Congress, courts clash in legal battle over release of undercover Planned Parenthood videos

A federal appeals court has barred a district court judge from issuing an injunction to stop the release of undercover videos by the Center for Medical Progress (CMP), the group that has exposed the Planned Parenthood scandal.

In July, Judge William Orrick issued a temporary restraining order against the release of CMP videos of a meeting organized by the National Abortion Federation. That temporary order remains in effect, but CMP won a partial victory when the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the Judge Orrick could not issue an injunction to extend the order indefinitely. The appeals court also ruled that Judge Orrick could not require CMP to disclose information about its videos to the National Abortion Federation.

In a related development, a Congressional committee moved to circumvent the restraining order on the CMP videos by issuing a subpoena for all of the undercover footage. The subpoena from the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee would force disclosure of the footage that the restraining order has blocked from public release.

Click here for the originating article from Catholic World News.

Chicago attorney says government trying to destroy videographer who exposed Planned Parenthood

Planned Parenthood supporters in positions of government power are looking to jail and financially destroy the producer of the undercover sting videos that have brought attention to the abortion giant's illegal practices, a pro-life lawyer claims.

Tom Brejcha, an attorney for the Chicago-based Thomas More Society, says anti-abortion activist and Center For Medical Progress founder David Daleiden is facing aggressive lawsuits for his undercover investigation of Planned Parenthood, and their end goal is to put him in jail and "destroy him financially."

Brejcha said that while abortion groups are pursuing aggressive lawsuits against Daleiden, President Barack Obama's Department of Justice "is waiting in the wings to pounce on David." Brejcha added that the California Attorney General's office is no friend of the right to life movement and have launched their own investigation of Daleiden and the Center for Medical Progress.

Click here for the originating article from Illinois Review.

U.S. House to vote Friday Sept. 18 on protecting born-alive infants!

On Friday, September 18, 2015, the U.S. House of Representatives will vote on a new and important pro-life bill -- the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act (H.R. 3504), sponsored by Congressman Trent Franks (R-Az.).  National Right to Life is calling for immediate enactment of this urgently needed legislation.

H.R. 3504 would enact an explicit requirement that a baby born alive during an abortion must be afforded “the same degree” of care that would apply “to any other child born alive at the same gestational age,” including transportation to a hospital.  In addition, the bill applies the existing penalties of 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1111 (the federal murder statute) to anyone who performs “an overt act that kills a child born alive.”  This would apply, for example, to an abortion clinic staff person who dissects a breathing born-alive infant in order to harvest an intact liver, or to an abortionist who ends a born-alive baby’s whimpers with a sharp blow to the skull, or by snipping the spine.  In addition, the bill would empower women who are harmed by violations of the act to sue abortionists or other persons, or organizations, who are responsible for the harm.

Click here to take action now!

ACTION ALERT - U.S. House to vote Sept. 17 or 18 on Defund Planned Parenthood Act!

The U.S. House of Representatives will vote on Sept. 17 or 18 on the Defund Planned Parenthood Act (H.R. 3134), sponsored by Rep. Diane Black (R-Tn.).  We strongly support this legislation.  The bill would place a moratorium on federal funding to all affiliates of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA), which is the nation's largest abortion provider, performing more than one-third of all of the abortions in the U.S.

Click here to send a message to your representative in the U.S. House in support of the bill.

Office Depot reverses course, offers to print copies of “A Prayer for the Conversion of Planned Parenthood”

As you recall, both a company spokesman and the company’s Assistant General Counsel said Office Depot was within its rights to refuse Maria Goldstein’s request that it run off 500 copies of “A Prayer for the Conversion of Planned Parenthood” that she intended to distribute at her parish the following Sunday. Ms. Goldstein said the company had discriminated against her based on her religious beliefs as a sincere Catholic.

But by Friday night Roland Smith, chairman and chief executive officer of Office Depot, issued a statement in which Smith wrote, “We sincerely apologize to Ms. (Maria) Goldstein for her experience and our initial reaction was not at all related to her religious beliefs. We invite her to return to Office Depot if she still wishes to print the flyer.”

However, note that Smith’s statement began by saying its initial refusal last month was based “on the fact that it contained certain words and phrases that could be construed as graphic or advocates the persecution of groups of people, which is a violation of the company’s copy and print policy. Office Depot has long maintained a policy of not allowing associates to print items that violate copyright laws, advocate persecution of any group or contain graphic material. Upon a more detailed review, we have determined that the content of Ms. Goldstein’s flyer is not a clear violation of the company’s policy.”

Click here for the originating article from NRL News Today.

Pro-Life Activist Leaders Ask for No Legislation that Funds Planned Parenthood

Over 20 national pro-life activist leaders send Speaker Boehner letter asking that no legislation will pass House that funds Planned Parenthood.

An excerpt from the letter:

"Mr. Speaker, we are looking to you and the Republican members of the House of Representatives to embrace the 'Culture of Life' by courageously voting to defund Planned Parenthood and assuring the public that Planned Parenthood will not get even one penny of taxpayer money.  This would involve not just passing a bill to defund Planned Parenthood; it would include giving Americans the assurance that no piece of legislation that funds this corrupt organization will pass the House."

Link to the full letter

Rev. Patrick, Director of the Christian Defense Coalition in Washington, D.C., states;

"We are calling upon Speaker Boehner to embrace social justice and human rights for all and give public assurances that no piece of legislation will pass the House that funds Planned Parenthood.

"Recent Planned Parenthood expose videos have revealed what we have known for years. That is, Planned Parenthood has no regard for human life and treats women as a commodity.  Speaker Boehner we do not need a pro-life President to defund Planned Parenthood but rather courageous, moral and principled Republican leadership."

Click here for the originating article from Christian Newswire.

U.S. House and Senate to consider major pro-life bills before the end of September

The majority Republican leadership of the U.S. House announced that the House will be on September 17 or 18 — on two pro-life bills.

* A bill proposed by Congresswoman Diane Black (R-Tn.) would place a moratorium on federal funding to the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. National Right to Life will strongly support passage of Congresswoman Black’s bill.

The second bill, the “Born-Aliv e Abortion Survivors Protection Act,” sponsored by Congressman Trent Franks (R-Az.), is a new proposal that would provide strong new protections for babies born alive during induced abortions — backed by stringent federal criminal penalties and civil remedies. There is substantial evidence that some abortion providers do not treat such born-alive infants as legally protected persons, and although in theory they are protected by state homicide laws, enforcement of such laws in the abortion context is rare. Longstanding concerns about the fate of infants born alive during abortions have been revived by troubling passages in the hidden-camera videos released by the Center for Medical Progress, some of which were cited by NRLC General Counsel James Bopp, Jr., during his September 9 testimony before the House Judiciary Committee. NRLC will strongly support the “Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act.”

In addition, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has indicated that he will soon — quite likely, before the end of September — force a Senate vote on the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (S. 1553). This legislation is based on a model bill originated by NRLC in 2010, which has since been enacted in 12 states. The House of Representatives passed this legislation on May 13, by a vote of 242-184. The upcoming Senate vote will be the first time that the Senate has cast a vote on limiting late abortions since 2003, when the Senate gave final approval to the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act.

Click here for the originating article from National Right to Life.

Darin LaHood wins Illinois Special Election

On September 10, 2015, IFRL-PAC and National Right to Life endorsed state Senator Darin LaHood (R) soundly won the special election to fill the remainder of the term of Rep. Aaron Schock (R), who resigned in March.

Senator LaHood, the Republican nominee, and Rob Mellon, the Democratic nominee, won the July 7, 2015, special primary election. Two Democrats and three Republicans originally vied for the seat.

Congressman-elect Darin LaHood defeated Rob Mellon (D), an Army veteran and high school teacher, with 68% of the vote.

Click here for the originating article from NRL News Today

Duckworth focuses on free birth control as major U.S. Senate issue

Monday, Duckworth, who's planning to challenge U.S. Senator Mark Kirk in 2016, sent out the following appeal Tuesday morning defending Planned Parenthood, despite nine undercover videos showing how the taxpayer-funded clinics sell aborted baby body parts for research:

With extremist Republicans threatening to shut down the government this month over Planned Parenthood funding, it’s obvious that the right-wing’s assault on women’s health isn’t going to stop anytime soon. 

Here’s their latest trick: urging the FDA to make birth control accessible without a prescription…but without preserving the Affordable Care Act’s requirement that birth control be available without a co-pay. 

Click here for the originating article from Illinois Review

Illinois Pastors call on Governor Rauner to end taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood

A group of Illinois pastors is urging fellow Illinoisans to call on Governor Rauner and state legislators to stop sending their tax dollars to Planned Parenthood with a video they released this week.

Called the "Christian Emergency League," following the lead of German pastor Diedrich Bonhoeffer that called the Nazis into account for their evil deeds, says they are stepping up because Republicans, conservative leaders and pro-life activists continue to remain silent and not hold the governor or state lawmakers accountable for continuing to send millions to Planned Parenthood, despite the revelation of clinics selling aborted baby body parts for medical research.

Despite claiming to have "no social agenda," Rauner has signed into law bills implementing a liberal social agenda. "It is evil to fund Planned Parenthood's practices,' the video says, and quoting Bonhoeffer, "Silence in the face of evil is in itself evil."



Click here for the originating article from Illinois Review

Women who survived abortions ask Congress to defund Planned Parenthood

Abortion survivors testified on Capitol Hill Wednesday against continuing federal funding of Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion provider in the U.S.

One of the witnesses, Melissa Ohden, said in her written Aug. 9 testimony before the House Judiciary Committee that while some of them had survived abortion attempts at clinics not affiliated with Planned Parenthood, “the expectation for our lives to be ended by abortion are the very same as those who do lose their lives there.”

The hearing was called to examine the “horrific abortion practices” at Planned Parenthood clinics amid debate over whether the organization’s affiliates should still receive federal funding.

Click here for the originating article from Catholic News Agency/EWTN

Office Depot accused of religious discrimination; refused to print anti-abortion flyer

An Office Depot in Chicago's northwest suburbs is being accused of religious discrimination for refusing to print flyers containing a prayer published by Father Frank Pavone and Planned Parenthood's own published statistics.

Thursday, Chicago's Thomas More Society sent a demand letter to Office Depot, challenging the company's refusal to print religious flyers for customer Maria Goldstein at its Schaumburg, IL location as discrimination and a violation of the Cook County Human Rights Ordinance.

“Anyone can order printing at Office Depot,” said Thomas Olp, Thomas More Society special counsel attorney. “But because Ms. Goldstein’s flyers had religious content—namely calling for prayer for Planned Parenthood—Office Depot refused to complete her order. This is a blatant violation of the Cook County Human Rights Ordinance, which forbids public businesses from discriminating based on religion.”

Click here for the originating article from Illinois Review.

House OK’s Bipartisan Stem Cell Bill; Smith Legislation Authorizes $265M over Five Years for Bone Marrow, Cord Blood Programs

On the very first day of the fall session, the House took up and passed vital legislation authored by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) to continue America’s bone marrow and cord blood donor registry.

Sponsored by Smith with lead co-sponsor Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA), the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act of 2015, H.R. 2820, ensures that two collaborative programs that support treatment and therapies derived from adult stem cell lines will not expire at the end of the federal fiscal year, Sept. 30.

Under the legislation, the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program will be authorized for five years at $30 million annually, while the National Cord Blood Inventory is authorized at $23 million annually for a five-year period. Smith authored the original law (The Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005—P.L. 109-129) that created the national cord blood program and expanded the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program.

Click here for the originating article from NRL News Today

House Judiciary Committee Hears Testimony on Planned Parenthood’s “Horrific Abortion Practices”

Today’s three-hour hearing of the House Judiciary Committee was titled, “Planned Parenthood Exposed: Examining the Horrific Abortion Practices at the Nation’s Largest Abortion Provider.” Testimony from witnesses and questions from committee members amply illustrated just how ghastly these “practices” are, recently brought to the public’s attention by a series of eight undercover videos which show the Center for Medical Progress interviewing several high ranking Planned Parenthood officials.

Nothing could have better illustrated how far apart pro-life and pro-abortionists are than this exchange between Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and one of the four witnesses, Priscilla Smith, who directs Yale Law School’s Program for the Study of Reproductive Justice.

Rep. Goodlatte described what happens to an unborn baby in the course of a dismemberment abortion, how the baby is literally torn to pieces. He asked Ms. Smith if she considered this humane.

Yes, she responded, provided the baby [“fetus”] was not viable.

Click here for the originating article from NRL News Today

VIDEO: Gutierrez thanks Planned Parenthood

At Wednesday's U.S. House hearing on Planned Parenthood, Illinois' Congressman Luis Gutierrez (D-04) thanked the people that work at Planned Parenthood, attributing their services to 500,000 less pregnancies last year.

"I'm not for abortion," Gutierrez said, "but I do honk that I'm pro-choice."

Gutierrez said no one has proven that Planned Parenthood is selling body parts, but, "I'm right to defend my two daughters' rights."



Click here for the originating article from Illinois Review

Planned Parenthood to Congress: Ignore what you see, hear in those videos

When the videos clearly show people in the Planned Parenthood labs clinically picking over fetal parts like brains, eyes, hearts, livers, arms or legs, disputes over exactly what prompted Planned Parenthood employees to make awkward admissions of the baby’s sex and humanity seem to be mere diversions.

Planned Parenthood wants Congress to put these images out of their minds and focus on the editing of the videos.

PPFA says Fusion GPS, the firm hired by Planned Parenthood to analyze the videos, “ultimately concluded that the manipulation of the videos and the transcripts means they have no evidentiary value in a legal context and cannot be relied upon for any official inquiries unless supplemented by the original video in unaltered form.”

Though there are multiple occasions on the tapes where Planned Parenthood abortionists discuss changing the “procedure” in order to get better “specimens,” more “intact” specimens, Planned Parenthood tells Congress in the letter that the only abortion method used at its centers, from about 13 weeks of pregnancy, is what it considers to be “dilation and extraction” (D&E), and any variations are merely “adjustments” to that “method.”

Click here for the originating article from NRL News Today

ACTION ALERT - Call Senator Mark Kirk to Defund Planned Parenthood

ACTION ALERT!

Call Senator Mark Kirk at his Washington office and urge him to defund Planned Parenthood.

The make-or-break moment for pro-lifers to defund Planned Parenthood is here.

Outraged by undercover videos on fetal tissue donation, conservatives are pushing to cut all federal funding for Planned Parenthood as part of legislation that would avert a government shutdown on Oct. 1.

Now is the time to get Senator Mark Kirk's attention and defund Planned Parenthood.

Call his Washington Office at: (202) 224-2854, urge him to defund Planned Parenthood.

IL Planned Parenthood uses tax dollars to win elections, acquire more tax dollars

Planned Parenthood Federation of America has been the focus of an ongoing undercover investigation by Center for Medical Progress, whose staffers posed as individuals interested in procuring fetal tissue and organs for research.

Thus far, they've released nine videos with Planned Parenthood officials and insiders explaining how babies are aborted, how their body parts are distributed for medical research, and how they profit from the transactions. Several governors have defunded their state's Planned Parenthoods, and many state legislatures have initiated investigations into the powerful organization. No action has taken place in Illinois.

In fact, Planned Parenthood of Illinois continues to receive millions of Illinois tax dollars every year. In FY 2015, checks totaling nearly $9 million were written to Planned Parenthood

Illinois' funding of Planned Parenthood was highlighted late last week when Adam Andrzejewski revealed that Illinois Comptroller Leslie Munger has paid Planned Parenthood $4.3 million of taxpayer money since January - and "Grants and Awards" of $1,592,850 between June 17 and July 22nd.

Click here for the originating article from Illinois Review.

9th Planned Parenthood video: For-profit Corporation Paid Fees to Clinic Directors for Exclusive Access

A new undercover video—the 9th in a series exposing Planned Parenthood—has introduced another major player in the business of harvesting fetal tissues.

The new video from the Center for Medical Progress exposes Advanced Bioscience Resources (ABR), a for-profit company with a longstanding relationship with Planned Parenthood. In the video, a competitor charges that ABR paid an “advisor fee” to abortion-clinic directors who gave them exclusive access to the tissues taken from aborted babies.



Click here for the originating article from Catholic World News

Press Conference outside of Senator Mark Kirk’s Chicago Office

Will you join me and other Illinois pro-life leaders this coming Thursday, September 3rd at a press conference outside of Senator Mark Kirk’s Chicago office? 

Earlier this month, Sen. Kirk voted AGAINST defunding Planned Parenthood, America’s largest abortion provider, which has been caught on camera harvesting and haggling over the body parts of aborted children. Senator Kirk needs to hear from Illinois pro-lifers right now. At the press conference, we will tell him:

We do NOT want our taxpayer dollars to fund abortion! Senator Kirk should support any efforts to defund Planned Parenthood this fall.

We want to see babies protected from painful late term abortions after five months. Senator Kirk must vote FOR the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act this fall.

Here are the details for Thursday’s event:

What: Women Speak Out: Demand Sen. Kirk Support Sensible 5 Month Abortion Limit 

Where: Outside Senator Kirk’s Chicago Office at Federal Plaza – 230 S Dearborn St., Chicago, IL 60604

When: Thursday, September 3, 12 PM – 1 PM

Who:    Susan B. Anthony List 

            Americans United for Life Action

            Concerned Women for America of Illinois

            Illinois Family Institute

            Illinois Right to Life

    Illinois Federation for Right to Life 

            Pro-Life Action League

            Pro-Life Future

            Students for Life of America 

            And many more local pro-life leaders!

Our nation’s permissive abortion laws have allowed Planned Parenthood to go unchecked for too long. Thanks to the Center for Medical Progress, we now know with certitude that Planned Parenthood has is wheeling and dealing in the body parts of aborted children. 

They MUST be defunded.

Sadly, the U.S. is ALSO far outside the international norm when it comes to late term abortions. We are only one of seven countries – including human rights violators like China and North Korea -- to allow abortions after five months (20 weeks) more than halfway through pregnancy.

Join with me outside of Senator Kirk’s office this Thursday and ask him to defund Planned Parenthood AND help get the U.S. off the list of only seven nations lacking the compassion to protect babies – especially once they feel pain.

As Senator Kirk prepares to head back to Washington, D.C. after the August recess, he needs to hear from us – his pro-life constituents – now.

Join me on Thursday as we ask him to defund Big Abortion AND support a common sense, popular limit on abortion by voting FOR the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act when it comes for a vote in the fall.

Thank you and I look forward to seeing you in Chicago this Thursday at noon outside of Senator Kirk’s downtown office!

For Life,

Jill Stanek

National Campaign Chair, Susan B. Anthony List