Life Advocacy Briefing

September 18, 2017

State A.G.’s Ask High Court to Release Daleiden Videos
Taking Up the Cause / Cecile Steps in It
Getting Down to Business? Ever? / Good News from New York!
Conservative Judicial Nominees at Risk / Urgent Business
ObamaCare ‘Reform’ to be Revived?

State A.G.’s Ask High Court to Release Daleiden Videos

ATTORNEYS GENERAL FROM 20 STATES HAVE PETITIONED THE SUPREME COURT to lift an injunction imposed by a California-based federal judge barring release of undercover videos, reports Fr. Mark Hodges for LifeSiteNews.com, “exposing Planned Parenthood’s criminal activity.”

The petition came in the form of a “friend-of-the-court” (“amicus”) brief in an appeal by the Center for Medical Progress hero David Daleiden; Mr. Daleiden has been barred by SanFrancisco-based federal District Judge William Orrick from releasing videos taken of conference speeches at a gathering of the National Abortion Federation. The Orrick order was affirmed by the notorious 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, and Mr. Daleiden appealed further to the Supreme Court to enforce his 1st Amendment rights.

The state law enforcement officials asked the high court to acknowledge, reports Fr. Hodges, that “banning the videos ‘hampers law enforcement’s ability to effectively receive information and investigate possible civil or criminal wrongdoing.’”

The attorneys general signing onto the amicus brief are, according to Fr. Hodges, from Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Release of just a three-minute compilation of footage from some of the embargoed videos – done to aid in Mr. Daleiden’s defense, according to his attorneys –­ has already resulted in a $200,000 fine by Judge Orrick, based on “contempt of court” charges stemming from his injunction against release of the videos.

Taking Up the Cause

U.S. REP. STEVE PEARCE (R-NM) HAS APPEALED TO ATTY. GEN. JEFF SESSIONS to pursue criminal investigations of the University of New Mexico (UNMHSC) and Albuquerque’s notorious Southwestern Women’s Options (SWWO), a late-term abortuary. His letter cites criminal referrals concerning the two entities which resulted from the year-long probe by the House Select Panel on Infant Lives, which the US House established to investigate baby-body-parts trafficking allegations raised by undercover video evidence developed by the Center for Medical Progress.

Evidence uncovered by the Select Panel, noted Rep. Pearce in his Sept. 5 letter, “was enough for the Panel to make two criminal referrals to New Mexico Attorney Gen. Hector Balderas,” who appears to be stalling.

“It has come to our attention,” wrote Rep. Pearce, “that the statute of limitation is expiring on many of the cases involved in the Panel’s report. While the New Mexico Atty. General’s office has stated that ‘there is an ongoing investigation’ on the actions between UNMHSC and SWWO, we fear the investigation is being stalled intentionally to allow the potential violations by these two entities to reach the statute of limitation.

“On Feb. 4, 2017,” noted Rep. Pearce, “a woman tragically died at SWWO facilities after receiving a late-term abortion. This raises more questions about the reckless behavior of the SWWO. In 2016 alone,” he wrote, “the National Abortion Federation reportedly referred more than 200 Texas patients to New Mexico for abortion-related procedures. With hundreds of women flocking to New Mexico to receive these dangerous procedures, something must be done.

“We formally request your office conduct an investigation on UNMHSC and SWWO practices related to the Panel’s findings and the unfortunate tragedy mentioned above. We also ask that your office prosecutes, to the fullest extent of the law, any violations that are uncovered. It is entirely unacceptable,” wrote Mr. Pearce, “for these institutions to continually violate 42 US Code 289g-2 as well as other state and federal laws, especially in light of the interstate commerce that is generated from these abortions and the research that is conducted with the subsequent fetal tissue.”

Readers who wish to reinforce Rep. Pearce’s request to the Attorney General may contact Mr. Sessions via the Justice Dept.’s online communication form at https://www.justice.gov/doj/webform/your-message-department-justice.

Cecile Steps in It

MAYBE IT WAS HER EXTRA PRIDE in landing the Lasker-Bloomberg Public Service Award for, reports Dave Andrusko in National Right to Life News Today, Planned Parenthood’s “‘100-year history of advancing reproductive health and rights and advocating for greater access to health care for all people.’”

Maybe it was just, well, the way she is.

But in either case, Planned Parenthood CEO Cecile Richards really stepped in it when she reacted to the expiration early this month of Pres. Barack Obama’s amnesty order for youthful illegal aliens.

We refer to an excerpt from a fundraising e-mail sent to supporters by Ms. Richards in supposed alarm over the “DACA” sunset. Believe it or not, she said, quoted by Fr. Mark Hodges in LifeSiteNews.com: “‘At Planned Parenthood, we firmly believe that every person has the right to live, work and raise a family freely.’” The right to live, eh? For every person. Sure.

The Daily Caller and other conservative media,” writes Fr. Hodges, “called out [Ms.] Richards. The Daily Caller’s Jim Treacher responded that Richards believes everyone has the right to live, ‘that is, assuming a person’s destiny and body haven’t already been torn to pieces by Planned Parenthood. If their extremities haven’t been separated by an abortionist. If they haven’t been killed and sold off for parts. …

“‘If you’re reading this,’” concluded Mr. Treacher, quoted by Fr. Hodges, “‘I’m glad your brains haven’t been sucked out of your skull and your body dismembered so people like Cecile Richards can make some money.’”

And Brandon Morse, writing on the Red State Internet blog, declared, reports Fr. Hodges, “‘Right to live? Tell that to the 300,000 unborn babies whose lives Planned Parenthood snuffs out every year.’ … He pointed out,” notes Fr. Hodges, “that Planned Parenthood ‘has a long history of preying on minorities to sell abortions,’ … opin[ing] that Planned Parenthood’s only concern for young immigrants is to keep them here ‘so it can sell them abortions down the road. … Richards can freely say she values life as she takes it hundreds of times a day,’ [Mr.] Morse concluded,” reports Fr. Hodges.

Here are a few other comments, quoted by Fr. Hodges from various Twitter writers: “‘So lemme get this straight. … The Head Ghoul of Planned Infanticide refers to something other than baby-murdering [as] “cruel and unacceptable”?’” Or this one, from a contributor called “Twitchy”: “Richards’ ‘right to live’ declaration was ‘like PETA endorsing bacon!’” Or from someone calling himself “Gingeriffic”: “‘The lack of self-awareness here is incredible.’”

It appears the “awareness” of Planned Parenthood’s true nature in the minds of the public is growing. Amen.

Getting Down to Business? Ever?

WE HOPE THE U.S. HOUSE WILL SOON CONSIDER HR-3280, the Financial Services Appropriation measure which emerged from committee in mid-July. Though appropriations for Fiscal Year 2018 have been jumpstarted by a hurricane-relief deal which prompted passage of a Continuing Resolution to fund the US government until mid-December, we continue to hope that serious deliberation on government spending will occur on regular appropriations bills before that resolution expires.

According to a report in National Right to Life News Today, the Financial Services spending measure, HR-3280, emerged from the Appropriations Committee with significant pro-life provisions riding in its text, prompting NRL/NT to state that HR-3280 “serves as a strong pro-life starting point for negotiations with the House and Senate.

“The House appropriations bill,” notes NRL/NT, “carries a significant amount of excellent pro-life language. In addition to continuing, longstanding riders like the Hyde [Amendment], which prohibits federal Medicaid dollars [from] paying for elective abortion, there are several new pro-life policies that would change current law if enacted.”

Included is “a provision based on the Conscience Protection Act,” notes NRL/NT. “The Conscience Protection Act would prohibit any level of government from mandating that healthcare providers participate in abortion. It would protect doctors, nurses, hospitals and health plans (and employers who purchase the plans). … [And], the language empowers those who are affected by abortion mandates to file private lawsuits in federal courts – without the need for intervention by the pro-abortion activists who draw paychecks at the federal Dept. of Health & Human Services.”

Also included is a provision, notes NRL/NT, that “would prevent funding for fetal tissue research from induced abortion.

“An additional provision would nullify DC’s dangerous and recently enacted assisted suicide law,” an action which Congress can constitutionally take because of the unique position of the District of Columbia as the seat of our national government. DC Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D), who is granted certain privileges under House rules despite not being an elected Member of Congress, is expected to offer various amendments on the House floor, should HR-3280 arrive on the calendar, to uphold various DC government actions undermining the right to life.

According to NRL’s legislation department, Rep. Gary Palmer (R-AL) is expected to offer an amendment which would “curb implementation,” reports NRL/NT, “of the Reproductive Health Nondiscrimination Act” adopted by the DC government to force pro-life DC-based employers to hire pro-abortion staff.

Good News from New York!

THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK RECENTLY UPHELD the state’s law against abetted suicide, reports Gary Bauer in his Sept. 8 memo to supporters of his Campaign for Working Families.

“In a unanimous decision,” reports Mr. Bauer, “the court declared: ‘We reject plaintiffs’ argument that an individual has a fundamental constitutional right to aid-in-dying as they define it. … We also reject plaintiffs’ assertion that the State’s prohibition on assisted suicide is not rationally related to legitimate state interests. … The State also has a significant interest,’” wrote the Court, “‘in preserving life and preventing suicide, a serious public health problem.’”

Conservative Judicial Nominees at Risk

Sept. 6, 2017, commentary by Reagan domestic policy chief Gary Bauer in memo to his Campaign for Working Families

            Restoring balance to the judiciary is a critically important issue to men and women of faith. In fact, one of the main reasons why millions of values voters supported Donald Trump last year was because they did not want Hillary Clinton replacing Justice Antonin Scalia, thereby tipping the balance on the Supreme Court and cementing the Left’s stranglehold over our federal courts. The courts are the primary battlefield of today’s culture war.

            Thanks to former Democrat Leader Harry Reid, the filibuster is no longer a mortal threat to judicial nominations. However, the Left isn’t giving up without a fight.  Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) announced yesterday that he was blocking Pres. Trump’s nomination of Minnesota Supreme Court Justice David Stras to the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals. While Franken can’t filibuster, he is refusing to return his “blue slip.”

            The “blue slip” is not a formal rule of the Senate. It is merely one of the Senate’s traditions that allows Senators some influence on judges nominated from their states. Refusing to return the “blue slip” is like an informal filibuster that has been used in the past to defeat judicial nominations

            Majority Leader Mitch McConnell [R-KY] and his Republican colleagues are going to have to decide what they care about more: Senate traditions or restoring balance to our courts. Ultimately, these blue-slip battles may decide who prevails in America’s culture war, whether religious liberty and our Second Amendment rights are preserved or lost. That is not a close call.

And excerpts from Sept. 8, 2017, memo by Mr. Bauer

            … During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing this week, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) berated Notre Dame Law School Prof. Amy Coney Barrett, saying, “When you read your speeches, the conclusion one draws is that the dogma lives loudly within you, and that’s of concern … .”

            Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL) asked Prof. Barrett, “Do you consider yourself an orthodox Catholic?” Barrett, who clerked for Justice Antonin Scalia, answered by saying that she was a faithful Catholic.” [She is a judicial nominee.]

            Sen. Al Franken [D-MN] questioned Barrett’s judgment for speaking to the Alliance Defending Freedom, a Christian legal defense organization. Citing claims by the discredited Southern Poverty Law Center, Franken slandered ADF as a “hate group,” and by extension accused Prof. Barrett of being a bigot.

Urgent Business

Sept. 6, 2017, Washington Update commentary by Family Research Council president Tony Perkins

            If seven months wasn’t enough time for Congress to repeal ObamaCare, then getting it done in 24 days would take a minor miracle. And while conservatives are more than willing to hope for one, they’re also setting their sights on the next window to take down the law that’s costing Americans a lot more than dollars. While Senate leaders scramble for a quick fix to one of the country’s biggest problems, pro-life groups are reminding Members that the Reconciliation bill is also the nation’s best chance of defunding Planned Parenthood.

            “This Republican pro-life Congress made a promise to American voters to stop taxpayer funding for the largest abortion chain in the nation, Planned Parenthood. It is now well past time to deliver on that promise. … While many important pro-life legislative initiatives face the hurdle of requiring a super majority to avoid a filibuster in the Senate, it only takes a simple majority to stop the taxpayer subsidies to Planned Parenthood through a budget reconciliation bill. … We urge you to revisit the FY2017 Reconciliation bill immediately and find consensus on a bill that takes Planned Parenthood off the federal Medicaid dole and offers women comprehensive alternatives.” Doing anything less, the groups warn, “brings into question whether this Congress can truly be called the pro-life Congress.” Rhetoric, they insist, “must be translated into law.”

            For now, the biggest obstacle – apart from the GOP’s own differences – is the clock. Over the August recess, the Senate parliamentarian confirmed that time is ticking on Republican leaders to get a deal done on the legislation before Sept. 30. Once the calendar flips, Congress will be back at square one: forced to move the FY2018 budget bill just to open the door to a new Reconciliation process. In other words, if leadership can’t get its act together to pass something by the end of the month, it can always be added to the coming year’s.

            Unfortunately, not every unborn child has the time to spare. The longer the Senate waits to gut ObamaCare and make deep cuts to Planned Parenthood’s funding, the more innocent lives are at risk. Cecile Richards’s group took the lives of 328,348 unborn children last year. That’s 900 lives snuffed out before their first breath every single day by one taxpayer-funded abortion chain. We join with SBA List, March for Life and others in declaring that the time for results is now. Lives, very literally, depend on it.

ObamaCare ‘Reform’ to be Revived?

Sept. 13, 2017, commentary by Reagan domestic policy chief Gary Bauer in memo to his Campaign for Working Families

            It’s a big day for healthcare reform headlines. Here’s a brief review:

            Senate Republicans are considering a last-minute, longshot attempt to revamp ObamaCare. The plan is based on an idea by Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) to essentially turn over the management of ObamaCare to the states. It is not at all clear whether the Graham/Cassidy bill has enough GOP support to pass the Senate. But time is running out. The reconciliation authority that would permit an ObamaCare reform bill to pass with a simple majority vote expires at the end of the month. Something has to be done.

            In testimony before the Senate yesterday, healthcare expert Avik Roy warned that ObamaCare is currently experiencing “a partial actuarial death spiral.” If Republicans can’t get their act together, bigger and more expensive government may be in our future.

            Senate progressives, led by Vermont socialist Bernie Sanders, offered their vision of healthcare reform today – “Medicare for All.” It’s a full-blown, single-payer government-run nightmare. In 2013, not a single Senate Democrat co-sponsored Bernie’s bill. Today, at least 16 Democrats are publicly expressing their support.

            Let me remind you, friends, that the leftwing Washington Post editorial board recently conceded that “the government’s price tag [for single-payer healthcare] would be astonishing.” Several states, including California and Vermont, abandoned single-payer efforts due to the “astonishing” costs and tax hikes involved. Nevertheless, this appears to be the direction the progressive left is headed.