LifeNews.com Pro-Life News Report
Thursday, May 27, 2010
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Current Headlines
• Obama Admin May Have Illegally Spent $10 Million Promoting Abortion in Kenya
• Voters Oppose Pro-Abortion Elena Kagan Nomination, Say Confirmation Likely
• Planned Parenthood Response to Botched Abortion Shows No Care for Women
• Louisiana Senate Panel Oks Bill to Stop Abortion Funding in Health Care
• Bristol Palin Keeps Up Abstinence Message in New Interview With Magazine
• Indiana Senate Candidate Dan Coats Gets Support From Pro-Life Organization
• Wisconsin Petition Campaign Started to Drop Abortion Funding in Health Care
• Indiana Pro-Life Group Glad Supreme Court Justice Theodore Boehm Retiring
• Wisconsin Officials Still Looking for Man Who in Attempted forced Abortion
• Pro-Life Students Receive Award From Catholic Bishops for Leadership
• Pro-Life News: Dino Rossi, Patty Murray, Jane Norton, Ohio, Vietnam
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Obama Admin May Have Illegally Spent $10 Million Promoting Abortion in Kenya
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- New information obtained by a member of Congress makes it appear the Obama administration has spent $10 million potentially illegally promoting a pro-abortion constitution in Kenya. Obama officials were thought to have spent $2 million but Rep. Chris Smith says that figure could exceed $10 million.
Lobbying for or against abortion is prohibited under a provision of federal law known as the Siljander Amendment annually included in the State, Foreign Operations Appropriations Act.
The amendment reads, None of the funds made available under this Act may be used to lobby for or against abortion, and violations are subject to civil and criminal penalties under the Antideficiency Act, 31 U.S.C. § 1341."
Smith, the leading Republican on the House Africa and Global Health Subcommittee, and two other members of Congress have called for a probe into the Obama administration's spending in support of a campaign to get the pro-abortion constitution approved in Kenya in August.
The three sent a May 6 letter to the Inspectors General at the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development seeking a probe.
Today, Smith's office informed LifeNews.com that subsequent information uncovered by investigators has revealed that actual U.S. taxpayer expenditures in support of the pro-abortion constitution are estimated to exceed $10 million.
This week I learned that U.S. taxpayer expenditures in support of the proposed constitution may exceed $10 million five times the level we original suspected," Smith said.
This massive spending will undoubtedly be directed to those entities that are pressing for ratification of the proposed constitution. Such support will further enable passage of a constitution that is opposed by many pro-life leaders in Kenya, because it enshrines new rights to abortion. As such, the funding is a clear violation of federal law against use of U.S. taxpayer funds to lobby for or against abortion, Smith explained. Full story at LifeNews.com
Voters Oppose Pro-Abortion Elena Kagan Nomination, Say Confirmation Likely
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- More American voters say they have an unfavorable view of pro-abortion Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan than a favorable one. But a new Rasmussen Reports poll shows they also believe it likely that the Senate will vote to confirm President Barack Obama's second pro-abortion pick for the high court.
The survey, released today, shows 41% of U.S. voters now hold a favorable opinion of Kagan but 47% view her unfavorably, up from 43% a week ago and 39% just after President Obama announced her nomination.
With Senate hearings on Kagan s nomination set to begin June 28, 36% of voters now favor her confirmation, but 39% are opposed. One-out-of-four (25%) are undecided.
Opinion is moving away from Kagan as, in the previous two surveys, voters have been tied over the question of confirmation. Two weeks ago, 33% said Kagan should be confirmed, 33% disagreed, and 34% were undecided. Last week, 39% supported Kagan s confirmation, while 39% were opposed and 22% were not sure.
The results show 15 percent have a very favorable view of the Supreme Court nominee while 23 percent regard her very unfavorably.
This, too, marks a shift from the first survey when Kagan s very unfavorable rating stood at 18 percent and her very favorable rating stood at 17 percent. Full story at LifeNews.com
Planned Parenthood Response to Botched Abortion Shows Little Care for Women
Naples, FL (LifeNews.com) -- A pro-life group that monitors problems at abortion centers says the response by Planned Parenthood to what appears to be a botched abortion shows little care for women. Operation Rescue is weighing in on the recent incident at a Planned Parenthood facility in Naples, Florida.
A patient was taken by ambulance Monday to a local medical center after what appears to have been a botched abortion.
Although officials won't say if the patient had an abortion, the facility does abortions on Mondays.
Planned Parenthood of Collier County called for emergency transport to take a patient to an area hospital. But what it did while the patient was loaded into the ambulance prompted a response from OR president Troy Newman.
Photos taken by local pro-life advocate Fred Goduti and submitted to the Naples News show an ambulance backing up to a Planned Parenthood office, with clinic personnel attempting to cover up the incident with a black tarp on two sticks.
"Planned Parenthood's sheets of shame could not keep the truth from getting out that their organization endangers the lives of women when it takes the lives of pre-born babies," said Newman.
"For many years we have tried to get the media to cover documented cases of ambulances transporting injured women from abortion clinics. Now it is finally happening. This exposure could eventually help close this clinic, and others like it, out of concern for public safety," he told LifeNews.com. Full story at LifeNews.com
Louisiana Senate Panel Oks Bill to Stop Abortion Funding in Health Care
Baton Rouge, LA (LifeNews.com) -- Louisiana lawmakers today moved a bill forward that would have the state become the next to opt out of at least some of the abortion funding in the health care bill President Barack Obama signed into law. Three states have turned their bills into law and three other states have passed them.
The bill cleared the Louisiana Senate Health and Welfare Committee after lawmakers changed the measure.
They modified the legislation from banning all health insurance coverage for abortion to affecting only the state insurance purchasing pools the federal law sets up. The bill received a 5-2 vote and now moves to the full state Senate.
Rep. Frank Hoffmann, a Republican sponsoring the bill in the House, said he was fine with the changes senators made to it, according to an AP report. He said the changes are cosmetic because he knows of no insurance companies in Louisiana that pay for elective abortions.
Julie Mickelberry, of Planned Parenthood of Louisiana and the Mississippi Delta, opposed the bill, but it had the support of Benjamin Clapper, the head of the Louisiana Right to Life Federation.
"The bill now heads to the Senate floor where it will pass and be sent to Governor Jindal for his signature. This legislation reflects the strong belief of the people of Louisiana that abortion is not health care, and that government dollars should in no way fund abortion," he said. Full story at LifeNews.com
Bristol Palin Keeps Up Abstinence Message in New Interview With Magazine
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Bristol Palin, who shares some of the media spotlight with her famous mother, former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, continues to promote the abstinence message. In a new interview with Harper's Bazaar magazine, she encouraged teenagers to consider the lifestyle of a teen mother before having sex.
She admitted "it was kind of humiliating" to be known nationwide as a pregnant teenager mother.
"[I was thinking], 'Great, I'm 17 years old, I'm 40 pounds overweight with a big belly on me, all my friends are at school watching this on the news,'" she told the magazine. "This kind of sucks."
Bristol is 19-years-old and is raising 17-month-old Tripp at the same time her mother is raising a Down syndrome baby, Trigg, who is several months older.
Bristol tells the magazine her life is not exactly how she envisioned it.
"I thought I would be somewhere warm at college with my friends, but that was definitely not possible with having Tripp," she says. Full story at LifeNews.com
Indiana Senate Candidate Dan Coats Gets Support From Pro-Life Organization
Indianapolis, IN (LifeNews.com) -- The National Right to Life political action committee, today,announced its endorsement of Dan Coats in his campaign for U.S. Senate from Indiana. Coats has the Republican nomination to face Democratic Rep. Brad Ellsworth, who says he is pro-life but voted for the pro-abortion health care bill.
National Right to Life political director Karen Cross told LifeNews.com Coats has a longstanding pro-life record from his days in Congress.
"As a member of both the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, Dan Coats was a leading champion for pro-life policies," she said.
"Dan Coats was the author of key pro-life amendments, including a law that prevents the government from penalizing medical training programs for refusing to provide training in abortion. In addition, he was part of successful efforts to curb federal funding of abortion and an early supporter of the successful pro-life campaign to ban partial-birth abortion," Cross said.
The National Right to Life official added, "Coats can be trusted to protect our most vulnerable citizens our unborn children."
On the other hand, Cross says Ellsworth betrayed his pro-life claims by supporting the government-run health care bill that has massive abortion funding. Full story at LifeNews.com
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Wisconsin Petition Campaign Started to Drop Abortion Funding in Health Care
Madison, WI (LifeNews.com) -- A Wisconsin pro-life organization has launched a new campaign designed to make the state the next to opt out of at least some of the abortion funding found in the pro-abortion health care bill President Barack Obama signed. Three states have already seen bills to do that become law.
Arizona, Tennessee and Mississippi have approved measures to protect citizens from what abortion funding they can and Wisconsin Right to Life wants the same for the Badger State.
WRTL officials told LifeNews.com that the group is starting a massive campaign aimed at allowing Wisconsin to opt-out of abortion coverage in the state-based insurance "exchanges" created by the federal health care law.
Susan Armacost, Wisconsin Right to Life Legislative Director, said WRTL has been working with legislators for some time on this issue.
"Polling has consistently shown that citizens do not want to subsidize abortion coverage or pay for abortions," said Armacost. Full story at LifeNews.com
Indiana Pro-Life Group Glad Supreme Court Justice Theodore Boehm Retiring
Indianapolis, IN (LifeNews.com) -- Indiana Right to Life today delighted to hear that pro-abortion Indiana Supreme Court Justice Theodore Boehm has announced his retirement. The group is cautiously optimistic that Boehm's replacement will not agree with Boehm's views that the Indiana Constitution embraces the "right" to abortion.
IRTL informed LifeNews.com that Boehm embraced unlimited abortions and the notion that abortions should be funded with taxpayer dollars.
In his time on the Indiana Supreme Court, Boehm earned the reputation of an activist judge on the issue of abortion through two key abortion-related rulings.
In 2003, Boehm concurred with an opinion that expanded taxpayer funding for abortions through Medicaid in Indiana, stating, "denial of benefits to indigent women for medically necessary abortions is a violation of their state constitution."
And in 2005, Boehm dissented against an opinion upholding Indiana's 18-hour waiting period before an abortion could be done. Full story at LifeNews.com
Wisconsin Officials Still Looking for Man Who in Attempted forced Abortion
Appleton, WI (LifeNews.com) -- Officials in Wisconsin are still looking for a man who nearly forced his girlfriend to have an abortion and fled the country after he was charged with the act. Manish Patel appears to have gone to another party of the country where he has connections or fled the country back to his native India.
That may have occurred after he posted $750,000 in bond that he raised from friends, family and businesses associates.
He is accused of obtaining the dangerous RU 486 abortion drug from India and putting it in the drink of his girlfriend, Darshana Patel, who is not related to him.
Darshana never drank the concoction but turned it over to authorities after suspecting foul play. Tests revealed the presence of the mifepristone abortion drug.
Criminal charges in connection with the case will stay open until he returns or is extradited back to the United States to face trial. He has been charged with attempted first-degree homicide of an unborn child, six other felonies and two misdemeanors.
Outagamie County sheriff's Sgt. Gary Shortess told the Appleton Post-Crescent newspaper that officials don't know if Patel is still in the United States or obtained false papers to flee to India. Full story at LifeNews.com
Pro-Life Students Receive Award From Catholic Bishops for Campus Leadership
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Two Catholic University of America students received the first ever "People of Life"Student Leader Award at the Office of Campus Ministry Appreciation Dinner last week.
Lauren Roselli, a senior, and Thomas Nellson, a junior, were recognized for their continuous pro-life commitment and witness to fellow students and to the D.C. community.
The People of Life Award recognizes those who have answered the call outlined by Pope John Paul II in The Gospel of Life by dedicating themselves to pro-life activities and to promoting respect for the dignity of the human person.
Roselli served as president of the campus group Students for Life for the past 3 years, and organized 458 students, the most ever, who attended the annual March for Life. She also trained and coordinated over 200 student volunteers who organize hospitality for the thousands of pilgrims who attended the National Prayer Vigil for Life in January.
Nellson coordinated a team of student volunteers who handle safety and activities for over 1200 youth hosted overnight in CUA s athletic center during the National Prayer Vigil. In addition, his team organized events to help the high school students grow in faith and their understanding of life issues. Full story at LifeNews.com
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Pro-Life News: Dino Rossi, Patty Murray, Jane Norton, Ohio, Vietnam
Dino Rossi Becomes Next Pro-Life Challenger Against Patty Murray in Washington
Olympia, WA (LifeNews.com) -- Republican Dino Rossi is hiring key campaign staffers and is expected to officially enter the U.S. Senate race against incumbent Patty Murray as early as Wednesday.
Colorado Senate Candidate Norton Gets Backing From Second Pro-Life Group
Denver, CO (LifeNews.com) -- Colorado Senate candidate Jane Norton has received support from another pro-life group after the pro-life women's organization Susan B. Anthony List backed her campaign.
Ohio Poll Shows Pro-Life Former Rep Leading Democrat Who Backed Health Care
Cincinnati, OH (LifeNews.com) -- A recent poll for the campaign of former Rep. Steve Chabot (R) gave him a 14-point lead over Rep. Steve Driehaus (D) in their rematch in Ohio's 1st district.
Vietnam Ranks in Top 10 in Annual Abortions Compared With Other Nations
Hanoi, Vietnam (LifeNews.com) -- Vietnam is among the world s top ten countries for abortion (20 percent), especially under-age abortion, a representative of HCM City-based Tu Du Obstetrics Hospital said at an international conference on obstetrics, according to the VietNamNet Bridge.
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