Kansas Voters Reject Pro-Life Constitutional Amendment

59% of Kansas voters voted Tuesday to reject the "Value Them Both" amendment to the state constitution that would clarify that it does not provide a right to abortion.

The amendment was put on the ballot by pro-life Kansas legislators to correct a 2019 Kansas Supreme Court decision asserting that the state constitution's guarantee of "equal and inalienable natural rights" included the right to abortion.

If the amendment was ratified into the constitution, Kansas would be able to enforce pro-life laws and guarantee that tax dollars are not used to fund abortion.

The amendment appeared on the Kansas ballot as follows:

"Regulation of abortion. Because Kansans value both women and children, the constitution of the state of Kansas does not require government funding of abortion and does not create or secure a right to abortion. To the extent permitted by the constitution of the United States, the people, through their elected state representatives and state senators, may pass laws regarding abortion, including, but not limited to, laws that account for circumstances of pregnancy resulting from rape or incest, or circumstances of necessity to save the life of the mother."

Pro-life leaders gave two potential explanations for the loss. The wording of the amendment may have been confusing, and pro-abortion organizations used false information and large amounts of spending to urge voters to oppose the amendment.

National Right to Life President Carol Tobias responded to the vote with the following statement:

"Sadly, thousands and thousands of babies will die in Kansas.

Lies about ectopic pregnancies and miscarriages, and false claims that women who have abortions would be prosecuted, promulgated by the media and the abortion industry, resulted in a tragic loss for women and their unborn babies. 

Contrary to those lies, pro-life legislation allows the removal of ectopic pregnancies and other procedures to save the life of the mother, the treatment of miscarriages, and does not impose any penalties on women who have abortions. Over 70 pro-life organizations signed a statement opposing criminal penalties for women who have abortions."

Kentucky is set to have a similar amendment on its ballot this November.

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Chicago Mayor Signs Executive Order to Protect Abortionists

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot (D)

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot signed an executive order on July 28 to protect abortionists from criminal investigations.

The executive order prohibits city officials from cooperating with pro-life states during investigations involving abortion-related crimes.

"Through this Executive Order, I am taking yet another step to help to safeguard all those who come to our city for reproductive healthcare," Lightfoot said in a press release. "I am proud of the continued collaboration between Planned Parenthood, the Chicago Department of Public Health, members of City Council and other City departments, who are working tirelessly to ensure that everyone in Chicago is able to receive the care they need and maintain control over their bodies."

This executive order is only the most recent part of Lightfoot's abortion initiative. As part of what she called the "Justice for All Pledge," Chicago allocated $500,000 from the Chicago Department of Health to pay for abortion-related expenses.

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Biden Nominates Dobbs v. Jackson Lawyer to 1st Circuit Court of Appeals

President Joe Biden nominated Julie Rikelman to a position on the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals. Julie Rikelman is known most recently as the lawyer who represented Jackson Women's Health Organization in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. In that case, which ended in the repeal of Roe v. Wade, Rikelman argued to keep Roe's precedent in place.

Rikelman currently works as a senior litigation director for the Center for Reproductive Rights. Her profile on the pro-abortion organization's website states, “In addition to challenging bans and clinic closing laws around the country, Julie’s other litigation work at the Center has included leading the Center’s efforts against invasive ultrasound laws, fighting to preserve access to medication abortion, and defending the rights of young people in Florida and Alaska to make their own reproductive health decisions.”

Nominees such as Rikelman are clearly intended to act as judicial activists rather than objective interpreters of federal law. It seems unlikely that Rikelman would uphold the Dobbs v. Jackson ruling that she argued against before the Supreme Court. Pro-abortion organizations joyfully echo this sentiment. National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL) President Mini Timmaraju tweeted, “Having experts with demonstrable records of standing up for abortion rights like Julie Rikelman in the judicial branch will serve as a critical defense from future attacks on our rights.”

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Texas Sues Biden Admin for Forcing Federally Funded Hospitals to Commit Abortions

Last month, Texas filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration for requiring hospitals to commit abortions or lose Medicaid and Medicare funding.

The Biden administration threatened to revoke the funding of hospitals that refuse to commit abortions on women in life-threatening situations. It argued that federal guidelines under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) override any state laws that prohibit all abortions without exception. Currently, there are no state laws that prohibit abortion in absolutely all circumstances. State laws all include exceptions to save the life of the mother.

It is also worth noting that the legal definition of abortion under any codified law is the intentional killing of a preborn child. Providing lifesaving care that is not primarily intended to end the life of an unborn child (such as chemotherapy, emergency preterm delivery, or treating an ectopic pregnancy) is not legally considered abortion under any current statutes.

Texas's lawsuit asks a federal district court to block Biden's new abortion requirement; arguing that EMTALA does not create a right to abortion. “EMTALA does not mandate access to abortion or codify a right to an abortion as ‘stabilizing treatment’ for an ’emergency medical condition.’” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said. “The Abortion Mandate cites no other federal law that would authorize or require an abortion. No federal statute, including EMTALA, supersedes or preempts the States’ power to regulate or prohibit abortion.”

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Federal Appeals Court Lifts Injunction Against Indiana Parental Notification Law

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita

On July 28, the 7th Circuit US Court of Appeals lifted an injunction against an Indiana law requiring abortion businesses to notify the parents or guardians of a minor who schedules an abortion.

“This pro-life victory is not just a win for me or this office,” Attorney General Todd Rokita said. “It’s a win for all Hoosiers who believe in protecting the sanctity of life, the health of women and the crucial importance of families.”

Indiana also has a parental consent law, but it includes an exception for minors who receive a judge's permission. Even in these cases, however, the parental notification law would still be enforced.

This is a stark contrast with Illinois. It does not have a parental consent law, and state legislators repealed the Parental Notice of Abortion Act last year. The repeal went into effect at the beginning of June. Now, Illinois abortion businesses can actively undercut these pro-life protections being provided by Indiana law.

Attorney General Rokita won three other abortion cases this month as well:

• On July 7, a federal district court lifted an injunction on the state's dismemberment abortion ban.

• On July 11, an appellate court vacated judgments in Whole Woman’s Health Alliance v. Rokita which invalidated several pro-life laws.

• On July 18, a US District Court vacated a judgment blocking a law that banned discriminatory abortions based on the unborn child's race, sex, or disability diagnosis.

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US House Again Passes Bill to Codify Roe

On July 15, pro-abortion politicians in the US House of Representatives once again passed legislation that would stop states from restricting abortion. This is the third time that the House has passed the Women's Health Protection Act (WHPA); which would go even farther than codifying Roe v. Wade into federal law.

This third push is seen primarily as a symbolic effort rally pro-abortion voters for the 2022 midterm election. The US Senate does not have enough pro-abortion votes to bypass a filibuster by pro-life Senators.

If passed into law, the WHPA would not only prevent states from enforcing laws that ban abortion; it would also prevent them from enforcing parental consent laws, parental notification laws, ultrasound requirements, waiting-period laws, informed-consent requirements, bans on discriminatory abortions (based on a child's race, sex, or disability), and other safety regulations.

“We must ensure that the American people remember in November because with two more Democratic senators, we will be able to eliminate the filibuster when it comes to a woman’s right to choose and to make reproductive freedom the law of the land,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said.

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Planned Parenthood of Illinois and Wisconsin Partner to Facilitate Abortions Across State Lines

Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin (PPWI) is now working with Planned Parenthood of Illinois (PPIL) to commit abortions on Wisconsin residents.

According to the Associated Press, PPWI is sending patients to Illinois while Wisconsin judges determine the constitutionality of an 1849 law banning abortion. After the abortion, the women will be sent back to Wisconsin for recovery. The Planned Parenthood clinic in Waukegan, Illinois will likely be the primary location for Wisconsin abortions.

According to Planned Parenthood, Wisconsin abortionists with the abortion giant are getting licensed in Illinois so they can meet staffing needs. “The majority of the team in Wisconsin providing abortion care have stepped up to travel to Illinois to serve that patient need,” Kristen Schultz, chief strategy and operations officer at Planned Parenthood of Illinois, said in a news conference.

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Missouri Attorney General Sues St. Louis for Using Tax Dollars to Fund Abortion Travel

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt (R)

Following through on a statement he made at the beginning of July, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt filed a lawsuit against the city of St. Louis after it passed legislation that would fund out-of-state abortions.

St. Louis mayor Tishaura Jones (D) signed a bill into law on July 15 that would use $1.5 million in federal tax dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act to create a "Reproductive Equity Fund." The American Rescue Plan Act was written to provide relief funding during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Schmitt filed a lawsuit against St. Louis on July 21 for violating Missouri state law prohibiting tax dollars from being used to provide or assist abortions that are unnecessary to save the life of the mother.

“As Attorney General, I’ve tirelessly fought to uphold the sanctity of life in Missouri. The move by the City of St. Louis to use taxpayer dollars to help push out-of-state abortions plainly and clearly violates Missouri law,” said Attorney General Schmitt in a statement. “My Office today filed suit to put a stop to Mayor Jones and the City of St. Louis Board of Aldermen’s blatantly illegal move to spend Missourians’ hard-earned tax dollars on out-of-state abortions.”

The lawsuit also notes that Missouri law prohibits public employees acting within the scope of their employment from encouraging or counseling women to seek elective abortions.

Unless this legislation is struck down, most of those tax dollars will likely be spent at abortion businesses in Illinois.

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Over 800,000 Lives Saved by PRCs in Five Years

In the past five recorded years (2016-2020), over 800,000 unborn children were saved from abortion by pregnancy resource centers (PRCs).

This information comes from a new report by the Charlotte Lozier Institute.

“Approximately 3,000 [pregnancy help centers] PHCs form the foundation for a network of pregnancy help including adoption agencies, maternity housing, Alternatives to Abortion state funding programs, newer state-level initiatives like Her PLAN (Pregnancy and Life Assistance Network) and more,” The Charlotte Lozier Institute said in a press release.

The group estimates that a total of 828,131 unborn lives were saved between the years 2016 and 2020. It came to this number by totaling the abortion-vulnerable and abortion-minded women who received services from clinics and later gave birth rather than having abortions.

The report goes on to break down how ultrasound viewing increases the chance that an abortion-vulnerable or abortion-minded woman chooses life. These statistics show how this likelihood increases by up to 10% when the child's father is present.

Finally, the Charlotte Lozier Institute's report includes statistics from the Abortion Pill Rescue Network showing that an increasing number of women are choosing to attempt abortion pill reversal. A woman can attempt to reverse the effects of the first drug in the abortion pill regimen (mifepristone) by taking progesterone. If attempted within 72 hours after the woman takes mifepristone, taking progesterone orally has a 68% success rate of saving the child.

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12th Medical Emergency in Two Years at Granite City Abortion Clinic

A woman being loaded into an ambulance outside
Hope Clinic For Women in Granite City on June 14
photo credit: Operation Rescue

Pro-life advocates outside Hope Clinic For Women in Granite City, IL witnessed a medical emergency on June 14. At around 4:00 PM, an ambulance arrived at the clinic to load an abortion patient for emergency transport. This incident marks the 12th time that Operation Rescue has documented a medical emergency at the clinic in two years.

Operation Rescue, a pro-life organization that documents medical emergencies at abortion clinics throughout the country, was unable to obtain records of the incident through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.

Operation Rescue did find, however, that a 911 dispatcher reached out to Emergency Medical Services approximately eight minutes before the ambulance arrived on the scene. “EMS, can you contact us back for a possible transport?” a dispatcher says on the publicly available recording. Further details are not available. When emergency personnel returned the call, they did not do so on a publicly recorded line. Operation Rescue believes that this was done intentionally to prevent any information about the emergency from being accessed by the public.

“Operation Rescue has seen a surge in 911 abortion emergencies, coupled with more attempts to hide these abortion disasters,” said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. “When mothers are rushed to the emergency room for abortion complications, it is an obvious threat to the abortion cartels’ narrative of ‘safe, legal abortion.’ Operation Rescue is pursuing legal remedies, and lawsuits if necessary, to force the public disclosure of the cartel’s botched abortions. 

“We know women are being tormented at the hands of the abortion industry, and we will not relent until their malfeasance is uncovered and exposed,” Newman continued. “The more the public knows about the incredible dangers of terminating an emerging life, the more mothers will shun the lies of the cartel.” 

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Sen. Elizabeth Warren Introduces Bill Attacking Pro-Life Pregnancy Centers

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)

US Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) introduced legislation that would attack pro-life pregnancy centers by issuing significant fines for advertising with "misleading statements."

The "Stop Anti-Abortion Disinformation Act," otherwise known as the "SAD Act," would "direct the Federal Trade Commission to prescribe rules prohibiting disinformation in the advertising of abortion services, and for other purposes."

The SAD Act directs the FTC to create rules prohibiting pro-life pregnancy centers from "advertising with the use of misleading statements related to the provision of abortion services." If this bill passes, bureaucrats working for the Biden administration would be able to define "misleading statements."

In addition to other penalties, pregnancy centers that violate any FTC rules created by this law would be ordered to pay a hefty fine. This fine would either be $100,000 or 50% of the revenues earned over the past 12 months (whichever is larger). Most pro-life pregnancy centers are charitable organizations that offer their services for free. They rely on donations from pro-life advocates to do their work.

"We need to shut them down." Sen. Warren on Pregnancy Resource Centers.

Leftist logic: Because PRCs don't kill unborn babies, they should no longer provide community medical care, parenting classes, help w/ financial programs, serve trafficking victims, housing, counseling, etc. pic.twitter.com/lBwxrmEHbd

— Family Research Council (@FRCdc) July 12, 2022

Sen. Warren tweeted on June 27, “With Roe gone, it’s more important than ever to crack down on so-called ‘crisis pregnancy centers’ that mislead and deceive patients seeking abortion care.” The text of her bill also describes pro-life pregnancy centers as “anti-abortion organizations that present themselves as comprehensive reproductive health care providers with the intent of discouraging pregnant people from having abortions.”

Pro-life pregnancy centers aim to provide resources and alternatives for families to raise children rather than abort them. This legislation primarily seeks to punish charities that abortion clinics see as competition.

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Biden HHS Threatens Legal Action Against Pharmacies that Don't Fill Abortion Pill Prescriptions

The Biden administration has informed all pharmacies receiving federal assistance that they must fill abortion pill prescriptions. A pharmacy that refuses could be charged with a violation of federal civil rights laws.

The US Department of Health and Human Services's Office for Civil Rights released guidelines for pharmacies that reference Affordable Care Act law. The law states that refusal to dispense abortion pills constitutes discrimination based on pregnancy. The HHS guidelines also state that pharmacies can refuse to fill prescriptions for medications that can have the side effect of miscarriage.

The guidelines also mention the Church Amendments, which protect health care personnel from discrimination by their employers if they refuse to participate in abortions. “This guidance does not address how the Church Amendments would apply in a given case,” the guidelines state. “OCR will evaluate and apply the Church Amendments on a case-by-case basis.”

The Biden administration has a poor track record when it comes to enforcing the Church Amendments. The Department of Justice dropped a case in 2021 in which the Trump administration's HHS found the University of Vermont Medical Center had forced a pro-life nurse to participate in an abortion. Given the HHS's stance to apply the Church Amendments on a case-by-case basis, it is very possible that they won't be enforced.

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Pro-Life Flight Attendant Awarded $5.1 Million After being Fired for Criticizing Union

Charlene Carter, who worked for Southwest Airlines for 21 years as a flight attendant, was awarded $5.1 million dollars by a federal jury. The award comes after she was fired in 2017 for criticizing how her union dues were used to support pro-abortion causes.

Carter joined the Transportation Workers Union of America (TWU) Local 556 union in 1996. She later resigned in 2013 when she learned that the union took pro-abortion political stances. She was still forced to pay union fees.

In 2017, Carter criticized the union and its president, Audrey Stone, for attending the Women's March in Washington DC to protest in favor of abortion. She spoke out on social media, calling for Stone to be voted out of her position as president of the union. She also sent messages to Stone signifying her intent to support a recall effort.

Southwest Airlines responded by calling Carter into a meeting. The company presented her social media posts and messages to the union leader; claiming that they constituted harassment. Carter was then fired.

The National Right to Work Foundation represented Carter pro-bono during her case against Southwest Airlines.

“No American worker should have to fear termination, intimidation, or any other reprisal merely for speaking out against having their own money spent, purportedly in their name, to promote an agenda they find abhorrent,” Mark Mix, president of National Right to Work Foundation, said in a statement. The National Right to Work Foundation represented Carter pro-bono. He added, “While we’re proud to stand with Ms. Carter and are pleased by the verdict, there ultimately should be no place in American labor law for compelling workers to fund a private organization that violates their core beliefs.”

Southwest Airlines has indicated that it plans to appeal the court's decision.

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Wisconsin Abortionist to Open Abortion Business in Rockford, IL

Dennis Christensen
screenshot from "Lake of Fire" documentary
clip available here

Abortionist Dennis Christensen purchased two buildings in Rockford, Illinois with the goal of offering abortions to women across the Wisconsin border.

Most abortions are prohibited in Wisconsin while courts consider a legal challenge to the state's 1849 abortion ban.

Earlier this month, the city of Rockford condemned one of the buildings Christensen purchased due to plumbing issues. Christensen planned to start offering abortion pills out of that office this week, but he will need to wait for a final inspection to confirm that the plumbing and construction are up to date. Christensen plans to commit surgical abortions from his second building within six months.

The newly formed Rockford Family Planning Foundation has taken over fundraising and preparation for the surgical abortion facility.

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Federal Court Reinstates Missouri Down Syndrome Abortion Ban

The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned two district court rulings by upholding a Missouri law banning abortions based on a Down syndrome diagnosis. The law will now be allowed to take effect.

“Individuals with Down syndrome bring joy, love, and light to those around them and society as a whole. They are daughters and sons, sisters and brothers and friends. They hold jobs, play sports, and are involved in their communities. They make our world a better place,” said Missouri Attorney General Schmitt in a press release. “A pre-natal Down syndrome diagnosis should not be a death sentence, and because of our efforts, it no longer is. I’m proud to have led this fight to protect individuals with Down syndrome and uphold the sanctity of life.”

The law was passed in 2019, but pro-abortion groups filed suit to have the law blocked under the precedent of Roe v. Wade. With Roe overturned, there was nothing to stop Missouri from outlawing these discriminatory abortions.

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New York AG Asks Google to Remove Pro-Life Pregnancy Centers from Search Results

New York Attorney General Letitia James

New York Attorney General Letitia James sent an open letter to Google on June 28 asking the tech giant to remove pro-life pregnancy centers from search results.

James wrote that women seeking abortions could mistakenly visit crisis pregnancy centers if they appear in search results. She goes on to argue that crisis pregnancy centers are not health care providers because they don't offer abortion counseling or abortion referrals.

"CPCs exist solely to intercept and dissuade pregnant people from making fully informed decisions about their healthcare such as the choice to obtain an abortion," James wrote. "Including these organizations in a list for an individual seeking abortion services is dangerous and misleading."

Crisis pregnancy centers do provide real health care services such as ultrasounds and pregnancy tests. They also provide materials and services such as baby supplies, parenting classes, adoption information, and financial aid. They don't offer abortion, and they don't claim to offer abortion. If they falsely claimed to offer abortion, they could easily face litigation. They instead choose to help women and their unborn children during times of need. Many even offer these services free of charge without the use of taxpayer funding—instead relying on donations.

By limiting the reach of crisis pregnancy centers, big tech companies would prevent charitable organizations from providing life-saving services to families in need.

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Biden Considering Public Health Emergency Declaration over Abortion

photo credit: Gage Skidmore / Flickr

President Joe Biden told reporters on Sunday, July 10 that he is considering declaring a public health emergency to protect abortion access in response to the overturn of Roe v. Wade.

According to the Associated Press, Biden told the reporters that his administration is trying to do a “lot of things to accommodate the rights of women.” Regarding a public health emergency declaration, Biden said that he asked officials “to look at whether I have the authority to do that and what impact that would have.”

White House Gender Policy Council Director Jen Klein responded to the press about the idea on Friday, July 8.

“When we looked at the public health emergency, we learned a couple things: One is that it doesn’t free very many resources,” Klein told reporters. “It’s what’s in the public health emergency fund, and there’s very little money — tens of thousands of dollars in it. So that didn’t seem like a great option. And it also doesn’t release a significant amount of legal authority. And so that’s why we haven’t taken that action yet.”

Biden also reiterated on Sunday that his ultimate goal is to pass a federal law creating a right to abortion:

“...fundamentally, the only way to change this is if we have a national law that reinstates Roe v. Wade. That’s the bottom line. Everything else would be pieces of it, and I’m trying to do that. But as president, I don’t have the authority to say that we’re going to, you know, reinstate Roe v. Wade as the law of the land. The only way we do that is through an election of the United States Congress. In the meantime, states can make those judgments. But, so, my ultimate goal is to reinstate Roe v. Wade as a national law by passing it in the United States Congress. And I’ll sign it the moment that happens.”

Federal Court Lifts Injunction Against Indiana's Dismemberment Abortion Ban

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita (R)

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita successfully petitioned a federal district court to lift an injunction against his state's dismemberment abortion ban.

The US Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade allowed Rokita to file a motion to lift the injunction. The district court's decision can be read here.

Dismemberment abortions, otherwise known as dilation and evacuation (d&e) abortions, are especially violent. Such abortions require an abortionist to reach into the mother's womb with metal instruments and tear individual body parts from the unborn child's body. The abortion is complete when all body parts have been ripped from the child and removed from the mother's womb. The child dies due to blood loss.

“The court’s ruling this week vacating its earlier injunction that permitted this gruesome procedure to continue is an exciting battle victory in our war to defend the unborn and protect women,” Attorney General Rokita said. “My office will continue to take all necessary steps to limit abortion, assist mothers, empower families to choose life, and ultimately protect the lives of the unborn.”  

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Pennsylvania Legislature Approves Constitutional Amendment Barring Taxpayer Funding of Abortion

Pennsylvania's state Senate and House of Representatives passed a proposed amendment to the Pennsylvania constitution that would prohibit taxpayer funding of abortion.

If the proposed amendment passes the House and Senate again in the next legislative session, it will be placed on the ballot for voters.

“This Constitutional Amendment would represent a major win for all those who do not want their hard-earned tax dollars to pay for abortion, which is the taking of an innocent, unrepeatable human life,” said Maria Gallagher, legislative director of the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation, a National Right to Life affiliate.

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Proposed Rockford Abortion Clinic Condemned by City

The city of Rockford condemned a building on 611 Auburn St. that was set to become an abortion clinic.

A sign posted on the front of the building says it was condemned due to an open sewer. The city has also levied a stop-work order against the location.

The location was purchased by abortionist Dennis Christensen on June 15 for $75,000. He previously owned an abortion clinic in Rockford called "Northern Illinois Women's Center." That clinic closed in 2012 after the city cited it for unsafe and unsanitary conditions.

After the Northern Illinois Women's Center closed, Christensen opened a new abortion business in Wisconsin. His move back to Illinois was likely spurred by the overturn of Roe v. Wade. The Supreme Court decision reinstated Wisconsin's 1849 law prohibiting all abortions except to save the mother's life.

23 News reached out to the city of Rockford for further information. Their response suggested that zoning could also be an issue for the potential clinic.

“City related signage on the building at 611 Auburn Street is related to typical permits required for general building upgrades, not for any specific use of the facility,” the city wrote in a statement. “At this point, the City has not received a detailed business plan to determine if the current zoning of the building is appropriate for any potential intended use by the new owner.”

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