Abby Johnson

Congressman who cited 'The Onion' to Attack Planned Parenthood promoted another Deceptive Planned Parenthood Smear

Submitted by Brian Tashman on Monday, 2/6/2012 5:00 pm

Following in the footsteps of Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ), Congressman John Fleming (R-LA) used bogus information to attack Planned Parenthood. On his Facebook page, the congressman cited an article from the satirical newspaper The Onion, ‘Planned Parenthood Opens $8 Billion Abortionplex,’ to criticize the women’s health group.

While the congressman has since scrubbed the post from his Facebook page, he still is promoting an article from the conspiratorial far-right site WorldNetDaily to claim that Planned Parenthood has abortion quotas. In the story, WND cited Abby Johnson, a former Planned Parenthood staffer turned anti-choice activist who has made similar charges before that Planned Parenthood is trying to “coerce” and “encourage” women to have abortions. However, Johnson isn’t exactly a trustworthy source, as her stated story on why she left Planned Parenthood completely lacks credibility:

Johnson’s departure from Planned Parenthood turned out to be a more complex story than it first appeared. At a court hearing for an injunction sought by Planned Parenthood to prevent Johnson from divulging confidential information to her new allies, two of Johnson’s former co-workers testified that she told them in the days before she resigned that she was afraid she was about to be fired. At one time, Johnson, who was named the regional Planned Parenthood affiliate’s employee of the year in 2008, seemed to have a promising future with the organization. By mid-2009, however, her relationship with her employer had begun to deteriorate. Salon reported that on October 2, Johnson was summoned to Houston to meet with her supervisors to discuss problems with her job performance. She was placed on what Planned Parenthood calls a “performance improvement plan.” It was just three days later, on Monday, that Johnson made her tearful appearance at the Coalition for Life. The following day she faxed Planned Parenthood a resignation letter, which mentioned nothing about a crisis of conscience.

...

Other questions about Johnson’s credibility arose during our interview. She told me, for example, that there had never been any threats of violence against the Bryan clinic; however, Johnson herself received a series of threatening letters in 2007. “God will punish you for killing the innocent or we will,” read one. “You are not taking us seriously. You were at the clinic alone. Not very smart,” read another. In fact, the threats were taken so seriously that security cameras were installed at Johnson’s house, as she later acknowledged. Johnson also claimed that while most services at Planned Parenthood were provided by a nonprofit corporation, abortions were done by a for-profit corporation. Both she and Carney seemed to sincerely believe this was true, though all services at Planned Parenthood are, in fact, provided by a pair of separate nonprofit corporations.

As confounding as these inconsistencies are, there may be a much larger problem with Johnson’s story. Johnson has told the story of her journey from pro-choice activist to pro-life celebrity many times in many venues, and the crux of the tale is always the same: her moving description of what she saw on the ultrasound that September day in the Bryan clinic’s operating room ... Johnson’s account is so plausible and rich in detail that even Planned Parenthood seems not to have investigated whether this event ever took place. At my request, the staff at the Bryan clinic examined patient records from September 26, the day Johnson claims to have had her conversion experience, and spoke with the physician who performed abortions on that date. According to Planned Parenthood, there is no record of an ultrasound-guided abortion performed on September 26. The physician on duty told the organization that he did not use an ultrasound that day, nor did Johnson assist on any abortion procedure. “Planned Parenthood can assure you that no abortion patients underwent an ultrasound-guided abortion on September 26,” said a spokesperson. It’s difficult to imagine that Johnson simply got the date wrong; September 12 was the only other day that month that the clinic performed surgical abortions.

Could clinic staff and the physician be mistaken? The Texas Department of State Health Services requires abortion providers to fill out a form documenting basic information about each procedure performed at a clinic. This document is known as the Induced Abortion Report Form. The Bryan clinic reported performing fifteen surgical abortions on September 26. Johnson has consistently said that the patient in question was thirteen weeks pregnant, which is plausible, since thirteen weeks is right at the cusp of when physicians will consider using an ultrasound to assist with the procedure. Yet none of the patients listed on the report for that day were thirteen weeks pregnant; in fact, none were beyond ten weeks.

Right Wing Round-Up

Submitted by Kyle Mantyla on Friday, 9/30/2011 5:46 pm

Right Wing Round-Up

Submitted by Kyle Mantyla on Wednesday, 6/22/2011 6:03 pm

Right Wing Leftovers

Submitted by Brian Tashman on Tuesday, 6/21/2011 5:36 pm
  • Matt Barber of Liberty Counsel thinks People For the American Way and other members of the “intolerant left” are going to purge religion from the US.

Focus On The Family Wants To Turn Abby Johnson's (Doubtful) Story Into A Movie

Submitted by Brian Tashman on Thursday, 5/12/2011 4:41 pm

Jim Daly, the president of Focus on the Family, thinks that the Hallmark Channel should make a movie about Abby Johnson, the Planned Parenthood clinic worker turned anti-choice leader. Johnson, who now works with Lila Rose’s Live Action, has received plaudits (and earnings) from Religious Right activists for her book deal and speaking tour. At the center of Johnson’s experience is a purported account where she saw a fetus on the ultrasound machine move away from the doctor during an abortion, and she abruptly quit and joined a 40 Days for Life protest outside the clinic.

While Daly says that nobody “has ever questioned her haunting description,” it is quite likely that the event never happened.

Nate Blakeslee Texas Monthly found out that on the day Johnson claims to have assisted the doctor with an abortion, the “physician on duty told the organization that he did not use an ultrasound that day, nor did Johnson assist on any abortion procedure.” The only time he used an ultrasound that month was two weeks prior.

The exposé also discovered that the details of Johnson’s story simply don’t add up with the official records the clinic presented to the state of Texas’s Health Services Department: “Johnson has consistently said that the patient in question was thirteen weeks pregnant, which is plausible, since thirteen weeks is right at the cusp of when physicians will consider using an ultrasound to assist with the procedure. Yet none of the patients listed on the report for that day were thirteen weeks pregnant; in fact, none were beyond ten weeks.”

Johnson claims that the woman undergoing the abortion was black, but the only black woman who had an abortion at Planned Parenthood that day “was in the sixth week of her pregnancy. There would be no medical reason for a doctor to use an ultrasound to guide an abortion performed on a woman at such an early stage. Even if one was used, it’s hard to imagine how Johnson, who said she has seen hundreds of ultrasound pictures in her career, could mistake a one-quarter-inch-long embryo for a three-inch, thirteen-week fetus.”

But while Johnson appears to have manufactured her conversion story, Daly believes that Johnson can motivate other Planned Parenthood clinic employees to quit their jobs:

If the producers of Hallmark Hall of Fame were looking for a thoughtful script that both inspires and convicts, they needn’t look any further than the story of Abby Johnson.

…

Abby’s decision was met with scorn and suspicion from abortion activists, with some even accusing her of a “cover-up” to conceal the real reason behind her resignation and orchestrating a campaign of half-truths to embarrass her former employer.

Nobody, however, has ever questioned her haunting description of a baby’s reaction when he or she is about to be aborted.

…

As such, please join me in praying that more Planned Parenthood workers will, like Abby, come forward and publicly resign from their positions. We will continue to utilize every legal means at our disposal to help overturn Roe vs. Wade, as we continue to work to change hearts and minds about abortion. At the same time, can you imagine the magnitude of the practical impact should more Planned Parenthood employees turn from supporting death to promoting life?

Flashback: Abby Johnson’s Suspicious "Conversion" To The Anti-Choice Movement

Submitted by Brian Tashman on Monday, 3/28/2011 11:03 am

As part of their campaign to defund Planned Parenthood, the Susan B. Anthony List is running television advertisements featuring Abby Johnson, a former Planned Parenthood staffer now with Lila Rose’s LiveAction group. As RWW previously reported, Johnson baselessly asserted that Planned Parenthood has abortion “quotas” and requires their staff to “coerce” women and minors into having abortions:

In addition, the Texas Monthly poked numerous holes in Johnson’s story:

Johnson’s departure from Planned Parenthood turned out to be a more complex story than it first appeared. At a court hearing for an injunction sought by Planned Parenthood to prevent Johnson from divulging confidential information to her new allies, two of Johnson’s former co-workers testified that she told them in the days before she resigned that she was afraid she was about to be fired. At one time, Johnson, who was named the regional Planned Parenthood affiliate’s employee of the year in 2008, seemed to have a promising future with the organization. By mid-2009, however, her relationship with her employer had begun to deteriorate. Salon reported that on October 2, Johnson was summoned to Houston to meet with her supervisors to discuss problems with her job performance. She was placed on what Planned Parenthood calls a “performance improvement plan.” It was just three days later, on Monday, that Johnson made her tearful appearance at the Coalition for Life. The following day she faxed Planned Parenthood a resignation letter, which mentioned nothing about a crisis of conscience.

...

Other questions about Johnson’s credibility arose during our interview. She told me, for example, that there had never been any threats of violence against the Bryan clinic; however, Johnson herself received a series of threatening letters in 2007. “God will punish you for killing the innocent or we will,” read one. “You are not taking us seriously. You were at the clinic alone. Not very smart,” read another. In fact, the threats were taken so seriously that security cameras were installed at Johnson’s house, as she later acknowledged. Johnson also claimed that while most services at Planned Parenthood were provided by a nonprofit corporation, abortions were done by a for-profit corporation. Both she and Carney seemed to sincerely believe this was true, though all services at Planned Parenthood are, in fact, provided by a pair of separate nonprofit corporations.

As confounding as these inconsistencies are, there may be a much larger problem with Johnson’s story. Johnson has told the story of her journey from pro-choice activist to pro-life celebrity many times in many venues, and the crux of the tale is always the same: her moving description of what she saw on the ultrasound that September day in the Bryan clinic’s operating room ... Johnson’s account is so plausible and rich in detail that even Planned Parenthood seems not to have investigated whether this event ever took place. At my request, the staff at the Bryan clinic examined patient records from September 26, the day Johnson claims to have had her conversion experience, and spoke with the physician who performed abortions on that date. According to Planned Parenthood, there is no record of an ultrasound-guided abortion performed on September 26. The physician on duty told the organization that he did not use an ultrasound that day, nor did Johnson assist on any abortion procedure. “Planned Parenthood can assure you that no abortion patients underwent an ultrasound-guided abortion on September 26,” said a spokesperson. It’s difficult to imagine that Johnson simply got the date wrong; September 12 was the only other day that month that the clinic performed surgical abortions.

Could clinic staff and the physician be mistaken? The Texas Department of State Health Services requires abortion providers to fill out a form documenting basic information about each procedure performed at a clinic. This document is known as the Induced Abortion Report Form. The Bryan clinic reported performing fifteen surgical abortions on September 26. Johnson has consistently said that the patient in question was thirteen weeks pregnant, which is plausible, since thirteen weeks is right at the cusp of when physicians will consider using an ultrasound to assist with the procedure. Yet none of the patients listed on the report for that day were thirteen weeks pregnant; in fact, none were beyond ten weeks.

Right Wing Leftovers

Submitted by Kyle Mantyla on Thursday, 3/3/2011 6:39 pm
  • Mike Huckabee is holding a Facebook fundraiser seeking donations from those who "support traditional marriage and disagree with Pres. Obama's decision to stop defending the Defense of Marriage Act."

  • Rick Santorum wants to know why he and Newt Gingrich were suspended from Fox but Mike Huckabee and Sarah Palin were not.  That is a good question.

  • Maggie Gallagher reacts to the Supreme Court's Westboro Baptist decision by declaring that "the Constitution is not a suicide pact." I have no idea what she is talking about.

  • Ed Meese will receive the 2011 Vision and Leadership Award at the Values Voter Summit.

  • Abby Johnson is challenging Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards to a public debate. I challenge Johnson to come clean about the real reason for her departure from the organization.

  • Bryan Fischer longs for the good old days when blasphemy was illegal.

  • Finally, here is Janet Porter-approved footage of her "Heartbeat Bill" stunt:

Right Wing Leftovers

Submitted by Kyle Mantyla on Wednesday, 2/16/2011 6:41 pm
  • Focus on the Family has delivered 45,000 petitions to Speaker John Boehner seeking action on their right-wing agenda.

  • Rick Santorum admits that he has a Google problem.

  • Linda Harvey says "Homosexuality is a huge issue. If [Sarah] Palin doesn't get this, she is just as incapable of leadership as she is being painted by incensed lefty bloggers."

  • What a surprise: Abby Johnson joins Lila Rose and Live Action.

  • I'm still confused: when does Bryan Fischer represent AFA and when does he not?

  • Finally, the quote of the day from Gary Bauer: "It was irresponsible for CBS to send an American woman into the anarchy in Cairo. As evil as the rapists were, their attack should not be a surprise. Everywhere radical Islamists are in control, 'infidel' women are not safe ... Multiculturalism is 'raping' the West."

Lila Rose Is "The Upton Sinclair Of This Generation"

Submitted by Kyle Mantyla on Friday, 2/4/2011 2:18 pm

Last night, anti-choice leaders gathered together for a webcast organized around Live Action's latest video hoax attacks on Planned Parenthood and it was pretty much just an hour of Religious Right leaders and Rep. Mike Pence calling for a defunding of Planned Parenthood.

But there were a few interesting points, like when Abby Johnson, a former Planned Parenthood employee who - when she feared she was going to be fired - decided to rebrand herself as an convert to the anti-choice movement, claiming that Planned Parenthood staffers are "required" to coerce women, especially minors, into having abortions to meet their "quotas":

Later, Wendy Wright of Concerned Women for America and Charmaine Yoest of Americans United for Life joined the webcast via Skype, during which Yoest declared Live Actions' Lila Rose to be "the Upton Sinclair of this generation":

Lila Rose Is "The Upton Sinclair Of This Generation"

Submitted by Kyle Mantyla on Friday, 2/4/2011 2:18 pm

Last night, anti-choice leaders gathered together for a webcast organized around Live Action's latest video hoax attacks on Planned Parenthood and it was pretty much just an hour of Religious Right leaders and Rep. Mike Pence calling for a defunding of Planned Parenthood.

But there were a few interesting points, like when Abby Johnson, a former Planned Parenthood employee who - when she feared she was going to be fired - decided to rebrand herself as an convert to the anti-choice movement, claiming that Planned Parenthood staffers are "required" to coerce women, especially minors, into having abortions to meet their "quotas":

Later, Wendy Wright of Concerned Women for America and Charmaine Yoest of Americans United for Life joined the webcast via Skype, during which Yoest declared Live Actions' Lila Rose to be "the Upton Sinclair of this generation":

Live Action Video Just The Beginning of Religious Right's Latest Attack on Planned Parenthood

Submitted by Kyle Mantyla on Wednesday, 2/2/2011 11:54 am

Within hours of the release of Lila Rose's latest hoax video attack on Planned Parenthood, Religious Right anti-choice leaders had already lined-up in support and began using it to demand that the organization be de-funded.

Taking down Planned Parenthood has been a primary goal of the Religious Right for years and it looks like plans have been in the works to exploiting this latest video for some time now, because these same leaders have already launched a new effort called Expose Planned Parenthood complete with its own website:

Anti-abortion groups will launch today an aggressive campaign aiming to strip Planned Parenthood of its federal funding.

A new website, Expose Planned Parenthood, went live late Tuesday backed by a coalition of national and local anti-abortion groups. The website, previewed exclusively to POLITICO, will serve as a hub for the movement’s efforts to bar Planned Parenthood from receiving any federal funds.

...

The new anti-Planned Parenthood campaign, led by Susan B. Anthony List and Live Action, also includes Concerned Women for America, Americans United for Life, 40 Days for Life, Students for Life, the Family Research Council, and New Jersey Right to Life.

“If there is a point where we can say ‘this is too much,’ this is it,” Susan B. Anthony List president Marjorie Dannenfelser told POLITICO. “Contributing to a group willing to be a chief ally in the exploitation of women and girls is indeed too much. Taxpayer support of Planned Parenthood is just that.”

The site hosts an online action center where anti-abortion activists can lobby their members of Congress to support Rep. Mike Pence’s (R-Ind.) Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act, which would strip the group of federal funding. The outreach campaign will ask activists to lobby members through emails, letters to the editor and letters to local Congressional offices.

And these same leaders are all joining together for a webcast tomorrow to be hosted by the Family Research Council:

A new undercover sting operation shows abortion giant Planned Parenthood's willingness to exploit the victims of child prostitution.

Shocking undercover video footage reveals a Planned Parenthood clinic manager assuring a pimp that the clinic would secretly offer full access to abortions and other services -- despite knowing full well that the girls were underage victims.

To respond swiftly to this crisis -- and to take decisive action to strip Planned Parenthood of all taxpayer funding -- the pro-life movement is uniting this THURSDAY NIGHT on a nationwide webcast ... and your attendance is critical!

Register today for our webcast and you'll be among the first to see the disturbing undercover video footage -- that already has Planned Parenthood in panic mode -- and you'll learn how YOU can take action to help defund Planned Parenthood, which received more than $363 million in taxpayer dollars over the last year

FRC Action President Tony Perkins will be joined by Lila Rose, president of Live Action. Lila will show the video footage, explain the specifics of the sting operation, and detail Planned Parenthood's inexcusable actions.

Joining the Webcast will be top pro-life leaders, including:

* LILA ROSE, Live Action
* MARJORIE DANNENFELSER, Susan B. Anthony List
* TONY PERKINS, Family Research Council
* DAVID BEREIT, 40 Days for Life
* ABBY JOHNSON, Former Planned Parenthood Director, Now Pro-Life Activist and Author
* DR. ALVEDA KING, Priests for Life
* WENDY WRIGHT, Concerned Women for America
* CHARMAINE YOEST, Americans United for Life
* STEVE WAGNER, The Renewal Forum
* KRISTAN HAWKINS, Students for Life of America

Amazing, isn't it, how in less than 24 hours after the release of this video, the Religious Right had already unified behind a press release, created a website, and coordinated a webcast. 

Live Action Video Just The Beginning of Religious Right's Latest Attack on Planned Parenthood

Submitted by Kyle Mantyla on Wednesday, 2/2/2011 11:54 am

Within hours of the release of Lila Rose's latest hoax video attack on Planned Parenthood, Religious Right anti-choice leaders had already lined-up in support and began using it to demand that the organization be de-funded.

Taking down Planned Parenthood has been a primary goal of the Religious Right for years and it looks like plans have been in the works to exploiting this latest video for some time now, because these same leaders have already launched a new effort called Expose Planned Parenthood complete with its own website:

Anti-abortion groups will launch today an aggressive campaign aiming to strip Planned Parenthood of its federal funding.

A new website, Expose Planned Parenthood, went live late Tuesday backed by a coalition of national and local anti-abortion groups. The website, previewed exclusively to POLITICO, will serve as a hub for the movement’s efforts to bar Planned Parenthood from receiving any federal funds.

...

The new anti-Planned Parenthood campaign, led by Susan B. Anthony List and Live Action, also includes Concerned Women for America, Americans United for Life, 40 Days for Life, Students for Life, the Family Research Council, and New Jersey Right to Life.

“If there is a point where we can say ‘this is too much,’ this is it,” Susan B. Anthony List president Marjorie Dannenfelser told POLITICO. “Contributing to a group willing to be a chief ally in the exploitation of women and girls is indeed too much. Taxpayer support of Planned Parenthood is just that.”

The site hosts an online action center where anti-abortion activists can lobby their members of Congress to support Rep. Mike Pence’s (R-Ind.) Title X Abortion Provider Prohibition Act, which would strip the group of federal funding. The outreach campaign will ask activists to lobby members through emails, letters to the editor and letters to local Congressional offices.

And these same leaders are all joining together for a webcast tomorrow to be hosted by the Family Research Council:

A new undercover sting operation shows abortion giant Planned Parenthood's willingness to exploit the victims of child prostitution.

Shocking undercover video footage reveals a Planned Parenthood clinic manager assuring a pimp that the clinic would secretly offer full access to abortions and other services -- despite knowing full well that the girls were underage victims.

To respond swiftly to this crisis -- and to take decisive action to strip Planned Parenthood of all taxpayer funding -- the pro-life movement is uniting this THURSDAY NIGHT on a nationwide webcast ... and your attendance is critical!

Register today for our webcast and you'll be among the first to see the disturbing undercover video footage -- that already has Planned Parenthood in panic mode -- and you'll learn how YOU can take action to help defund Planned Parenthood, which received more than $363 million in taxpayer dollars over the last year

FRC Action President Tony Perkins will be joined by Lila Rose, president of Live Action. Lila will show the video footage, explain the specifics of the sting operation, and detail Planned Parenthood's inexcusable actions.

Joining the Webcast will be top pro-life leaders, including:

* LILA ROSE, Live Action
* MARJORIE DANNENFELSER, Susan B. Anthony List
* TONY PERKINS, Family Research Council
* DAVID BEREIT, 40 Days for Life
* ABBY JOHNSON, Former Planned Parenthood Director, Now Pro-Life Activist and Author
* DR. ALVEDA KING, Priests for Life
* WENDY WRIGHT, Concerned Women for America
* CHARMAINE YOEST, Americans United for Life
* STEVE WAGNER, The Renewal Forum
* KRISTAN HAWKINS, Students for Life of America

Amazing, isn't it, how in less than 24 hours after the release of this video, the Religious Right had already unified behind a press release, created a website, and coordinated a webcast. 

Religious Right Leaders Rush To Embrace Hoax Video Attack on Planned Parenthood

Submitted by Kyle Mantyla on Tuesday, 2/1/2011 2:27 pm

As Brian noted earlier, Live Action has finally gotten around to releasing its hoax video attack on Planned Parenthood, despite the fact that Planned Parenthood had already reported the "potential sex trafficking" to law enforcement officials.

And despite the fact that Live Action's Lila Rose got her start working with James O'Keefe and that this new video heavily resembles O'Keefe's own notorious ACORN smear job, Religious Right are already lining-up behind Rose and using the video as an excuse to attack Planned Parenthood:

Marjorie Dannenfelser - President, Susan B. Anthony List

"The exploitive roots and track record of Planned Parenthood is a largely untold story that now cannot be ignored. The horror of the logic behind Planned Parenthood's founding has come to roost in this modern form: it is the primary partner of those who degrade and exploit women. The exploitation of women by men through abortion was vehemently rejected by the early feminists. Yet today's footage and the unbroken trail of like evidence is a natural extension of founder eugenicist Margaret Sanger's worldview, who saw vulnerable citizens like African-Americans, the poor, and immigrants as 'human weeds' and 'reckless breeders.' She believed 'the most merciful thing a large family does to one of its infants is to kill it.' Certainly, this is not a heritage that embraces the intrinsic value of every human being. The unbroken chain of examples of such exploitation is appalling, and to further the injustice, this organization insists that it deserves the continued support of taxpayers. The moment for taxpayers to reject their compulsory involvement in Planned Parenthood has arrived. If it stays in business at all, it should do so on its own dime."

Abby Johnson - Former Planned Parenthood Clinic Director turned Pro-Life Advocate, Author of Unplanned

"As a former Planned Parenthood director, it is not surprising to me that this organization would protect individuals involved in sex trafficking. It actually seems like a natural fit. Planned Parenthood is involved in the violent killing of children and has no regard for life. People who traffic these young women for sex have no regard for their lives and are often involved in violent crimes. As someone who has witnessed this connection first hand as a clinic worker, I am so thankful Planned Parenthood's connection to this industry is being exposed."

Marie Tasy - Executive Director, New Jersey Right to Life

"New Jersey taxpayers and every state and federal elected official and law enforcement agency throughout this country should be outraged that an organization claiming to conduct 'extensive community outreach' has been caught on tape doing everything in its power to conceal the sexual abuse and exploitation of girls as young as 14. When Planned Parenthood says they provide 'family planning' services and brags that 'we welcome everyone -- regardless of race, age, income, sexual orientation, or disability,' what they really mean is that they're willing to make money on anyone, even child sex slaves."

Tony Perkins - President, Family Research Council

"Planned Parenthood has again proven that they are nothing more than a money-grabbing and highly corrupt abortion organization that will conceal a crime as disgusting as child prostitution -- and ensure that it quietly continues. Americans work too hard for their dollars to fund an organization this devoid of concern for young women and basic decency, much less to the tune of $350 million a year."

Dr. Charmaine Yoest - President & CEO, Americans United for Life

"This video will help Americans see the appalling truth behind Planned Parenthood's glossy public relations machine. The world's largest abortion provider poses as the defender of women's health in the glare of the spotlight. But when real women enter their doors, only money matters. We must make defunding Planned Parenthood a national priority: not one tax dollar should be given to fuel the abortion industry. Americans United for Life is proud to stand with Lila Rose and Live Action in their courageous work exposing the threat to women posed by the abortion industry and Planned Parenthood."

Wendy Wright - CEO, Concerned Women for America

"Sex traffickers will take their victims to abortionists to end pregnancies or test for sexually transmitted diseases in order to keep their victims usable for sale. Planned Parenthood has apparently realized this, and that they could make not only one sale, but repeat sales. Medical professionals are on the front lines to detect a sex trafficking victim and are duty-bound to rescue the victims. Imagine the crushing despair of a trafficking victim, taken outside the shadows to a 'respectable' government-funded health care provider, only to learn that they are partnering with the trafficker to assist his illegal abuse. This latest tape confirms that Planned Parenthood continues to partner with abusing men against the women and girls they claim to serve. Congress and state governments need to quit funding Planned Parenthood and their corrupt practices that abuse women."

David Bereit - National Campaign Director, 40 Days for Life

"As the father of a young girl, I cannot imagine any parent trusting Planned Parenthood with their daughter after watching this shocking and disturbing video. The revelation that a Planned Parenthood office is willing to aid and abet illegal trafficking of sex slaves -- to help line the pockets of pimps with cash -- raises the question: Who else is being exploited at Planned Parenthood's other 820 locations? This demands an immediate federal investigation for the sake of all our daughters, and -- at the very least -- Congress should freeze all taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood until the investigation is complete."

Kristan Hawkins - Executive Director, Students for Life of America

"This explosive video confirms what many of us in the pro-life movement have long suspected; that Planned Parenthood engages in practices that exploit women and underage girls in human sex trafficking and statutory rape. Now, thanks to this sting operation, we have the proof. Pro-Life students must share this video with their classmates, friends and teachers. Planned Parenthood can’t be trusted on -- or off -- campus."

Dr. Alveda King and Fr. Frank Pavone - Priests for Life

"Now we know that Planned Parenthood is not only targeting the abortion of black babies, but they are eager and willing to cover up the prostitution enslavement of young girls -- including minorities -- so long as they make money doing it. We must defund Planned Parenthood and their bogus claims of protecting women."

Religious Right Leaders Rush To Embrace Hoax Video Attack on Planned Parenthood

Submitted by Kyle Mantyla on Tuesday, 2/1/2011 2:27 pm

As Brian noted earlier, Live Action has finally gotten around to releasing its hoax video attack on Planned Parenthood, despite the fact that Planned Parenthood had already reported the "potential sex trafficking" to law enforcement officials.

And despite the fact that Live Action's Lila Rose got her start working with James O'Keefe and that this new video heavily resembles O'Keefe's own notorious ACORN smear job, Religious Right are already lining-up behind Rose and using the video as an excuse to attack Planned Parenthood:

Marjorie Dannenfelser - President, Susan B. Anthony List

"The exploitive roots and track record of Planned Parenthood is a largely untold story that now cannot be ignored. The horror of the logic behind Planned Parenthood's founding has come to roost in this modern form: it is the primary partner of those who degrade and exploit women. The exploitation of women by men through abortion was vehemently rejected by the early feminists. Yet today's footage and the unbroken trail of like evidence is a natural extension of founder eugenicist Margaret Sanger's worldview, who saw vulnerable citizens like African-Americans, the poor, and immigrants as 'human weeds' and 'reckless breeders.' She believed 'the most merciful thing a large family does to one of its infants is to kill it.' Certainly, this is not a heritage that embraces the intrinsic value of every human being. The unbroken chain of examples of such exploitation is appalling, and to further the injustice, this organization insists that it deserves the continued support of taxpayers. The moment for taxpayers to reject their compulsory involvement in Planned Parenthood has arrived. If it stays in business at all, it should do so on its own dime."

Abby Johnson - Former Planned Parenthood Clinic Director turned Pro-Life Advocate, Author of Unplanned

"As a former Planned Parenthood director, it is not surprising to me that this organization would protect individuals involved in sex trafficking. It actually seems like a natural fit. Planned Parenthood is involved in the violent killing of children and has no regard for life. People who traffic these young women for sex have no regard for their lives and are often involved in violent crimes. As someone who has witnessed this connection first hand as a clinic worker, I am so thankful Planned Parenthood's connection to this industry is being exposed."

Marie Tasy - Executive Director, New Jersey Right to Life

"New Jersey taxpayers and every state and federal elected official and law enforcement agency throughout this country should be outraged that an organization claiming to conduct 'extensive community outreach' has been caught on tape doing everything in its power to conceal the sexual abuse and exploitation of girls as young as 14. When Planned Parenthood says they provide 'family planning' services and brags that 'we welcome everyone -- regardless of race, age, income, sexual orientation, or disability,' what they really mean is that they're willing to make money on anyone, even child sex slaves."

Tony Perkins - President, Family Research Council

"Planned Parenthood has again proven that they are nothing more than a money-grabbing and highly corrupt abortion organization that will conceal a crime as disgusting as child prostitution -- and ensure that it quietly continues. Americans work too hard for their dollars to fund an organization this devoid of concern for young women and basic decency, much less to the tune of $350 million a year."

Dr. Charmaine Yoest - President & CEO, Americans United for Life

"This video will help Americans see the appalling truth behind Planned Parenthood's glossy public relations machine. The world's largest abortion provider poses as the defender of women's health in the glare of the spotlight. But when real women enter their doors, only money matters. We must make defunding Planned Parenthood a national priority: not one tax dollar should be given to fuel the abortion industry. Americans United for Life is proud to stand with Lila Rose and Live Action in their courageous work exposing the threat to women posed by the abortion industry and Planned Parenthood."

Wendy Wright - CEO, Concerned Women for America

"Sex traffickers will take their victims to abortionists to end pregnancies or test for sexually transmitted diseases in order to keep their victims usable for sale. Planned Parenthood has apparently realized this, and that they could make not only one sale, but repeat sales. Medical professionals are on the front lines to detect a sex trafficking victim and are duty-bound to rescue the victims. Imagine the crushing despair of a trafficking victim, taken outside the shadows to a 'respectable' government-funded health care provider, only to learn that they are partnering with the trafficker to assist his illegal abuse. This latest tape confirms that Planned Parenthood continues to partner with abusing men against the women and girls they claim to serve. Congress and state governments need to quit funding Planned Parenthood and their corrupt practices that abuse women."

David Bereit - National Campaign Director, 40 Days for Life

"As the father of a young girl, I cannot imagine any parent trusting Planned Parenthood with their daughter after watching this shocking and disturbing video. The revelation that a Planned Parenthood office is willing to aid and abet illegal trafficking of sex slaves -- to help line the pockets of pimps with cash -- raises the question: Who else is being exploited at Planned Parenthood's other 820 locations? This demands an immediate federal investigation for the sake of all our daughters, and -- at the very least -- Congress should freeze all taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood until the investigation is complete."

Kristan Hawkins - Executive Director, Students for Life of America

"This explosive video confirms what many of us in the pro-life movement have long suspected; that Planned Parenthood engages in practices that exploit women and underage girls in human sex trafficking and statutory rape. Now, thanks to this sting operation, we have the proof. Pro-Life students must share this video with their classmates, friends and teachers. Planned Parenthood can’t be trusted on -- or off -- campus."

Dr. Alveda King and Fr. Frank Pavone - Priests for Life

"Now we know that Planned Parenthood is not only targeting the abortion of black babies, but they are eager and willing to cover up the prostitution enslavement of young girls -- including minorities -- so long as they make money doing it. We must defund Planned Parenthood and their bogus claims of protecting women."

The Worst Saturday Activity Imaginable

Submitted by Kyle Mantyla on Wednesday, 7/7/2010 2:23 pm

Starting on Friday, I will be on vacation for a week ... and I have to say that it couldn't have come at a better time because the idea of spending ten hours of my Saturday watching an "Ending Abortion" webcast might have driven me over the edge:

Leaders representing more than 30 national and regional pro-life organizations will be part of an unprecedented 10-hour webcast conference this Saturday, July 10, from 10 am to 8 pm EDT ... The event will break the pro-life message up into ten different hour-long focused topics. Confirmed speakers include:

• CHARMAINE YOEST, Americans United for Life

• MARJORIE DANNENFELSER, Susan B. Anthony List

• KRISTAN HAWKINS, Students for Life

• TOM MCCLUSKY, Family Research Council

• WENDY WRIGHT, Concerned Women for America

• LOU ENGLE, The Call

• MARK CRUTCHER, Life Dynamics

• ABBY JOHNSON, former Planned Parenthood abortion center director

• ALVEDA KING, niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

• DR. TONY LEVATINO, former abortionist

• PEGGY HARTSHORN, Heartbeat International

• THERESA and KEVIN BURKE, Rachel's Vineyard

"The goal is to educate, equip, and empower pro-lifers to have a greater life-saving impact right where they live," said Bereit, adding that this first-ever event is designed to set the stage for greater involvement in local pro-life efforts this fall, including the next 40 Days for Life campaign, which runs from September 22 to October 31.

"A renewed groundswell of grassroots interest can also help make the pro-life issue of primary importance prior to this fall's elections," Bereit said.

For those gluttons for punishment out there, you can register to watch the event here.

Staver Available For Everything ... Except Lisa Miller Coverage

Submitted by Kyle Mantyla on Monday, 1/11/2010 3:15 pm

I have been keeping track of how long it takes Mat Staver or anyone at Liberty Counsel to make any comment about their star-client Lisa Miller's disappearance with her daughter (it has been ten days, now).  

While Miller and Liberty Counsel continually insist that Staver is "unavailable to comment" on the case, the fact is that he appears readily available for all sorts of other things, like appearing on Janet Porter's radio program last week or joining Lou Engle and other Religious Right leaders in Houston next week to protest a new Planned Parenthood facility:

Mat Staver is joining with other national leaders on Martin Luther King Jr. Day to protest Planned Parenthood's creation of the largest abortion clinic in America and the racist roots of the nation's largest abortion provider.

The event will begin January 18, 9:30 a.m., at 1949 Cullen Boulevard in Houston. The abortion clinic is a six-story high, 78,000-square-foot monstrosity set in the midst of four communities, of which 80% are minorities. Formerly a bank, the abortion clinic will be dedicated for late-term abortions and is scheduled to open in April.

The history of Planned Parenthood is repulsive. The genocide agenda of Margaret Sanger continues today through Planned Parenthood. On the memorial day of Martin Luther King Jr., we will gather to stand for life. African-American and Hispanic communities have been particularly hit hard by Planned Parenthood's genocide. The time has come for all who respect human dignity to stop the killing. Please pray that the this event will bring light to expose the dark agenda of Planned Parenthood.

...

Lou Engle of The Call to Conscience is the organizer of the event. Other nationwide leaders who will be present include Ken Blackwell of Conservative Action Project, Tony Perkins of Family Research Council, Rev. Samuel Rodriguez of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, Bishop Harry Jackson of High Impact Leadership Coalition, Star Parker of the Coalition for Urban Renewal & Education, Pastor Stephen Broden of Fair Park Bible Fellowship, Dr. Richard Land of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, and Abby Johnson, a former Planned Parenthood director.

Texas Monthly Examines Anti-Choice Activist's "Conversion"

Submitted by Kyle Mantyla on Thursday, 1/7/2010 5:54 pm

Abby Johnson has become quite the right-wing celebrity in recent months, ever since she left her position at Planned Parenthood and became an anti-choice activist. Since then, she's become a highly sought-after speaker, appeared on Mike Huckabee's television program and CBN, and will even be joining the likes of Lou Engle, Tony Perkins, Richard Land, Harry Jackson and others when the protest a Planned Parenthood facility in Houston later this month.

Well, a new article by Nate Blakeslee in Texas Monthly raises some doubts about Johnson's supposed "conversion":

Johnson’s departure from Planned Parenthood turned out to be a more complex story than it first appeared. At a court hearing for an injunction sought by Planned Parenthood to prevent Johnson from divulging confidential information to her new allies, two of Johnson’s former co-workers testified that she told them in the days before she resigned that she was afraid she was about to be fired. At one time, Johnson, who was named the regional Planned Parenthood affiliate’s employee of the year in 2008, seemed to have a promising future with the organization. By mid-2009, however, her relationship with her employer had begun to deteriorate. Salon reported that on October 2, Johnson was summoned to Houston to meet with her supervisors to discuss problems with her job performance. She was placed on what Planned Parenthood calls a “performance improvement plan.” It was just three days later, on Monday, that Johnson made her tearful appearance at the Coalition for Life. The following day she faxed Planned Parenthood a resignation letter, which mentioned nothing about a crisis of conscience.

...

Other questions about Johnson’s credibility arose during our interview. She told me, for example, that there had never been any threats of violence against the Bryan clinic; however, Johnson herself received a series of threatening letters in 2007. “God will punish you for killing the innocent or we will,” read one. “You are not taking us seriously. You were at the clinic alone. Not very smart,” read another. In fact, the threats were taken so seriously that security cameras were installed at Johnson’s house, as she later acknowledged. Johnson also claimed that while most services at Planned Parenthood were provided by a nonprofit corporation, abortions were done by a for-profit corporation. Both she and Carney seemed to sincerely believe this was true, though all services at Planned Parenthood are, in fact, provided by a pair of separate nonprofit corporations.

As confounding as these inconsistencies are, there may be a much larger problem with Johnson’s story. Johnson has told the story of her journey from pro-choice activist to pro-life celebrity many times in many venues, and the crux of the tale is always the same: her moving description of what she saw on the ultrasound that September day in the Bryan clinic’s operating room ... Johnson’s account is so plausible and rich in detail that even Planned Parenthood seems not to have investigated whether this event ever took place. At my request, the staff at the Bryan clinic examined patient records from September 26, the day Johnson claims to have had her conversion experience, and spoke with the physician who performed abortions on that date. According to Planned Parenthood, there is no record of an ultrasound-guided abortion performed on September 26. The physician on duty told the organization that he did not use an ultrasound that day, nor did Johnson assist on any abortion procedure. “Planned Parenthood can assure you that no abortion patients underwent an ultrasound-guided abortion on September 26,” said a spokesperson. It’s difficult to imagine that Johnson simply got the date wrong; September 12 was the only other day that month that the clinic performed surgical abortions.

Could clinic staff and the physician be mistaken? The Texas Department of State Health Services requires abortion providers to fill out a form documenting basic information about each procedure performed at a clinic. This document is known as the Induced Abortion Report Form. The Bryan clinic reported performing fifteen surgical abortions on September 26. Johnson has consistently said that the patient in question was thirteen weeks pregnant, which is plausible, since thirteen weeks is right at the cusp of when physicians will consider using an ultrasound to assist with the procedure. Yet none of the patients listed on the report for that day were thirteen weeks pregnant; in fact, none were beyond ten weeks.

For her part, Johnson and her newfound allies are standing behind her story.

The Monthly article is excellent and I highly recommend reading the entire piece.

Engle Leads The Right Into Houston

Submitted by Kyle Mantyla on Wednesday, 1/6/2010 12:33 pm

It seems as if Lou Engle has now become a full-fledged Religious Right leader whose gatherings are now regularly attended by everyone from Tony Perkins and Richard Land to Star Parker and Harry Jackson:

A coalition of pro-life advocates and religious leaders plan to gather in Houston on Jan. 18 to oppose what is expected to be the largest abortion clinic in the country.

Planned Parenthood is renovating a former bank, turning it into a 78,000 square foot facility that will include a surgical wing equipped to provide late-term abortions.

“It’s an abortion super center,” Lou Engle, founder of the pro-life group The Call to Conscience, which is organizing the rally, told CNSNews.com.

Joining Engle at the “prayer march” will be Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, and Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference. Religious leaders expected to attend include Bishop Harry Jackson, senior pastor of Hope Christian Church; Richard Land, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention; Star Parker, president of the Coalition for Urban Renewal and Education; and Abby Johnson, the former director of a Planned Parenthood clinic.

Engle compared the fight for the rights of the unborn to another critical movement in America. “As Martin Luther King, Jr. said, ‘It is time to subpoena the conscience of America,’” he said.

Here is Engle's latest video and the announcement on his website:

Houston We Have A Problem

The Second largest abortion clinic in the world is being built at this present moment in Houston, Texas. This six-story Planned Parenthood abortion “super center” is right in the middle of four (4) “super neighborhoods.” Three average to 85% Latino in population and the other is 85% African American. Planned Parenthood is targeting these minority pro-family communities, both for their finances and the restriction of their populations. But, there is a voice rising out of Houston and out of Texas, declaring, “We don’t want this death camp specializing in late-term abortions in our neighborhoods!”

On Martin Luther King Jr.’s holiday, January 18th, 2010, thousands are gathering to march against this Goliath to pray, fast, and peacefully siege this massive injustice in the spirit of that great liberator Martin Luther King Jr. Key African American, Latino, and political leaders are coming to speak and hold a nationwide press conference challenging this “super center.” This is a great hour for the Hispanic pro-LIFE people, Catholic and Evangelical, to raise their voices against abortion and for adoption. Public opinion over abortion is shifting radically in America to pro-LIFE at the same time this facility is exalting itself above the humble and oppressed.

We are entering into the 37th anniversary of the “Roe V. Wade” abortion decree of 1973 on January 22, 2010. We are in a ’73/’37 window to reverse that decree. It started in Texas, now let it begin to reverse there. We are calling for the pro-LIFE people of Houston, Texas, and America to gather Sunday night, January 17th, 2010 for four (4) hours of prayer for spiritual awakening and justice, from 6:00pm to 10:00pm at Grace Community Church. On this evening, 1/17, we will be unifying with one voice before God to pray for the Luke 1:17 answer to the killing of our babies and the wounding of our women – “And he will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the rebellious to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

On January 18th, at 9:00am on Martin Luther King Jr.’s holiday, we will gather by the thousands to launch a silent prayer march through the streets to the abortion “super center” for the nationwide press conference and prayer stand. As Martin Luther King Jr. would proclaim it – It is time to “subpoena the conscience” of the nation from the flashpoint of Houston, Texas. Maybe Houston could become the Birmingham of our day to let the unborn go free and spare the pregnant mother the agony of guilt. Maybe out of Houston a great demonstration of compassion could be launched through pregnant mother care with a mass movement of adoption. Martin Luther King Jr. cried, “I have a dream”. Alveda King, the niece of Martin Luther King Jr., has eloquently stated, “How can the dream live as long as we kill our children?” God has a dream. He has a dream for America and He has a dream for every mother and every child and a six-story massive abortion facility has never been a part of that dream. Lets end the nightmare and let the dream live.

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Abby Johnson Posts Archive

Congressman who cited 'The Onion' to Attack Planned Parenthood promoted another Deceptive Planned Parenthood Smear
SUBMITTED BY: Brian Tashman, Monday 02/06/2012, 5:00pm
Following in the footsteps of Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ), Congressman John Fleming (R-LA) used bogus information to attack Planned Parenthood. On his Facebook page, the congressman cited an article from the satirical newspaper The Onion, ‘Planned Parenthood Opens $8 Billion Abortionplex,’ to criticize the women’s health group. While the congressman has since scrubbed the post from his Facebook page, he still is promoting an article from the conspiratorial far-right site WorldNetDaily to claim that Planned Parenthood has abortion quotas. In the story, WND cited Abby Johnson, a... MORE >
Right Wing Round-Up
SUBMITTED BY: Kyle Mantyla, Friday 09/30/2011, 5:46pm
Joseph L. Conn @ Wall of Separation: The Religious Right’s Partisan Scheme To Politicize Churches. Steve Benen: The end of The Great Muffin Myth. Good As You: Maggie Gallagher on 'taking over the world for Christ.' James Crugnale @ Mediaite: Rick Santorum Lashes Out At Perry, Cain, Romney On Laura Ingraham Show. Alvin McEwen: Teacher in the middle of 'suspended for being anti-gay' scandal exonerated, may seek further legal action. Ashley Lopez @ Florida Independent: Abby Johnson: Planned Parenthood ‘working with the devil.’ MORE >
Right Wing Round-Up
SUBMITTED BY: Kyle Mantyla, Wednesday 06/22/2011, 6:03pm
Colby Hall @ Mediaite: No Joke: Sarah Palin Reportedly Quits One Nation Bus Tour. Equality Matters: Religious Leaders Speak Out Against Expanded Religious Protections In New York. Igor Volsky @ Think Progress LGBT: Rick Perry To Headline Fundraising Dinner For A Group That Promotes Ex-Gay Therapy. Sandhya Bathija @ Wall of Separation: Misguided Mission: Pa. Mayor Leads Prayer And Fasting To Balance The Budget. Nick @ Bold Faith Type: Tony Perkins Still Ducking the Question on Abortion Funding. Sofia Resnick @ Washington Independent: Abby Johnson adds to... MORE >
Right Wing Leftovers
SUBMITTED BY: Brian Tashman, Tuesday 06/21/2011, 5:36pm
Newt Gingrich’s campaign continues to implode. Matt Barber of Liberty Counsel thinks People For the American Way and other members of the “intolerant left” are going to purge religion from the US. Focus on the Family is, ironically, upset that gays are political. Abby Johnson has signed on as a blogger for Life News, even though her story about leaving Planned Parenthood falls short of reality. Finally, the Family Research Council pleads that we pray against marriage equality in New York. MORE >
Focus On The Family Wants To Turn Abby Johnson's (Doubtful) Story Into A Movie
SUBMITTED BY: Brian Tashman, Thursday 05/12/2011, 4:41pm
Jim Daly, the president of Focus on the Family, thinks that the Hallmark Channel should make a movie about Abby Johnson, the Planned Parenthood clinic worker turned anti-choice leader. Johnson, who now works with Lila Rose’s Live Action, has received plaudits (and earnings) from Religious Right activists for her book deal and speaking tour. At the center of Johnson’s experience is a purported account where she saw a fetus on the ultrasound machine move away from the doctor during an abortion, and she abruptly quit and joined a 40 Days for Life protest outside the clinic. While... MORE >
Flashback: Abby Johnson’s Suspicious "Conversion" To The Anti-Choice Movement
SUBMITTED BY: Brian Tashman, Monday 03/28/2011, 11:03am
As part of their campaign to defund Planned Parenthood, the Susan B. Anthony List is running television advertisements featuring Abby Johnson, a former Planned Parenthood staffer now with Lila Rose’s LiveAction group. As RWW previously reported, Johnson baselessly asserted that Planned Parenthood has abortion “quotas” and requires their staff to “coerce” women and minors into having abortions: In addition, the Texas Monthly poked numerous holes in Johnson’s story: Johnson’s departure from Planned Parenthood turned out to be a more complex story than... MORE >
Right Wing Leftovers
SUBMITTED BY: Kyle Mantyla, Thursday 03/03/2011, 6:39pm
Mike Huckabee is holding a Facebook fundraiser seeking donations from those who "support traditional marriage and disagree with Pres. Obama's decision to stop defending the Defense of Marriage Act." Rick Santorum wants to know why he and Newt Gingrich were suspended from Fox but Mike Huckabee and Sarah Palin were not.  That is a good question. Maggie Gallagher reacts to the Supreme Court's Westboro Baptist decision by declaring that "the Constitution is not a suicide pact." I have no idea what she is talking about. Ed Meese will receive the... MORE >
Right Wing Leftovers
SUBMITTED BY: Kyle Mantyla, Wednesday 02/16/2011, 6:41pm
Focus on the Family has delivered 45,000 petitions to Speaker John Boehner seeking action on their right-wing agenda. Rick Santorum admits that he has a Google problem. Linda Harvey says "Homosexuality is a huge issue. If [Sarah] Palin doesn't get this, she is just as incapable of leadership as she is being painted by incensed lefty bloggers." What a surprise: Abby Johnson joins Lila Rose and Live Action. I'm still confused: when does Bryan Fischer represent AFA and when does he not? Finally, the quote of the day from Gary Bauer: "It was... MORE >