LifeNews.com Pro-Life News Report
Saturday, June 5, 2010
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Current Headlines
• New Supreme Court Documents Show Elena Kagan's Pro-Abortion Position
• Second Document Has Kagan Defending Clinton Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Veto
• Support for Pro-Abortion Elena Kagan Trails Previous Supreme Court Nominees
• Woman Says Practitioner Held Hand Over Her Mouth as He Forced Abortion
• Natl Right to Life Backs Toomey Over Sestek in Pennsylvania, Poll Shows Lead
• AlterNet Misleads Women, Says Abortion Not Linked to Breast Cancer, Infertility
• Kenya Poll Has Majority Backing Constitution Despite Abortion Promotion
• Gary Coleman's Wife Mentions Terri Schiavo in Comments About Pulling Plug
• Wisconsin Attorney General: University Abortion Training May be Illegal
• Louisiana House Committee Approves Bill for Ultrasound Before Abortion
• Alaska Gov Vetoes Denali KidCare Expansion Over Abortion Funding Issues
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New Supreme Court Documents Show Elena Kagan's Pro-Abortion Position
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- New documents obtained by CBS News from Elena Kagan's time as a law clerk for pro-abortion Justice Thurgood Marshall reveal more about her position in favor of abortion. They buttress the previous documents and writings pro-life groups have profiled to show Kagan is well outside the judicial mainstream.
CBS News found the documents in Marshall's papers in the Library of Congress and they are legal memos outlining cases the high court would consider.
They show Kagan backing abortion at a time when the Supreme Court was trying to mitigate the far-reaching effects of Roe v. Wade and its allowance for unlimited abortions at any time during pregnancy.
One of the documents relates to a case of a prisoner who wanted her state to use taxpayer funds to pay for her abortion. Kagan expressed her concern to Marshall that the Supreme Court would use the case to finally place some limits on abortion.
"This case is likely to become the vehicle that this court uses to create some very bad law on abortion and/or prisoners' rights," she wrote in the 1988 memo, and recommended Marshall vote against reviewing the case.
Kagan also wrote that a court order that mandated taxpayers to pay for the abortions of inmates was well-intentioned. Full story at LifeNews.com
Second Document Has Kagan Defending Clinton Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Veto
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A newly-produced document today from the Clinton archives is the second to show Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan defending ex-President Bill Clinton's veto of a bill to ban partial-birth abortions. The memo, and others, may increase Republican opposition to her nomination.
In one of the documents that comprises the 46,000 pages of material the William J. Clinton Presidential Library released today, Kagan opined on the ban for Clinton as an attorney with the administration's Office of Domestic Policy.
In a February 27, 1997 memo to top White House staff, Kagan referred to the startling admission from Ron Fitzsimmons, at the time the executive director of the National Coalition of Abortion Providers.
The debate then had been on whether the partial-birth abortion procedure was done for health reasons for the mother or essentially on healthy unborn children for elective reasons only.
Leading pro-abortion groups like Planned Parenthood and NARAL made claims that flew in the face of medical practice by saying the three-day-long abortion procedure would somehow be able to save a woman's life in a life-threatening medical circumstance.
Fitzsimmons signed on to that mantra but eventually relented, saying he "lied through my teeth" about the statistics and supposed reasons for the abortion procedure.
According to CNN, the new memo showed Kagan advising Clinton, saying it "it would be a great mistake to challenge" Fitzsimmons' statements given how embarrassing they were for abortion advocates. Full story at LifeNews.com
Support for Pro-Abortion Elena Kagan Trails Previous Supreme Court Nominees
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- New Gallup polling data shows the level of support for pro-abortion Supreme Court pick Elena Kagan trails previous Supreme Court nominees. While Gallup has a plurality of Americans supporting the Kagan nomination, other polls have shown a plurality does not back Kagan.
Gallup's new survey, released today, has 46 percent of Americans backing President Barack Obama's selection of the abortion activist and 32 percent in opposition.
That level of support is generally lower than Gallup polls at this point in the nomination process for the last several nominees.
Sonia Sotomayor, the first abortion advocate Obama put on the Supreme Court, enjoyed a 54-28 percent approval last year.
The two Supreme Court justices pro-life President George W. Bush put on the court also had higher approval levels: with Samuel Alito getting 50-25 percent support in the Gallup poll ahead of his hearings and John Roberts receiving 59-22 percent support.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the pro-abortion justice, had support of 53-14 percent while pro-life Justice Clarence Thomas enjoyed 52-17 percent. Full story at LifeNews.com
Woman Says Practitioner Held Hand Over Her Mouth as He Forced Abortion
Flint, MI (LifeNews.com) -- A Michigan woman who says she was victimized by a forced abortion is speaking out more about her ordeal and offering a more graphic, detailed explanation. She says she had a hand forced over her mouth as she was held down and an abortion done on her as she tried to hold her legs together.
Caitlin Bruce is 20 and she has filed a lawsuit against abortion practitioner Alberto Hodari, who has a long history of killing and injuring patients and also faces other forced abortion accusations.
Bruce had the abortion in April 2008 at Hodari's Feminine Health Care Clinic in Flint, Michigan. But she told ABC News she changed her mind at the very last second but was pinned down and had her mouth closed as she tried to protest.
A high school dropout trying to make a life for herself, Bruce is the classic case of a minority girl impregnated by a much-older boyfriend -- and her father persuaded her to have the abortion.
"I was really confused, asking everybody else what I should do. Everybody told me, 'You were too young,'" she told ABC. "What I really wanted to hear was, 'We'll help you out.'"
On the table for the abortion, Bruce felt the first instrument go inside her and she asked Hodari to stop, but he and his assistants held her down.
"He had a real tight grip over my mouth, but I was screaming .. and trying to pull my legs together," she said. Full story at LifeNews.com
National Right to Life Backs Toomey Over Sestek in Pennsylvania, Poll Shows Lead
Harrisburg, PA (LifeNews.com) -- The National Right to Life Committee today endorsed pro-life Senate candidate Pat Toomey in his bid to replace pro-abortion Sen. Arlen Specter, who lost his effort to win the Democratic primary. The endorsement from the pro-life political group comes as new polling data shows Toomey with a lead.
"As a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Pat Toomey had a solid pro-life record," NRLC PAC director Karen Cross told LifeNews.com today.
"Among his numerous pro-life votes, Pat Toomey voted to ban partial-birth abortions and voted for a bill that would prevent minor daughters from being taken across state lines for secret abortions without parental notice. Pat Toomey also consistently voted against federal funding of abortion," Cross explained.
On the other hand, his opponent, Joe Sestak, voted against pro-life legislation every chance he had, Cross said.
"Joe Sestak even voted to enact President Obama's pro-abortion healthcare legislation, which will provide government funding for health plans that pay for abortion on demand, and will promote the rationing of lifesaving medical treatments," Cross explained.
"Pat Toomey has proven his commitment to protect our most vulnerable citizens - our unborn children," Cross said. "Pat Toomey's pro-life record should earn him the support of all voters who are concerned with the right to life and with the protection of the most vulnerable members of the human family." Full story at LifeNews.com
AlterNet Misleads Women, Says Abortion Not Linked to Breast Cancer, Infertility
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- In a new hit piece the liberal political web site AlterNet posted against pregnancy centers, they are accused of giving women inaccurate information about abortion and its link to breast cancer and infertility. However, AlterNet is apparently not up on the latest research confirming both links as true.
"Under the dubious free speech protection, CPCs are going to disgusting lengths to scare women out of seeking abortions -- with the help of federal and state funding," AlterNet wrote.
The report featured an interview with a California NARAL operative who led an "investigation" of pregnancy centers -- though she failed to record or video any examples of the claims she provided the web site.
"NARAL volunteers reported being told that abortion can lead to breast cancer, infertility and mental health problems," AlterNet complains. "NARAL's goal isn't to shut CPCs down; it's to get them to be more upfront about the type of information or services they offer."
AlterNet may want to heed those words.
Just this year, a study called abortion a "known risk factor" for breast cancer and cited a prior study conducted by the prestigious Janet Daling group of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. Full story at LifeNews.com
Kenya Poll Has Majority Backing Constitution Despite Abortion Promotion
Nairobi, Kenya (LifeNews.com) -- Though the overwhelming majority of Kenya residents are pro-life on abortion, and despite the fact that the draft Constitution would overturn the country's pro-life laws, a new poll shows the majority of the residents of the eastern African nation will vote yes on the national referendum.
Voters are expected to head to the polls on August 4 to decide if they favor the draft Constitution, which contains loopholes allowing unlimited abortion.
Kenyan Christian Church leaders and the National Council of Churches of Kenya have led a campaign against the constitution over the pro-abortion provisions.
However, the Daily Nation newspaper reports market research firm Synovate released a new poll on Friday showing 57 percent of Kenyans will support the pro-abortion constitution while just 02 percent say they will reject it.
Approximately 19 percent of those polled still have no opinion or are undecided and four percent said they do not plan to vote.
The newspaper indicated many of those opposed to the constitution cited the abortion concerns and even half of those who took part in the survey said there may need to be amendments after the fact to fix problems like abortion. Full story at LifeNews.com
Gary Coleman's Wife Mentions Terri Schiavo in Comments About Pulling Plug
Los Angeles, CA (LifeNews.com) -- Gary Coleman's ex-wife said in a new interview that she pulled the plug on the actor last week because she didn't want him ending up like Terri Schiavo. The comments have sparked an outcry from pro-life advocates, who are also upset by continued mainstream media misreporting on Terri.
Shannon Price told TMZ in a video interview the day after Coleman's death,
"[The doctors] said even if they did take a chunk out of his brain, he would not be the same. He would be basically like Muhammed Ali."
"Be in my situation. I mean, look what happened with Terri Schiavo. I always think of her case, always, when it comes to this. Gary was gone," Price added. "And he would have died sooner or later anyway from that."
She told TMZ, "I don't want people to be so hard on me, thinking I had to pull the plug too early. He wouldn't have made it anyway. His heart would have just given out. I don't want people to sit there and think I'm a b----, and that I didn't care about him."
After citing Price's quotes to TMZ, the New York Daily News "reported" that "Schiavo, of Florida, languished in a coma for years before her husband won a drawn-out court battle to pull the plug."
But pro-life blogger Jill Stanek says that's not true, because Terri was never on life support -- she merely had assistance eating and drinking. Full story at LifeNews.com
Wisconsin Attorney General: University Abortion Training May be Illegal
Madison, WI (LifeNews.com) -- Wisconsin Assistant Attorney General Kevin Potter says the University of Wisconsin may be violating state law by paying resident physicians while they are being trained to do abortions at Planned Parenthood in Madison. The opinion came in the form of a May 25 letter to State Auditor Janice Mueller.
On April 16, the Alliance Defense Fund, on behalf of Pro-Life Wisconsin, filed a request with the Attorney General s office for an opinion on the matter.
Wisconsin law prohibits state agencies from paying physicians or medical facilities doing abortions.
Yet, the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics Authority pays medical residents specializing in gynecology to train at Planned Parenthood, where they can opt to learn how to do abortions.
Statute 20.927(1m) of Wisconsin law states, No funds of this state or of any agency of this state shall be authorized for or paid to a physician or surgeon or a hospital, clinic or other medical facility for the performance of an abortion.
Another statute defines a state agency as including UWHCA. Despite the laws, University of Wisconsin, since 2007, has spent over $58,878 to medical residents for abortion training.
In the letter, Pro-Life Wisconsin provided to LifeNews.com, Potter said the UWHCA appears to qualify as a state agency under the law and, therefore, can't use the money for abortion training. But he was careful to say the state Justice Department hasn't reached that official conclusion and that a violation of the law is not a criminal offense by UW officials, if indeed they have violated it. Full story at LifeNews.com
Louisiana House Committee Approves Bill for Ultrasound Before Abortion
Baton Rouge, LA (LifeNews.com) -- The Louisiana House Health and Welfare Committee approved an ultrasound bill on Thursday that will help women get a view of their unborn child before deciding to have an abortion. The full House is expected to approve the bill and send it to Governor Bobby Jindal.
The measure would give women something abortion centers don't normally provide: a chance to see an ultrasound of their unborn child before the abortion.
When used in pregnancy centers, women considering an abortion who see the ultrasound change their mind about the abortion about 80 percent of the time.
"After our testimony in support of the bill, Planned Parenthood did their best to derail this life-saving legislation," Benjamin Clapper of Louisiana Right to Life told LifeNews.com. "But thanks to Senator Broome's courageous comments, we were able to push Planned Parenthood back and unanimously pass the committee."
During the testimony, Clapper said 30-40 places do free ultrasounds in the state and most abortion centers do an ultrasound prior to the abortion already, though women may not get to see it. Full story at LifeNews.com
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Alaska Governor Vetoes Denali KidCare Expansion Over Abortion Funding Issues
Juneau, AK (LifeNews.com) -- Denali KidCare may have had additional money to provide health care assistance, but Gov. Sean Parnell rejected legislators' expansion efforts because of recent revelations that the program funds abortions. Parnell cut $2.9 million yesterday from the legislature's annual spending plan to cut the expansion.
The News Miner indicates two-thirds of the costs of the expansion would have come from federal dollars and one-third from the pockets of state taxpayers.
However, because of the information showing the fund pays for abortions, Parnell said he couldn't in good conscience expand money for a program built on the principle of helping children.
I oppose expanding the government s role in supporting abortion, Parnell said, according to the Fairbanks paper.
"My intention here today is to make sure we don't expand state government funding of abortions here in Alaska," Parnell said. Full story at LifeNews.com
ACTION: Thank the governor at
http://gov.alaska.gov/parnell/contact/email-the-governor.html
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