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Despite mounting evidence that cord blood and adult stem cell research have resulted in numerous therapies for various diseases, and research using human embryos has yet to produce one successful cure or therapy, it appears that the Obama Administration will continue to support research that is ethically questionable and scientifically unsound.
According to the NIH, the draft guidelines are expected to be published in the Federal Register on Friday, April 24, 2009 and will be open for public comment for the 30 days following publication. More information in that regard is available at the NIH website. The link provided in the preceding paragraph will route you to more detailed information related to public comment on the draft guidelines.
Lynn Vincent of World Magazine has chronicled Rev. Hoye’s unjust incarceration in her online blog. Please visit World’s website to read the outstanding results of Rev. Hoye’s time in jail.
URGENT — Protect the Conscience Clause (March 17, 2009) There is an urgent need to contact the United States Department of Health and Human Services in order to protect the conscience rights of health care professionals and others who oppose abortion. A coalition has formed to that end. Please visit http://www.freedom2care.org/action/, where you can send a message to the DHHS asking them to protect and preserve the conscience rights of health care professionals and students, which were implemented under President Bush and his Administration on December 19, 2008.
Press Release (March 9, 2009) Response To Obama Rescinding Limits On
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Unless you have C-Span, you may have missed Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) and nine pro-life Members of Congress (Wamp, Foxx, Fortenberry, Forbes, Jordan, Fleming, Bilirakis, Bachmann and Souder) speak about stem cell research on the House floor on March 4, 2009. These Members discussed the tremendous breakthroughs in ethically noncontroversial stem cells and reasons why expanded taxpayer funded human embryonic destructive research is untenable. As well, they spoke about the “Human Cloning Prohibition Act,” H.R. 1050, and H.R. 877, the “Patient's First Act.”
The Congressional Record transcript is available online.
Smith's remarks are attached below as [web article] [downloadable PDF]
UPDATE: Commentary on President Obama’s tortured moral ambiguity from Charles Krauthammer (Morally Unserious in the Extreme March 13, 2009) and P. J. O’Rourke (Stem Cell Sham, March 23, 2009).
PRESS RELEASE (February 19, 2009) AFRICAN AMERICAN PASTOR SENTENCED TO JAIL FOR OFFERINGOAKLAND, Calif.: Today the Rev. Walter Hoye of Berkeley, California was sentenced to serve 30 days in county jail and fined $1,130.00 by Judge Hing of the Alameda Superior Court after being found guilty on January 15, 2009, of unlawfully approaching a person entering an abortion clinic in Oakland. The court is allowing Rev. Hoye to serve his time by an alternative method like community service. Rev. Hoye was also ordered to stay away from the clinic. However, Rev. Hoye refused this term of probation and would not agree to a stay-away order. Nonetheless, the judge is having the order drawn up and refused to accept Rev. Hoye’s decision not to agree to the stay-away order. [read article] [more about this case]
[Clinic escorts routinely block Rev. Hoye’s sign with blank signs to prevent women from seeing his message: “God loves you and your baby. Let us help.”]
LLDF has received information that members of Congress are seeking support from voters so that pro-life provisions traditionally included in the annual appropriations bills will remain intact. Read more to find out how you can show your support.
Representatives Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Heath Shuler (D-N.C.) are seeking assistance from pro-life groups willing to urge Members of the House to sign their letter [read article]
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (Feb. 9, 2009)—The Life Legal Defense Foundation is pleased to announce that the Superior Court of San Bernardino, Appellate Division, has granted their appeal in the matter of People v. Cox, ACRAS 800100. The appellate ruling reverses the trial court’s decision denying the defense’s motion to suppress evidence. In a unanimous decision, the appellate court has ordered that the Chaffey College Campus Police had no lawful reason to detain and search Mr. Cox. Dana Cody, Executive Director of the Life Legal Defense Foundation, commented on the appellate court’s decision stating, “The judges are to be commended for following the law and denouncing the police misconduct.” [read article]
Read the Court’s opinion here (PDF 25pp, 0.4mb)..
WASHINGTON, D.C., Jan. 23, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) — The following joint statement by 22 of the nation’s pre-eminent pro-life organizations was issued today in response to President Obama’s signing of an executive order revoking the Mexico City policy. The Mexico City policy is a Reagan-era policy that forbids taxpayer monies from funding organizations that promote or perform abortions overseas [read article]
SAN DIEGO, Jan. 30, 2009 (California Catholic Daily) Security guard calls police on pro-lifers outside Planned Parenthood abortion clinic in San Diego, but officers make no arrests once law is explained to them [read article]
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December 8, 2008 — Roe vs. PP (Ohio)
LLDF is helping to fund the case of Roe v. Planned Parenthood, where the parents of Roe have alleged that their daughter was taken to Planned Parenthood (PP) of Southwest Ohio by the adult male who sexually abused her when she was 14 years old, resulting in her pregnancy. They allege that not only did PP breach their duty when they failed to notify the proper authorities of their daughter’s statutory rape but that PP breached their duty under Ohio’s Parental Consent law by failing to get their consent for the abortion.
The outcome of this case is vital, especially in light of the Indiana PP clinic, Bloomington Health Center, which was just exposed implementing what the Roe case alleges is PP’s “don’t ask, don’t tell policy.” The undercover operation shows read article. / SEE THE VIDEO. Illinois Supreme Court Rejects Blagojevich’s ‘Emergency Rule’ Pharmacists are not required to distribute Plan B "morning after" pill in violation of their conscience. The court held that pharmacists may now defend their right of conscience against the state’s “Emergency Rule” which forces pharmacies to stock and disperse Plan B contraception (known as the “morning after” pill) under threat of sanction. [read article] |
Banking on Life: Bringing together leaders and experts in the field of cord blood stem cell research and regenerative medicine Cutting edge leaders from around the world, in the field of umbilical cord blood stem cell research and regenerative medicine, will join us to promote, inform and educate attendees on up to the minute successes and advances in cord blood research. These key voices will convene to share information that will shape the future direction of progress in cord blood banking and advances in ethical stem cell patient treatments using cord blood. Life Legal Defense Foundation joins other organizations to partner with The Center for Bioethics and Culture Network, to hold this important one-day conference on May 2, 2009 on the San Francisco Peninsula. [read article] The fundamental right to refuse: A decent society would respect people's moral commitments From the Los Angeles Times, September 2, 2008 The Times Opinion page featured a thoughtful article by Crispin Sartwell, who teaches philosophy at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, outlining why government should respect the “fundamental moral commitments” of individuals: I am a pro-choice atheist. But I support a regulation, recently promulgated by the Bush administration, that would cut federal funding to nearly 600,000 hospitals, clinics, health plans, doctors' offices and other entities if they do not allow their employees to opt out of providing certain types of care—including abortion services—on grounds of conscience and personal belief. [read article] |
In warning his readers about Proposition 4, the parental notification initiative, Tom Elias makes some bold assertions about “case histories” showing girls getting back alley abortions or self-aborting when faced with the prospect of a parent being notified. His claims are pure, unadulterated fiction. [read article]
Ms. Short has also prepared a backgrounder on the new referendum that you will find useful in advocating for this vital law: Sarah's Law — WhatŐs different? (California Catholic Daily June 2, 2008). See also on this topic the discussion in re Calif. voter pamphlet.
To read the Congressional Record, 109th Congress, 2nd Session, and the speech by the Honorable Chris Smith, the Representative from New Jersey, exposing Planned Parenthood, click here.
To see how Planned Parenthood characterizes their mission, in sharp contrast to the Congressional Record, read their Annual Report here.
Over 30 African-American pastors, students and pro-lifers gathered to protest Planned Parenthood’s for its willingness to entertain racist donations, which were made public on YouTube by UCLA’s Lila Rose and The Advocate publication. See the photos here.
Calla Papademas, recruited to be an egg donor as a 21-year-old at Stanford, speaks eloquently and plainly to the Center for Bioethics and Culture Network about her experiences and eggsploitative treatment in a 14-minute video
Please read and sign this petition intended to end all public funding of Planned Parenthood by our elected officials at the local, state, and federal levels of government. We welcome your comments, stories, and first-hand experiences to tell the real story of what Planned Parenthood really is. After all, shouldn't we all be held accountable to the same standard of law?
Proponents note 2008 version of parental notification answers critics’ objections to earlier measures
Sarah’s Law, “A progressive law for a progressive state.” the latest version of an initiative requiring family involvement in a minor’s abortion, has qualified for the November 4, 2008 ballot, the California Secretary of State has determined. The measure seeks to protect minors from the dangers of secret abortions, while at the same time answering objections from opponents to earlier parental notification initiatives.
Complete press release / more info
Life Legal's Legal Director, Katie Short, has prepared a backgrounder on the new referendum: Sarah's Law — What’s different? (California Catholic Daily June 2, 2008).
“Machine politics is generally associated with cities, the cynical cronyism that is the prerequisite to wholesale corruption and urban decay. But these days it’s at its worst in, of all places, Kansas, under the governorship of leading Democratic vice-presidential contender, Kathleen Sebelius.” Read more
California pro-life advocates are continuing to gather signatures to qualify a third attempt to get state voters to approve allowing parents to know when their teenage daughters are considering an abortion. Read more
If you haven't already signed a petition to get Sarah's Law on the 2008 ballot, read more here.
Columbus, OH (LifeNews.com)—The Ohio Supreme Court has reversed itself and will hold a hearing on a case involving a secret abortion on a 14-year-old girl who was a victim of rape. A Cincinnati couple is upset their daughter had an abortion at a local Planned Parenthood facility without their knowledge or consent as required by state law. The girl's parents filed a lawsuit against the abortion facility for violating the state's parental notification law by not telling them of her abortion, which may have been coerced. The girl in the case provided an incorrect phone number to Planned Parenthood officials for notification. Instead of giving the abortion center her parents' phone, she gave the number for her 21-year-old boyfriend. Planned Parenthood appealed a judge's decision requiring it to turn over to the family's attorney the abortion records of all women under the age of 18 to determine if there have been other cases and to show how the abortion business handles them. In August, the 1st District Court of Appeals determined that Planned Parenthood doesn't have to give the couple's attorney record of abortions done on other teenagers. In January, the Ohio Supreme Court decided on a 4-3 vote not to hear the appeal. On Wednesday, it reversed itself and agreed to review the case. Full story at LifeNews.com.
The Ohio Supreme Court, in a rare move, has agreed to reconsider whether the parents of a St. Bernard 14-year-old who got an abortion without their consent can review records involving abortions performed on other minors.
Wednesday's announcement reverses a 4-3 January decision by the court not to hear the case of "John and June Roe" vs. Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio. That decision meant the records would remain sealed. Read more
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 2, 2008
CONTACT: KRISTINA GRABOSKY
703--683-5004
UCLA publication releases another video of more Planned Parenthood staff excitedly accepting donations earmarked for black babies.
LOS ANGELES, CA - The Advocate, a UCLA student publication, is releasing today another video in its Planned Parenthood series exposing the organization's racist vision. Posing as a donor, law student James O'Keefe calls clinics in Oklahoma and New Mexico and asks to make a donation specifically to be used for a black baby. The clinics are more than happy to accommodate his request. See the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwif0VMW3c4.
The Advocate released its first video four weeks ago exposing Autumn Kersey, the Director of Development of Planned Parenthood in Idaho. Ms. Kersey was caught on audio getting "excited" for a donation by an explicit racist caller over the phone. The students also exposed an Ohio clinic for gladly accepting donations, no matter what they may be used for. Video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LJVPVh5TWo.
"This new video demonstrates a disturbing trend of racism at Planned Parenthood," said Lila Rose, editor of The Advocate. "Planned Parenthood has no shame in accepting donations intended to purposely abort minority populations. People have forgotten the organization was founded on these principles and has continued to operate under these same racist views for decades."
Irene Gray of Planned Parenthood in Albuquerque, New Mexico took the call from O'Keefe last summer when he wanted to make a donation to abort a black baby. In sympathetic tones, Gray_ replied "yes, yes, it's a strange time for sure" to the caller's rant about affirmative action and how there is a need for less black people because they compete with whites for admission to schools.
When asked if the organization takes donations specifically to abort black babies, another Planned Parenthood staffer from Tulsa Susan Riggs answered, "We can definitely designate it for an African-American."
"Clearly, Planned Parenthood has absolutely no shame in using funds to target and abort black children from racist donors. It's a jolting reminder that abortion is a big business, regardless of what the politicians and the special interest groups say and given that Planned Parenthood receives over $300 million in federal funding every year, it's time Congress investigate these extremely disturbing business practices," continued Rose. "Planned Parenthood must be held accountable for their actions. No one is calling them out - including supposedly minority civil rights groups like the ACLU and NAACP - for their despicable actions."
To speak with Lila Rose, please contact Kristina Grabosky at 703-683-5004.
Operation Rescue has obtained court records, which were unsealed last week, that show Attorney General Stephen Six actively undermined District Attorney Phill Kline's prosecution of 107 criminal charges against Planned Parenthood. Read the story.
Olathe, Kansas, May 1, 2008 - In a ruling released today by the Kansas Supreme Court there are clear indications that crimes have been committed inside the abortion records that were used to charge Comprehensive Health of Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid Missouri on October 16, 2007 with 107 criminal charges including 23 felonies. Read more.
Read the Christian Post Article
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has refused to certify abortion records in a criminal complaint against Planned Parenthood.
Johnson County District Attorney Phill Kline has the records and is seeking state certification of them. District Judge Stephen Tatum has scheduled a hearing for Wednesday, The Kansas City Star reported.
In October, Kline filed a 107-count criminal complaint against Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri and Comprehensive Health, its Overland Park clinic. Twenty-three of the counts - all felonies - accuse the clinic of manufacturing or forging documents regarding 23 late-term abortions. Kline is seeking the state's certification of those records.
Jennifer Giroux, executive director of Women Influencing the Nation, said Kline has other ways to have the records validated.
"Whatever the judge decides," she said, "the case is moving forward."
FOR MORE INFORMATION Phill Kline explains why medical records are needed to enforce the law.
Officials with a Kansas City area Planned Parenthood abortion center and pro-life groups are debating the meaning of a grand jury's decision not to indict it for breaking state abortion laws. Read more.
To read the latest on the Grand Jury Investigation of Planned Parenthood, click here.
Read Phill Kline's op-ed regarding the importance of using medical records to enforce laws protecting victims of sexual predators. Go there now.
In the wake of the recent filing of a 107-count indictment against Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri (link), pro-life organizations across the country, including Life Legal Defense Foundation, have called on Congress to halt its funding of Planned Parenthood while these charges are pending, as well as to investigate whether other Planned Parenthood affiliates are also engaging in similar unlawful practices. Click here for the letter sent on October 24, 2007 to every Congressman. Read the complaint here.
LLDF was recently quoted in an Associated Press article about the grand jury investigation of abortionist Dr. George Tiller in Kansas. Read the article. To read the Grand Jury Subpoena, click here .
Thanks to all of you who attended "Trading on the
Female Body," a seminar sponsored by Life Legal Defense Foundation and the
Center for Bioethics and Culture to educate about the trading of human eggs
for embryonic stem cell research and cloning. The event was well-attended
and very informative. To read coverage of the event, please click here.
During the litigation over Proposition 71, the proposition that spawned CIRM, LLDF lawyers argued that undue influence by the Independent Citizen's Oversight Committee was a potential problem. Read more here.
Has common ground been found to end the debate over controversial embryonic stem cell research and cloning? Time will tell. To read more, click here. To read Bioethics Defense Fund commentary on Stem Cell Breakthrough, click here.
NAPA, Calif. - Oct. 16, 2007. The Life Legal Defense Foundation (LLDF), a national, pro-life legal organization, today reported that California's embryonic stem cell program will fund controversial human cloning research. LLDF reported that California this month began selling what will total $3 billion in general obligations bonds to fund its embryonic stem cell program. With that in mind, the LLDF has issued the following overview of the situation in California and the current status of embryonic stem cell research on the national level. Read more
Proving once again to be a man of his word, President Bush has vetoed the bill which would fund embryonic stem cell research using federal tax dollars.Read more