceived. He captures people’s hearts in special ways, and his biological origins or how it happened don’t even matter. Pro-life and pro-choice people alike, who know me and who know him, would be horrified if I said about him what people say about the unborn babies. They know that my son is someone of great worth.

Whether or not I wanted him does not define his character, value or worth.

My emotions will never change who he is as a person, no matter what age he is. Who his biological father is doesn’t change that either. I am so proud of my son and the love he emanates. I am proud of how strong he is (and was in the womb). I am proud of the joy he brings into people’s lives and how inclusive he is.

I didn’t see it coming when I was pregnant and being abused by someone in premeditative, torturous ways. There is so much I didn’t see, but much I honestly feared and wanted to run away from. The problems, shame, and fear was all I could see at the time, but when I had my son, it changed. I changed. My feelings changed. My circumstances changed. I could see clearer how what I once thought before, wasn’t even applicable to me as I held my precious, sweet, baby. Oh how I loved him!

And ever since he was born, he’s been like a magnet to people. One of the times my heart soared(and Papa’s and Nana’s too when they saw this) was when he was two and a half, and he was in a stroller at the county fair. There was a handicapped guy who may have been born physically disabled, and he was in a wheelchair that was sort of like a stroller too. AJ picked him out and eagerly waved in such a friendly and reaching out manner. The people pushing him were kind of surprised, and the guy gently waved back. Their family and our family were really touched by that moment. AJ tends to pick out people of all sorts who could use more inclusion and recognition, and tries to make them feel as great as he feels. I can’t imagine a world without him because he touches so many. And to think, he’s just getting started! Without AJ, all those moments would be gone.

The memories I dealt with after leaving my ex-husband, and deal with now, I would have dealt with anyway…baby or no baby.  We don’t always know what the future holds but statistics have shown that having an abortion after being raped actually leads to a higher risk for suicide as well as even more pained memories (more so, if the mother had carried the baby conceived in rape to term). So, to make a decision on killing a baby in the womb because we think everything is going to turn out a certain way, or a better way, is often very misleading. When I look at my son, I see him. I feel the same love that any mother does. I don’t see the memories or the pain. I don’t feel regret or hurt. I feel freedom, and I feel blessed.

To the mothers who are debating abortion especially in a rape situation, please, hear my story today. There is support and guidance out there. There is also adoption. Adoption is close to my heart because I am adopted. Giving your child a chance at life is such a gift, not just to them, but for yourself too. For all the pain you’ve gone through and are going through, I want to encourage you. Your life is not over, you have future, and it could just be beginning. My son, AJ, was my beginning.

For the mothers out there who have had an abortion, I hold no anger against you. My heart weeps with you in the loss of your child. Some of you weep, some of you bury your agony. You can get through this pain of the past and the present. Also, I want to apologize on behalf of those who have been insensitive to your pain. Some of that pain began long ago, when you were a child, and has continued into these past life decisions. I apologize on behalf of those who have demeaned you, cursed you, condemned you to hell, and didn’t show compassion.

Whether it was those who were supposed to love you the most, or those who didn’t know you. Some of you have never had someone tell you that they loved you and cherished you, and it’s so hard for you to love others, much less a baby, when no one poured that love into your life.

They said you were nothing, and that you’d never amount to anything. They said they hated you and never wanted you in the first place. You were told you were worthless and stupid. I want to say, “I love you”. You are wanted. You are of worth. You are of value. You are in my thoughts.

LifeNews Note: Robyn is a co-founder of Rising Legacies, a new organization that will offer adoption education and training for organizations throughout the country to better equip them when talking with clients, client advocates, church staff, etc about their options through adoption. They also have hopes of expanding to offer maternity home services. To learn more about Rising Legacies go to www.risinglegacies.com

by Steven Ertelt | Washington, DC | LifeNews.com | 7/16/14 

Senate Democrats today lost their bid to approve legislation to “overturn” the Supreme Court’s decision protecting Hobby Lobby and other companies from being forced to comply with the HHS mandate that compels them to pay for abortion-causing drugs for their employees.

Republicans were able to sustain their filibuster against the bill and prevailed on a 56-43 vote, with Democrats voting to move to a vote on the pro-abortion bill and almost all Republicans uniting to vote against it.

The Supreme Court ruled that the Christian-run Hobby Lobby doesn’t have to obey the HHS mandate that is a part of Obamacare. The high court issued a favorable ruling in Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., a landmark case addressing the Constitutionally guaranteed rights of business owners to operate their family companies without violating their deeply held religious convictions.

The court ruled that the contraception mandate violated the Religious Freedom and Restoration Act, a 1993 law and it held that the mandate “substantially burdens the exercise of religion” and that HHS didn’t use the “least restrictive means” to promote this government interest, tests required byRFRA.

“HHS’s contraception mandate substantially burdens the exercise of religion,” the decision reads, adding that the “decision concerns only the contraceptive mandate and should not be understood to mean that all insurance mandates.” The opinion said the “plain terms of Religious Freedom Restoration Act” are “perfectly clear.”

The legislation Democrats wanted approved would change the Religious Freedom and Restoration Act in a way that would force companies to pay for birth control, contraception and those abortion-causing drugs.

Senators Mark Udall (D-Colo.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.), both abortion advocates, are behind the new legislation and they said, “The Protect Women’s Health from Corporate Interference Act would ban employers from refusing to provide health coverage — including contraceptive coverage — guaranteed to their employees and dependents under federal law.”

Sen. Orrin Hatch said during a press conference that the bill is “not going anywhere.”

“This is the first time in American history that Congress will consider a bill intended to diminish the protection for the religious liberty of all Americans,” Hatch said. “It is part of a broader campaign to demonize religious freedom as the enemy, as an obstacle to certain political goals.”

Hatch said the ACA’s contraceptive mandate is “exactly the kind of situation that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act was enacted to address, the kind of situation that should require government to justify why and how it wants to interfere with the exercise of religion.”

During the debate, Senator Roy Blunt, a pro-life Missouri Republican, debunked claims made by Senate Democrats.

Not one Senate Republican has signed on to the legislation, which pro-life groups strenuously oppose. House Republicans will not take up the bill, making it so the legislation will not reach President Barack Obama, an abortion advocate who would sign it into law.

In their ruling, the Supreme Court indicated Congress could change the law to require businesses t pay for the birth control and abortion drugs.

“There are other ways in which Congress or HHS could equally ensure that every woman has cost-free access to the particular contraceptives at issue here and, indeed, to all FDA-approved contraceptives,” the opinion concluded.

“The plain terms of RFRA make it perfectly clear that Congress did not discriminate in this way against men and women who wish to run their businesses as for-profit corporations in the manner required by their religious beliefs,” read the opinion.

Chief Justice John Roberts, Justices Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and Anthony Kennedy joined in the majority decision. Justices Stephen Breyer, Elena Kagan, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and SoniaSotomayor dissented.

Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote a concurring opinion saying that government itself could provide the coverage for contraception and the abortion-causing drugs if a company declines to do so.

But, Americans oppose the HHS mandate and its pro-abortion requirements.

A new Rasmussen Reports poll shows Americans agree with the Supreme Court’s decision this weekthat the Christian-run Hobby Lobby doesn’t have to obey the HHS mandate that is a part ofObamacare that requires businesses to pay for abortion causing drugs in their employee health care plans.

“Half of voters agree with the U.S. Supreme Court that a business owner should be able to opt out of Obamacare’s contraceptive mandate if it violates his or her religious beliefs,” the poling firm reports about its new national survey.

A December 2013 Rasmussen Reports poll shows Americans disagree with forcing companies like Hobby Lobby to obey the mandate.

“Half of voters now oppose a government requirement that employers provide health insurance with free contraceptives for their female employees,” Rasmussen reports.

The poll found: “The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 38% of Likely U.S. Voters still believe businesses should be required by law to provide health insurance that covers all government-approved contraceptives for women without co-payments or other charges to the patient.

Fifty-one percent (51%) disagree and say employers should not be required to provide health insurance with this type of coverage. Eleven percent (11%) are not sure.”

Another recent poll found 59 percent of Americans disagree with the mandate.

by Steven Ertelt | Washington, DC | LifeNews.com | 7/15/14 

Senate Democrats held a hearing today on a bill that wipes out virtually every pro-life law across the country, including state laws that came into play in Pennsylvania that held late-term abortion practitioner Kermit Gosnell accountable for killing babies who were born alive and killed during a gruesome late-term abortion procedure.

S.1696 is deceptively titled the “Women’s Health Protection Act” even though it revokes protections for women and their unborn children. Instead, the bill would be far-reaching in how it would topple virtually every pro-life law passed in states across the country.

During the hearing, Carol Tobias, president of the National Right to Life Committee, told lawmakers that the bill is a radical departure from laws that have helped stopped late-term abortions and helped hold abortion practitioners like Gosnell accountable.

“Dr. Kermit Gosnell of Philadelphia is only the most notorious recent example of a certain type of abortion provider who flourishes under the aura of political immunity generated by pro-abortion advocacy groups in some jurisdictions. There are many others who have demonstrated repeatedly that they should not be allowed anywhere near pregnant women or their unborn children, some of whom have been operating in multiple states for many years, shielded from real accountability by the timidity of state officials who are weary of offending the abortion industry and the political activist groups that fly cover for that industry,” she said.

During questioning, pro-life Sen. Charles Grassley, an Iowa Republican, asked Tobias if the bill in question would allow Gosnell to continue doing these grisly abortions.

“This particular piece of legislation would make it easier for these kinds of individual to operate without impunity,” he said.

“If the measure would single out abortion, it would be invalid,” Tobias responded about the kinds of pro-life laws the Democrats’ bill would overturn. “Abortionists like Kermit Gosnell would be able to continue and set up shop.”

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins says his group opposes the bill for similar reasons.

“Senator Blumenthal’s bill is extreme and out of touch with the views of millions of Americans on both sides of the abortion debate,” he said.

“It is deeply troubling that the Senate Judiciary Committee would consider a measure that puts vulnerable women in greater danger by undermining clinic health standards that are grounded in common sense. The measure even revokes laws requiring abortionists to be licensed physicians and any restrictions on late-term abortions. These laws are vital to avoid a future Kermit Gosnell house of horror.” he continued.

Perkins said, “It is my hope that the Senate reject this bill and instead work to protect unborn children that can feel excruciating pain from abortion, and pass the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, S. 1670, sponsored by Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC),” concluded Perkins.”

by Cortney O'Brien | Washington, DC | LifeNews.com | 7/14/14 

After months of studying and cramming, most college students spend their summers going to the beach, taking road trips, or catching up on naps. But, for the young adults who take part in Crossroads Walk, vacations are dedicated to marching for unborn babies. James Nolan is the current president of Crossroads and he is ecstatic that the pro-life organization is entering its 20th year. He shared their backstory with Townhall Magazine.

“We started in 1995. Some students from Franciscan University in Steuben- ville, Ohio got together after St. John Paul II challenged the world to spread the gospel of life. They decided to take that call, literally. For some of them, that was their primary goal.”

Fifteen of those inspired young people started a walk from San Francisco to the nation’s capital. Now, 15 has become several hundred thousand, and one walk has expanded to three. Every May through August, participants lead pro-life pilgrimages from Seattle, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, passing through 36 states before all ending in Washington, D.C. Dozens of colleges throughout the country take part in these lifesaving events and Nolan estimates that each group covers about 10,000-15,000 miles. But, they don’t just do it for the exercise. On weekends, the groups pray and counsel in front of abortion clinics and speak at churches.

Nolan deems it important to combat the culture of death, which he says is becoming prevalent in Western society. But, he is still hopeful based on some promising statistics.

“One thing we like to say, is there’s a big increase in support for pro-life issues. Polls over the last few years are indicating that the majority of Americans are pro-life, over 50 per- cent. We’ve been seeing that trend. Now, we run into very little resistance. We have an overwhelming amount of support.”

Nolan insists this is significant, for his groups are “not shy” about where they stand on the abortion issue.

“If you see the t-shirts, they say in huge letters that cover your entire chest: ‘Pro-Life.’ People can see it from like a quarter of a mile away. It’s hard to miss.”

He then stressed what he considers Crossroads’ ultimate identity.

“We’re not an anti-abortion organization, we’re a pro-life organization. There’s a big distinction. Because if you’re pro- life, you’re for the culture of life, standing up for the value and dignity of each person without exceptions, from the beginning all the way until their actual death. We’re seeing the culture of death beginning to wane, but breathing its last heavy breath coming out more in the open as the desperation sets in.”

That’s where Crossroads comes in. Nolan explained how the organization is helping to bring more people into the pro-life movement.

“We’ve seen amazing conversions on the issue of life, some almost instantaneous. Especially because it’s young people, it’s very attractive. Even pro-choice people are intrigued, drawn in by it. After that, you see a change of mind, they’re able to look at the issue differently.”

He then shared a couple of moving examples to prove how these walks are working in action.

“We were walking in the middle of a desert and a vehicle drove out of nowhere in Nevada. No gas station in 50 miles either direction. The mother was taking her daughter to Los Angeles for an abortion. They saw us walking with the pro-life t-shirts. They pulled over and asked what we were doing. After a half hour discussion, they changed their mind.”

The Crossroads president revealed another encouraging testimony from someone who approached the pro-life walkers after a church service.

“He said the day before he had been driving a relative to get an abortion and saw us praying in front of [the] clinic. He said they couldn’t go in. They changed their mind and decided to go to the hospital and get an ultrasound. They found out she was pregnant with twins.”

Nolan assured Townhall that the pro-life efforts of Crossroads participants don’t end when the walks do.

“We have a lot of people we know, one of our former staff members adopted two or three Down syndrome babies, just to bring awareness to that and to protect these children, let people know that they’re wanted. A lot of former walkers move on to other pro-life efforts, such as in politics.”

The organization also conducts walks in Ireland, Australia, and Canada. So, you could say they are literally walking across the globe to save precious children from the horrors of abortion. Crossroads offers young people the opportunity to make much more of an impact than just spending their summers on the couch. Who needs to save energy when you can save lives?

LifeNews Note: Cortney O’Brien is a Townhall web editor, where this was originally published.

by Deborah Myers | Denver, CO | LifeNews.com | 7/11/14 

Planned Parenthood faces a legal challenge in Colorado after Cary Smith, of Federal Heights, discovered that clinic staff failed to inquire or report about suspected sexual abuse of her thirteen-year-old daughter after giving her an abortion.

It was any mother’s nightmare.

According to the lawsuit filed on June 20, 2014, Cary’s daughter, R.Z., was only about six when it all began. Her new step-father, Timothy David Smith, began to do things that no one had ever done before. At this age, she was too young to realize that her step-father’s inordinate attention was actually a crime—a felony: sexual abuse of a minor.

Little R.Z. turned seven, then eight. The years went by, and the abuse continued. But Cary Smith never knew.

During R.Z.’s growing up years, the abuse became both verbal and physical as well. Her step-father even threatened to take her life. Timothy’s verbal and physical abuse extended to Cary, even when R.Z. was present.

Then it happened.

R.Z. got pregnant. Timothy told her to take a test and the results were positive.

On May 3, 2012, Timothy transported his thirteen-year-old step-daughter to Planned Parenthood in Denver, Colorado, for an abortion appointment that Timothy had forced R.Z. to schedule.

Planned Parenthood staff met R.Z. and her step-father and gave them the necessary paperwork. R.Z. filled out her date of birth and signed a few forms, but Timothy completed all the rest. R.Z. never read these documents.

Throughout the visit, four staff members spoke with and observed R.Z. and her step-father. All of them had opportunity to see that R.Z.’s birth date indicated she was only thirteen—well below the age of consent. Yet, none of them asked R.Z. about their relationship. None of them asked why their last names were different. None of them asked about potential sex abuse. And none of them reported anything to the state.

After the abortion, R.Z. walked back out to the parking lot, got into her step-father’s car, and went back home. And the abuse continued.

Two months later, on July 18, 2012, Timothy was outside of the home, and Cary was left alone with her daughter. Young R.Z. took the opportunity to tell her mom the news—her own step-father was sexually abusing her, and had been doing so for years.

Cary spun into action. She took the thirteen-year-old to the hospital and immediately reported the abuse. She contacted Planned Parenthood for her daughter’s medical records, and discovered that her husband had arranged for a secret abortion for R.Z. earlier that year.

Timothy Smith was arrested and charged with multiple counts of felony sex abuse, and pled guilty to two counts in late 2012.

But Cary was not content. Although R.Z.’s abuser was now behind bars, the system hadn’t worked.

The first medical professionals who had seen R.Z.—the four Planned Parenthood staff members—must have known that her daughter was a potential victim of sexual abuse. These were professionals who had the information to do something. They had opportunity to ask R.Z. before her mother even knew.

And they had the responsibility to act—to report suspected child sex abuse—under Colorado law.

But these professionals did nothing. Worse, they performed a dangerous, legally-restricted procedure on a minor child, without informing her mother, and turned R.Z. back over to her rapist following the abortion.

The inaction of Planned Parenthood staff, as well as their direct violation of Colorado statutes, enabled a sexual predator to continue his felonious abuse of a child for months afterwards.

Cary maintains that defendants’ negligence “created an unreasonable risk of physical harm” to her daughter. Cary is now suing Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains for five claims for relief, including negligence, negligent affliction of emotional distress, and extreme and outrageous conduct.

“We applaud Cary Smith for her brave stand to hold Planned Parenthood accountable for their crime against her daughter,” said Troy Newman, President of Operation Rescue. “This lawsuit is another indication that Planned Parenthood is dedicated to one thing—selling abortion; and they do not care how many young girls are raped or abused in the process.”