Dear RJ,
People are asking what’s in store for the pro-life movement in Kansas following the murder of abortionist George Tiller. It should go without saying that what happened to George Tiller was horribly wrong because it is murder and we do not condone violence of any kind!
We are pro-LIFE and we can rightly be proud of our efforts to defend human life, especially in the areas of abortion, infanticide, euthanasia, and destructive embryonic stem cell research, where laws are lacking or even permissive.
We must continue our educational efforts and even expand them. We will do this, as always, by telling the truth. Kansans for Life has always spoken about this issue responsibly and without undue embellishment. At the same time, we soundly reject the notion that it is in any way legitimate to call the plainly stated truth “inflammatory rhetoric.”
Here is the current status of the abortion issue in Kansas and a few things you can do.
First, with Tiller’s clinic, Women’s Health Care Services (WHCS), closed for now, we should look to Planned Parenthood– the largest provider, promoter, and defender of unrestricted abortion in the United States. There are two actions you should take:
? The Planned Parenthood office in Wichita at 2226 E. Central had been referring women to Tiller’s clinic for abortions, but now they may be planning to do perform them. Those who have been peacefully praying at Tiller’s clinic should prayerfully consider peacefully praying at Planned Parenthood. Pregnant women are in need of our pro-life help at that business –especially if they begin doing abortions
? The Planned Parenthood clinic in Overland Parkfaces felony charges for illegal abortions and falsifying medical records. The Kansas Department of Health has refused to verify documents needed for prosecution by the local district attorney. A judge in the original case, with legal possession of these documents, has been silenced at the request of Attorney General Stephen Six. A ruling on this document matter is expected shortly by the Kansas Supreme Court, although it is worrisome that 4 of the 7 justices are Sebelius appointees.
Although Six has clear legal authority to directly access the documents, he has refused to prosecute Planned Parenthood (as did his predecessor Paul Morrison). Please write Mr. Six a respectful letter asking him to lift the gag from the judge and to prosecute Planned Parenthood if the Supreme Court rules prevents the district attorney from accessing the necessary documents. You can write him at: Kansas A.G. Steve Six, Memorial Hall, 2nd Floor, 120 SW 10th Street, Topeka, KS 66612
Second, although the status of WHCS (Tiller’s clinic) remains in question, the state Board of Healing Arts already began the process to revoke Tiller’s license in December 2008. They based it on his clinic performing post-viability abortions repeatedly using the same doctor (Kristin Neuhaus) when the law requires an unaffiliated doctor be consulted. The Board pointed out she was financially dependent on Tiller—a charge KFL made in our petition for the grand jury in 2007.
It is true that on March 27th, a 6-member jury exonerated Tiller for illegal affiliation with Neuhaus for some cases in 2003. But the jury was charged with being convinced without doubt whether her arrangement was an affiliation and the state prosecutor failed to document the money trail. The prosecutor also failed to bring any witnesses to the stand other than Neuhaus, who stopped co-operating with the prosecutor during the trial. Probably most convincing to the jury was Tiller’s story that his friend, Larry Buening–the long-time executive director of the state medical regulation board– had actually told Tiller how to subvert the law using Neuhaus! Although his excuse is not a defense for law-breaking, it carried a lot of weight to a jury who had heard 4 days of testimony about how necessary Tiller’s clinic was for saving women.
While the petition to revoke Tiller’s license may now be moot, the Board has an ethical and statutory responsibility to protect citizens from continued illegal abortions by doing at least two things:
? taking disciplinary actions against the four other Board-licensed doctors who have been involved at Women’s Health Care Services in Wichita {Kristin Neuhaus, Shelly Sella, Susan Robinson and LeRoy Carhart}.
? make rulings preventing any Kansas physician from undermining abortion law using the “Neuhaus rubber-stamping mechanism”, and by inaccurately reporting the reasons for post-viability abortions.
The Board has several open complaints relating to late-term abortions, including one from KFL on behalf of 8,000 citizens who signed our petition. That complaint is a voluminous listing of errors in the way the Board has exonerated physicians investigated for illegal post-viability abortions.
Thankfully, the Board’s new executive director, Jack Confer, comes from Arizona and is not a personal friend of any Kansas physician, unlike the last Board director who was Tiller’s personal ally. Please write to Mr. Confer asking that the Board NOT drop this issue, but pursue disciplinary actions and adopt necessary regulations to end the blatant undermining of our abortion statutes. The contact info is: Mr. Jack Confer, Executive Director, KS Medical Board of Healing Arts, 235 S Topeka Blvd., Topeka, KS 66603.
Finally, as always, we will continue our educational, legislative, political action efforts and as always, we need your help to do so!
We know there is hope because we put our hope in God first and foremost, and we always will.
Yours for LIFE, David Gittrich, State Development Director
June 5, 2009...1:42 pm
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