From the desk of Addia Wuchner, RN, Executive Director

In the last 299 days, there have been no abortions in Commonwealth of Kentucky — except when medically necessary to protect the life of the mother.

Let’s face it folks, when you can no longer profit from taking innocent lives, close the doors and it is time to move on. EMW is doing just that!

Photo from KentuckyToday.com website.

Prior to the overturning of Roe on June 24, 2022, and the KY Court’s ruling on August 1, 2022, EMW Women’s Surgical Center was in the business of ending lives… and they have ended the lives of SO MANY babies as the primary abortion clinic serving the city of Louisville, the state of Kentucky and a six-state region since 1981.

But, since 1981 on any day EMW’s doors were open, faithful advocates for the unborn prayed, held signs, offered booklets, and sidewalk counselors would come alongside the women, sharing words of support and other options to consider, often directing them to local pregnancy care centers.

For years Kentucky Right to Life and our members, faithful ProLife advocates and prayer warriors have stormed Heaven for those who had no voice.

We waited, trusted, and advocated that one day we would see EMW shut down. Well, that day has come!

For 50 years, Kentucky Right to Life has worked to help elect candidates for public office who were committed to be “ProLife lawmakers”. Once elected, KRTL and other groups worked tirelessly with these legislators to draft and pass laws that recognized preborn babies as human beings deserving of legal protection.

Since 2017, over 18 ProLife laws were passed! Most were challenged in the courts. The ‘Trigger’ law passed in 2019, affirmed that if Roe were overturned, abortion in Kentucky would end.

Then something just short of a miracle occurred... In 2019 the citizens of Kentucky elected Daniel Cameron as Attorney General. AG Cameron assembled his team, “the best of the best” extremely talented attorneys, many who served with Matt Bevin.

Over the last three years, General Cameron, Solicitor General Matt Kuhn, Chris Thacker and the entire team have defended Kentucky’s ProLife laws in the Jefferson and Franklin County Courts, the US Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Court of the United States.

Time and time again, they have demonstrated their ability to critically analyze the situation and to create a plan of action to win in the Courts. Their dedication and skill are why today we are witnessing the sale of EMW Abortion Clinic!

Yes, we know that Planned Parenthood still stands, but optimism is in the air. Thank you ProLifers! Let’s continue to pray and stand against abortion.

By law the Vital Statistics Branch must publish Ky’s abortion statistics for the calendar year by September 30. The 2020 Report shows an increase of 79 abortions at the EMW clinic over 2019. Planned Parenthood statistics were 368. This year the University of Kentucky healthcare system has been added.

The report shows that women ages 25-29 had the most abortions; in 2019 it was the 20-24 age group.

Black Lives Matter?

Of the 4,104 abortions in Ky in 2020, 1,418 or 35% were for black women, up 1% from 2019.

Once again, college-educated women led the way in numbers of abortions: 2,199 with 1-4 years of college, and those with 5+ years had three, but the educational level of 22 women was unknown. As well, of the 4,104 total abortions, only one (1) was classified as ‘necessary.’

This is a very troubling report with many statistics that require professional explanation. Please watch for a follow-up article by Addia.

“We are initially disappointed with Judge Jennings’ ruling but respectfully thankful that she did not dismiss the case. She noted that summary judgment was not proper and requested more proof of the reasons the buffer zone would hinder the sidewalk ministry. She denied the the request for dismissal by the defendants.” - Addia Wuchner, Executive Director, Kentucky Right to Life.

The Courier-Journal reported:

Sisters for Life “must be given a reasonable opportunity to present material detailing what the practical effects of the 10-foot buffer zone would be on their sidewalk counseling efforts,” wrote District Judge Rebecca Grady Jennings…

It’s also possible, however, the city could reach an agreement with Sisters for Life to delay creating the buffer zone. A previous agreement suspended the implementation while the judge considered motions in the lawsuit.

Kentucky Today reported:

Jennings denied the defendants’ motion to dismiss because of “remaining fact issues” in the case, which included the plaintiff providing “arguments tailored to the actual effect of the Ordinance” and the defendants demonstrating that “less-restrictive alternatives were tried and failed, or that the alternatives were closely examined and ruled out for good reason.”

Stay tuned for further developments.

by Addia Wuchner, Executive Director, KRTL

Premature death is defined as death occurring before the average age of death in certain populations, such as accidental deaths: falls, drownings, auto accidents, drug overdoses, other.

In 2020, the Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics reported 1,964 overdose deaths. Headlines read, “Drug overdose numbers up 49%” (Fentanyl and Methamphetamines were the biggest contributors.)

Kentucky’s Leading Causes of Death in 2020 were:

• Cancer Deaths, approx. 10,312
• Heart Disease Deaths, approx. 10,077
• *Abortion Deaths, approx. 4,000 (#3 cause of death in Kentucky)
• Chronic Respiratory Diseases, approx. 3,331

The death of a child is always tragic and heartbreaking. Unintentional injury deaths of children consist mainly of accidents and are, without a doubt, the most preventable deaths for children. The intentional injury deaths of children mainly consist of murder and suicide. In 2019, Kentucky reported 139 suspicious cases of child fatality, or near fatality, due to abuse, neglect, and maltreatment; 85% of the children were under four years old and approximately 40% (77 children) were under 12 months old.

Yet, the #3 cause of death in Kentucky, abortion, is both premature death and intentional injury death — as recognized by those of us who acknowledge the dignity of the smallest and most vulnerable humans in our midst: The preborn child’s death is a profoundly tragic reflection of rejection and violence against a child.

Until there are no more—

Kentucky Right to Life and our Chapters throughout Kentucky will continue to pray, educate, and collaborate with other ProFamily advocates, support pregnancy care and programs, and work with Kentucky senators and representatives to advocate for legislation that protects the human rights of the preborn child and other vulnerable persons in our society.

CHARTS

ABORTIONS BY MONTH

MONTHLY CUMULATIVE TOTALS

Acknowledgements:

Thank you to Donna Durning for faithfully providing the onsite abortion reports. Donna has been an unwavering advocate for life outside EMW abortion facility for years, offering hope, love, and prayers on the sidewalk; ministering to women and men as they enter to terminate the life of their child. The chart at left documents Donna’s counts outside of the EMW abortion facility.

Also, our sincere appreciation to Missy Stone, Executive Director of Reprotection, for her critical statistical and abortion reporting evaluations like this chart.

*Note: Kentucky is unable to adequately capture reporting data of expectant moms who live in close proximity to Tennessee or Ohio and may travel out of state to terminate their pregnancies, so we project this number is actually higher. ALSO: The 2021 figures include the abortions performed by Planned Parenthood in Louisville.

Update on Buffer Zone

5:19 PM | July 15, 2021

“Kentucky Right to Life and all of our prowoman prolife advocates are pleased that our pursuit of litigation has resulted in the city permitting sidewalk counseling ministry to continue by extending the temporary emergency injunction as we await Judge Jennings’ decision on the matter” - Addia Wuchner, Executive Director, Kentucky Right to Life.

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TESSA REDMOND | July 8, 2021 | Kentucky Today

Louisville Metro Government calls for summary judgment in ‘buffer zone’ lawsuit

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (KT) – Louisville Metro Government filed the final brief regarding its motion to dismiss a pro-life lawsuit opposing the contentious “buffer zone” ordinance on Wednesday.

The lawsuit was first filed on June 8 by Ky Right to Life and Sisters for Life, a pro-life sidewalk counseling ministry, on the grounds that the ordinance infringed upon their constitutional rights of free speech and free exercise of religion. Attorneys reached a temporary agreement until July 16, when the buffer zone surrounding the EMW Women’s Surgical Center, one of two women’s health clinics providing abortions in the state, will go into effect.

This final brief, submitted by Jefferson County Attorney Michael O’Connell, follows both a memorandum opposing the city’s motion and a reply seeking injunctive relief, which was filed by the plaintiffs in Western District Court on June 28.

“The Ordinance does not violate or substantially burden any of plaintiffs’ constitutional rights,” the brief read.

“The Ordinance creates time, place and manner restrictions on speech and assembly outside of healthcare facilities to ensure the safety of patients entering and exiting such facilities and to provide enforcement officers with bright-line rules which are both significant and legitimate government interests.”

In response to the lawsuit’s allegation that the ordinance is overbroad and restricts religious, pro-life speech, the brief claims the ordinance is content-neutral — meaning it “does not attempt to regulate the content of any individual’s speech” within the buffer zone outside of the EMW.

“Any restriction of plaintiff’s speech, freedom of assembly, and free exercise of religion are minimal and justified by the government’s significant interest in the subject Ordinance,” the brief read.

Under the ordinance, healthcare facilities are not required to establish buffer zones and must request one from Public Works. According to the brief, the EMW is the only facility to request the ordinance “given the unique and long history of violence and harassment at this location.”

Addia Wuchner, executive director of Ky Right to Life, stated there is a difference between sidewalk counseling ministry and protesting, which Metro Government identified as “assault, harassment, stalking and intimidation” in its reply.

“Our case is defending the right of sidewalk counselors, which is a ministry, to meet women and to present them with alternatives at a very critical moment in their life,” Wuchner said. “The buffer zone prevents that opportunity for more intimate communication.”

Read more.

UPDATED 6-8-21 11 AM

SIDEWALK COUNSELORS CONTINUE!

The parties have agreed that Ordinance O-179-21 (the “Ordinance”), prohibiting the sidewalk ministry from practicing their religious freedoms for half a city block claiming it is a “buffer zone” to EMW’s property, will not be enforced until July 16, 2021 in order to allow the attorneys involved to complete briefings.

Attorney Chris Wiest, who represents those having their rights violated by the Ordinance, stated, “I consider this a win in the first round, because it allows the ministry to continue.”

Addia Wuchner said, “We are pleased that our attorney has been able to broker a temporary agreement as we prepare for a full hearing in Western District Court. As a pro-life, pro-women organization, we believe that sidewalk ministry plays an important role in a woman’s right to have fully informed consent.”

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ORIGINAL POST:

A new and good wrinkle in the Buffer Zone (BZ) controversy in Louisville has arisen.

We are glad to report that Angela Minter and her organization, Sisters For Life, together with Kentucky Right To Life, filed a lawsuit seeking an injunction against Louisville Metro, Mayor Greg Fisher, Louisville Metro Police Chief Ericka Shields, and Jefferson County Attorney Mike O’Connell against Louisville’s new BZ ordinance, on the grounds that the new ordinance violates their free speech rights and prohibits them from practicing their faith.

The Sisters For Life regularly minister to women at the EMW abortion clinic in Louisville. In 2019, EMW performed 99.5% of all abortions in Kentucky. Angela and Sisters for Life saved 800 babies from having their lives cut short by ministering to women and their partners and revealing other life choices available to them for their child other than abortion, including adoption, free housing during and after the pregnancy, free child care, free help with college tuition if they choose not to abort their child, parenting resources including diapers, formula, clothes, parenting classes, counseling and more, such as information about child development that shows parents how developed their child is at the particular stage of their pregnancy.

Angela and Sisters For Life consider it essential to maintain a caring demeanor, a calm tone of voice, and direct eye contact while ministering to people on the sidewalk outside of the abortion clinic. They do not yell, protest with signs, or block the path. They walk beside women sharing information.

On May 20, 2021, the Metro Council passed Ordinance O-179-21 (the “Ordinance”), in a 14-11 divided vote prohibiting the sidewalk ministry from practicing their religious freedoms for half a city block claiming it is a “buffer zone” to EMW’s property.

Why are Louisville Metro Council, Mayor Fisher, Chief Shields and Attorney O’Connell so interested in limiting a women’s right to information? —in this instance, not only her rights to information about her body, services available to her family, but information some believe could protect her soul.

Margaret Sanger, who strategically placed abortion clinics in low-income black neighborhoods in a covert effort at genocide, proudly boasted that it was cheaper to kill poor children before they are born than to sustain them on welfare after birth.

If you limit a woman’s access to information, you limit her options

Chris Wiest, the attorney who filed the lawsuit, stated: “The City of Louisville should know better than to pass this flagrantly unconstitutional ordinance and we look forward to having it struck down.”

Addia Wuchner, Executive Director of Kentucky Right to Life issued the following statement: “Kentucky Right to Life and our members were disappointed by the decision to utilize buffer zones at the EMW abortion clinic. The Supreme Court has previously affirmed the sidewalk counselor ministry ensuring that women have the opportunity to make a fully informed consent. Kentucky Right to Life will continue to advocate for the protection of the unborn child and the First Amendment right of citizens to peacefully gather, pray, support women, and respectively bear witness in defense of innocent life. We stand in full support of the injunction filed by Angela Minter and Sisters for Life.”

LOUISVILLE, Ky.- While the Buffer Zone vote by the Louisville Metro Council was disappointing, it was not unexpected. We had hoped that the hearts and intellects of the members who express concern for safety would show true concern for vulnerable women about to make a decision that will affect them throughout their lives. To quote Mother Teresa, 'Abortion is a crime that not only kills the child but also the conscience of all involved.' We at Kentucky Right to Life are committed to protecting the lives of the unborn and the health and safety of women. This vote denies women the compassionate walk-beside-you help that is needed at the critical moment. Many women do not realize that there is help available for them and their babies..." Read Addia Wuchner's full statement.

See the Metro Council discussions and testimonies here.

 

Updated May 7, 2021

BUFFER ZONE VOTE RESCHEDULED

A procedural vote on the Buffer Zone took place at the May 6 Council meeting. The vote set this issue aside; it will return to the full council on May 20. Keep those cards and calls coming! Let the Council members hear from you.

A Facebook video of the meeting with the pro-life arguments by Atty. Annie MacLean and Chelsea Pritchett is here. Move the play button to 7:20.

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ORIGINAL POST:

Arguments were presented on April 28 for and against a 10-foot Buffer Zone to mark how close sidewalk counselors may stand to any Metro Louisville healthcare facility. The Community Affairs, Housing, Health and Education Committee voted 5 - 2 to send the Buffer Zone ordinance to the full Council for a vote.

Last August the Buffer Zone was voted down by the Metro Council. We trust that the new Council members will study the discussions in their minutes to carefully consider what is at stake.

Executive Director Addia Wuchner participated in the committee meeting, and has made an official statement:

We advocate for the protection of the unborn child and the First Amendment right of citizens to peacefully gather, pray, support women, and respectfully bear witness in defense of innocent life. While the Courts have recognized that states and cities have significant interest in maintaining public safety and preserving access to health care facilities, they have nevertheless ruled it is unconstitutional to take control of a public sidewalk for the sole, discretionary use of a private business like the EMW abortion facility, as it impedes the right to free speech. Those proposing the ordinance and abortion advocates say that it is a matter of public safety, but make no mistake, this is a direct attempt to silence pro-women, pro-child, pro-life advocates and the public’s right of free speech.

In a Courier-Journal article last summer, Council member Marilyn Parker noted, “I just don’t think this is a very good look for the council, with the protests, the destruction and the disorder that’s been allowed to happen in the city. We need to think about this. Why does this group get special privileges for safety?”

A video of the committee meeting is shown here. The Metro Council will vote on the Ordinance on May 6. You can read the Ordinance here. Contact a Council Member here.

UPDATE: 8-31-2020 | AG Cameron continues to actively pursue litigation. More

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In late June we reported on the Supreme Court decision that ruled against Louisiana’s 2014 ‘Unsafe Abortion Protection Act’, the June v. Russo case.

Pro-lifers had hoped SCOTUS would require abortion clinic doctors to have admitting privileges with nearby hospitals. Instead, the Justices’ decision has caused a wave of motions by ACLU and/or abortion clinic attorneys across the country, asking courts to recognize the SCOTUS decision as pertinent to litigation or laws that are related.

To counter this aggressive effort, AG Cameron stepped forward to request that the Sixth Circuit grant his motion to defend Kentucky’s Transfer Agreement Law from Legal Challenge by ACLU, Planned Parenthood and the EMW. It was granted. This case was begun in the Bevin administration so it was necessary to update those involved.

The Appeals Court heard arguments in the case last August. We suspected it was waiting to hear what SCOTUS would say about the Louisiana case before issuing a ruling.

We remain hopeful to see our Transfer Agreement law upheld. As mentioned in previous posts, of the judges on the panel, two were appointed by President Trump. They seemed genuinely interested during the oral arguments, and even suggested good reasons for transfer agreements!

Also, of six states that require TAs with hospitals, two are in the jurisdiction of the Sixth Circuit Appeals Court. The six states are: Florida, NC, Penn., Wisconsin, Mich. and Ohio, with the last two being part of the Sixth Circuit along with Ky. and Tenn.

The ramifications of the June v. Russo case are many. The Guttmacher Institute, a policy arm of abortion supporters, provided a view to how it could affect the national “targeted regulation of abortion providers.”

It is strange that their chart that delineates which states have Transfer Agreements marks Kentucky’s Law as “permanently enjoined.” Of course, it is NOT. It awaits the decision of the Sixth Circuit Appeals Court.

Blog series on this website presenting various aspects of this topic include the Amici series and the License to Abort series. Use the Google search window at the top to search by words or phrases.

Updated August 21, 9 AM

C-J reports NO BUFFER ZONE!

The Louisville Metro Council on Thursday rejected an ordinance that would have allowed health care facilities, including abortion clinics, to create a buffer zone outside the entrances to their facilities.

The legislation, proposed this year after years of advocacy work by activists including the Kentucky Health Justice Network, failed in a 12-13 vote after lengthy discussion that at times verged into the ethics of abortion.

All seven Republicans — council members Kevin Kramer, R-11th; Scott Reed, R-16th; Parker; Anthony Piagentini, R-19th; Stuart Benson, R-20th; Robin Engel, R-21st; and James Peden, R-23rd — voted against the ordinance.

They were joined by six Democrats: Pat Mulvihill, D-10th; Rick Blackwell, D-12th; Mark Fox, D-13th; Cindi Fowler, D-14th; Madonna Flood, D-24th; and David Yates, D-25th.

TIME NOW to SAY THANKS! See email link for Council members below.

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Updated August 19, 2:30 PM

FULL METRO COUNCIL VOTE ON BUFFER ZONE AUGUST 20

Many in the community have objected— Read the ordinance.

A long-time member of RTL shared the letter that he sent to the Council members. As he notes, “The resolution cites the COVID pandemic as a reason for its passage. Putting aside the fact that most of the protesters wear masks since COVID, isn’t it interesting how no council member has suggested that other protests observe a similar buffer zone for public safety. It seems that one group’s right to protest is deemed safe and another group’s protest must have a buffer.”

Email the council members. View the agenda.

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Updated August 14, 2020 7AM

Buffer Zone ordinance advances to full council

The Courier-Journal reported late Thursday that the Buffer Zone ordinance moved out of committee:

Legislation that would allow health care facilities, including abortion clinics, to create "buffer zones" outside their entrances to preserve access to services is one step closer to reality.

The Louisville Metro Council’s Community Affairs, Health and Education Committee voted 4-2 along partisan lines Wednesday to send the ordinance to the full Metro Council for its consideration, after more than two hours of discussion.

The legislation, which has been called for by advocates for several years, was made more urgent by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to sponsors who spoke at Wednesday's committee meeting.

Councilwoman Jessica Green, D-1st District, said the ordinance shouldn't be a debate about abortion because it is legal and “makes sense right now” because it has become a safety and public health issue.

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The buffer zone (BZ) is back in the news. Nationally, it has steadily been debated and adjudicated for decades.

In June of 2014 the Supreme Court determined for Massachusetts that an abortion clinic buffer zone of 35-feet would violate the First Amendment. At that time Chief Justice Roberts said, “Such areas occupy a ‘special position in terms of First Amendment protec­tion’ because of their historic role as sites for discussion and debate…”

But in early July (2020) SCOTUS declined to review an appeal on behalf of Colorado pro-lifers regarding a 2000 decision that upheld an 8-foot ‘bubble zone’ around people near an entrance to a clinic. This means that clinic access laws in Chicago and Harrisburg, Penn., will not be challenged as pro-lifers had hoped. The Chicago ordinance requires an 8-foot bubble zone around people within 50 feet of a clinic entrance and restricts specified types of free speech— protesting and counseling. The Harrisburg ordinance sets a 20-foot buffer zone.

In Louisville, the issue took front and center in the spring of 2017. KRLA reported on a Louisville Metro Council (LMC) meeting where the BZ was proposed and discussed on June 14, 2017. The photo shows some sidewalk counselors who attended the meeting, and their small sign relates the best reasons not to have a BZ: Free speech and Women have Right to Know.

Last January Councilman Robin Engle warned the peaceful protestors at the Louisville Rally for Life held on the Metro Hall steps, that LMC and BZ supporters were discussing a new effort. Robin said in response to the C-J story that followed, “I don’t know the distance being discussed in the version of the ordinance being proposed by abortion advocates. The Council tried to establish limits like this on free speech (in 2017), and there really isn’t much difference between 10, 20 and 50 feet.”

Fast-forward to August 2020: We are now being advised by the LMC that a 12-foot BZ is needed by ALL health clinics, double the six-foot “guidance” for COVID safety. The new ordinance, filed August 3, states: The Dept. of Public Works “shall, at the request of any healthcare facility, paint or lay on the public way or sidewalk easily distinguishable demarcation lines marking the buffer zone and post such zone with signage stating: ‘Healthcare facility: No standing or obstructions within this zone’ and citing this ordinance.”

The LMC Community Affairs, Health and Education Committee agenda states they will discuss the BZ at their August 12 meeting at 1:30 PM.

Louisville residents can find their Council representatives here. Email addresses are here. Address correspondence to: Louisville Metro Council, 601 West Jefferson St., Louisville, Ky. 40202. Look for Louisville Safety Zone on Facebook and Twitter to view the community activism.

The COVID-19 virus is cited in the ordinance as a reason for the BZ:
WHEREAS, as of July 16, 2020, over 3,483,832 individuals in the United States have been diagnosed with COVID-19, with 21,083 of those cases being Kentucky citizens;
WHEREAS, as of July 16, 2020, over 136,938 individuals in the United States have died from COVID-19, with 650 of those deaths being Kentucky citizens; …

This means that of 326.7 million people in the U.S., one percent have or had the virus and .04% have died. As well, there are many stories in the media stating that numerous deaths are attributed to COVID among those who had other debilitating conditions.

Is this another instance of COVID-engineered societal lockdown?

Pro-lifers in Kentucky currently await a number of important court rulings:

1. The Supreme Court will soon rule on the Louisiana June Medical Services case. Its decision could require abortion clinic doctors to have admitting privileges to a nearby hospital, leading to many clinic closings in the nation. In Louisville two doctors (of whom we are aware) at the EMW clinic do have hospital admitting privileges but this is not the same as a Transfer Agreement.
2. The Transfer Agreement lawsuit awaits a decision from the Sixth Circuit Appeals Court. It is possible that the above-mentioned SCOTUS ruling will affect that case. However, as brought out by Kentucky’s attorneys during the trial and appeal, the critical aspect of such agreements is the “protocol for transferring medical records.” Since two of the judges on the Appeals panel were appointed by President Trump, we hope for a fair and just decision.
3. The Heartbeat and Anti-eugenics laws, rolled into one during the litigation, await the decision of the Sixth Circuit Appeals Court on an Ohio case, “Preterm-Cleveland v. Himes,” that will determine the fate of Down Syndrome babies and the outcome of the Kentucky litigation.
4. The Dismemberment Abortion law appeal was decided in favor of the EMW and ACLU,  however, AG Cameron will be making a decision soon on whether to request an “en banc” (full Appeals Court) hearing or to instead appeal the case to SCOTUS.

Presently, pro-lifers are striving to prevent the overturn of safety precautions for women who elect medical abortions. Attorney General Cameron has added Kentucky as an “Intervenor State” to an Amicus brief in defense of in-person dispensing of the “abortion pill” by a doctor for the protection of the woman seeking the abortion. The political association for ObGyns, ACOG, wants the FDA to drop their regulations that ensure a drug’s benefits outweigh its risks. The pro-life ObGyns have exposed this.

Let's all pray.

Governor Beshear used his Friday 5 PM briefing to veto SB 9.

The Courier-Journal reported online at about 6:30 PM, as well as in today’s print newspaper:

Gov. Andy Beshear has vetoed a bill that would hand new power to Attorney General Daniel Cameron to regulate abortion clinics and also require abortions be suspended as an elective procedure during the coronavirus pandemic.

Senate Bill 9 passed in the final hours of the 2020 General Assembly on April 15, also requires doctors to try to save any infant born alive, including after a failed abortion.

At this writing the veto has not yet been posted to the state website.

Reacting, Margie Montgomery expressed “extreme disappointment.” She and thousands of prolifers had politely but firmly sent emails and petitions to the governor pleading with him to uphold the measure either by letting it go into effect without his signature or courageously signing it.

Senator Whitney Westerfield, chief sponsor of SB 9, last week predicted Beshear would veto the bill. He said Friday night that he is “supremely disappointed” with the veto.

“This governor once again demonstrated his hostility to unborn life,” said Westerfield. “If the Lord is willing, I will file this bill on the first day of the 2021 session.”

Polls across America consistently show upwards of 80% of the public support Born Alive protections.

Interestingly, in his veto declaration, Beshear didn’t mention the merged aspect of the bill that provided Attorney General Daniel Cameron with authority to investigate the state’s two abortion clinics.

Cameron called on the Beshear administration earlier to end abortion procedures in the state during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a statement Friday night he called the veto “reprehensible.” Read the entire statement here.

A lot of information on Transfer Agreements is on this website, including a blog series that questions how Andy Beshear as AG filed an Amicus brief on behalf of EMW and PP. Particularly when it was his duty to defend Kentucky law. ?

Will our current AG Daniel Cameron sue Gov. Beshear for issuing the illegal license to abort?

It is well to pursue lawbreakers in a step-by-step manner as KRS 15.241 and HB451 prescribe. HB451 ended up in the House Rules Committee at the end of the 2020 Legislative Session, however its language was merged into the SB9 bill at the 11th hour of the Session. Many news stories today are reporting this advance.

Insert this!

For the AG to sue the Governor is a huge and costly step. AG Beshear sued Gov. Bevin five times and won two of the cases: He blocked the governor's $18 million cut to Kentucky universities in 2016 and blocked the administration's pension reform bill in 2018. Bevin won the teacher “sick-out” case, but when Beshear became Governor, he reversed the decision.

Most Kentuckians do not want their AG and Governor to be embroiled in court cases on different sides. Ouch. They would prefer the HB451 method.

Contingencies

Most pro-lifers would understand that the TA case may be decided at any time, and if it upholds Judge Stivers’ verdict, then the clinics will not need TAs.

Possibly the Appeals Court is waiting to learn if the Supreme Court will uphold Louisiana’s Unsafe Abortion Protection Act that requires abortion providers to have admitting privileges within 30 miles of a local hospital, and requires doctors who perform more than five abortions a year to maintain proper licensing.

This case further mandates that informed consent protections and reporting of anonymous data and complications apply to to RU486 chemical abortions, just as to surgical abortion, and it clarifies that physicians in both private offices and licensed outpatient abortion facilities owe women the same informed consent protections and reporting of public health data and abortion complications, whether the abortion is surgical or an RU-486 drug-induced abortion.

Kentucky already requires reporting of RU486 abortions and informed consent protections, and does not permit abortions to be performed in private offices nor in public hospitals unless to save the life of the mother.

The tragedy of this long wait for court decisions is the loss of precious and innocent humans who deserved legal protection. So, don’t be surprised if AG Cameron decides to make an issue of the missing TAs as well as the COVID-19 violation of the Governor’s healthcare mandate even if SB9 does not become law. And, don’t be surprised if the Sixth Circuit Court decides in favor of Kentucky’s appeal before SCOTUS rules on the Louisiana case.

An Aside:

Current Kentucky abortion licensing requires that:
An employee or volunteer of the facility while afflicted with any infected wounds, boils, sores, or an acute respiratory infection or any other contagious disease or illness shall not work in any capacity in which there is a likelihood of that person transmitting disease to other individuals.

Since COVID19 carriers may be asymptomatic, this is yet another aspect of licensing law being broken.

“It all depends on whose palm has been greased…”

Watch the full speech by Senator and physician Ralph Alvarado!

In many previous posts we have carefully explained why it is not possible for any abortion clinic in Kentucky to be licensed unless it has Transfer Agreements. Nevertheless, the law that mandates this has been ignored.

For a time we were not sure that Planned Parenthood was doing abortions even though we knew they had been issued an illegal license, but we recently learned a person seeking an abortion had been scheduled there to have one. So, we are assuming that Kentucky now has two abortion clinics.

Though Gov. Beshear has mandated that all elective medical procedures cease, about 380 abortions have been performed this month at the EMW clinic. How many at PP? Who knows?

Attorney General Daniel Cameron is on the move to enforce protection for abortion clinic workers and their clients. But based on media reports of Planned Parenthood and ACLU-led push-back against this common sense initiative in other states, it is likely Cameron's challenge will be opposed.

We urge all pro-lifers to send a message to our AG to encourage him in this fight and to show appreciation. He has shown great leadership for us, and we need to show great support for him.

Based on former AG Beshear challenging Gov. Bevin in court, it was established by Kentucky’s Supreme Court that the AG can sue the Governor. The Court wrote:

“It is certainly in ‘the interest of all the people’ that there be no unconstitutional or illegal governmental conduct.” The Court analyzed the supremacy of the Attorney General as the chief law officer of the Commonwealth, and found that he has broad authority to sue for declaratory and injunctive relief against state actors, including the Governor, whose actions he believes are illegal or unconstitutional.

Though we do not look for AG Cameron to be ‘litigious’ we know he is committed to protect human life in all its stages.

Executive Director Margie Montgomery has weighed in on this controversy. Click to see the WLKY-TV report and video.

Our office staff is on the job throughout the week, though the public cannot enter our building at this time due to COVID-19 restrictions. Your contributions are most welcome, and we thank all who donate, no matter what the amount.