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Today's latest undercover video spotlighting Planned Parenthood's grisly abortion business hits close to home. It features Melissa Farrell, the director of Research for Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast (PPGC), the same branch of PP that is building the massive abortion facility in New Orleans. In the video Farrell refers to PPGC's ability to sell "fully intact" aborted babies, adding fuel to the fire that PP is engaging in illegal activities. We shudder to think that PP is looking forward to acquiring more New Orleans "specimens" at the facility it is building in New Orleans.
Thanks to Gov. Jindal, PPGC can no longer feed at the trough of the government in Louisiana. Gov. Jindal has terminated PPGC's Louisiana Medicaid contract. While this will not stop PPGC from building its abortion facility in New Orleans, it will slow down its operation. PP's financial model depends on the income it received from Medicaid. While this is a great step, it is far from over. We assume PPGC will take Gov. Jindal and the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals to court in hopes to reinstate its Medicaid contract.
Even though the vote to defund Planned Parenthood failed yesterday in the Senate, the group is being exposed across the nation. We must continue to shine light on PP, as that will change public opinion and hopefully future votes to defund PP. We appreciate Sens. Vitter and Cassidy's support of this important legislation. It is a tremendous blessing to see Sen. Cassidy, Mary Landrieu's replacement, cast his first official pro-life vote in the U.S. Senate!
For a Pro-Life Louisiana,
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Kandace Landreneau
and Sarah Mary Toce
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Staffers Leaving, But
Not Saying Goodbye
Louisiana Right to Life is saying goodbye to three staffers this summer, Youth Programs Director Kandace Landreneau, Legislative Liaison and Acadiana Outreach Coordinator Sarah Mary Toce, and Development Director Kacie Hoerner.
Landreneau will remain in the area and plans to continue helping out at LARTL youth events. Toce is moving to Boston, where she will be pursuing a Master of Divinity degree at Boston College. She will continue her pro-life work there, starting Camp Joshua programs in the Northeast. Hoerner, who has been with LARTL in multiple capacities since 2009, will be teaching elementary school in New Orleans.
"We are so grateful to Kacie, Kandace and Sarah Mary for all they have given to Louisiana Right to Life and the pro-life movement in our state. They will be sorely missed!" said Executive Director Ben Clapper.
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Planning Under Way
for 40 Days for Life
After 42 years of legal abortion-on-demand in our nation, we must unite in our local communities and across the nation for an end to abortion.
Stand with us this fall to protect women and unborn children from abortion through inter-denominational prayer, peaceful vigil, and community activism. The 2015 campaign is Sept. 23 through Nov. 1. Events are held in New Orleans, Shreveport, and Baton Rouge. In New Orleans, a pre-campaign launch party is set for Thursday, Aug. 20, at 7 p.m. at the St. Angela Merici gym, 835 Melody Drive, Metairie. There will be free dinner (first come, first served), testimony and fellowship. Archbishop Gregory Aymond and Pastor Willie Wooten of Gideon Christian Fellowship will speak during the event. For more information on the party, contact Debbie Shinskie at 504.834.5433 or [email protected]. To sign a group or yourself up for a vigil time at the abortion facility on Ridgelake Drive in Metairie, click here. For more information on the New Orleans campaign, click here. In Baton Rouge, a planning meeting is set for Tuesday, Aug. 11 at 7 p.m. in Room 104 at the Catholic Life Center, 1800 S. Acadian Thruway, Baton Rouge. Please attend and find out how you can help during this year's campaign. To learn more contact [email protected] or Danielle Van Haute at 225.242.0164. For more information on the Baton Rouge campaign, click here. To sign up for vigil hours, click here. In Shreveport-Bossier City, the kickoff rally will be Sept. 19 at 6:30 p.m. at Messmer Stadium in the Loyola Athletic Complex on Clyde Fant Memorial Parkway. Ramona Trevino, a former manager of a Planned Parenthood abortion-referral center, will be the guest speaker. Also, Sidewalk Advocates for Life will be leading a training for new counselors Sept. 11-12 at the Arklatex Crisis Pregnancy Center on Kings Highway. See 40daysofrlifesb.com for time and building location, which will be announced soon. Contact campaign director Chris Davis at 318.349.3279 or email [email protected]
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Students for Life Host
'Women Betrayed' Rally
Louisiana Students for Life,
members of the Louisiana Right to Life team and others from around the Baton Rouge area participated in a "Women Betrayed" Rally outside Planned Parenthood facility at 3955 Government St., Baton Rouge, on July 28. In all, about 200 people lined the sidewalks on both sides of Government Street.
The rally was one of many held across the nation to encourage state and federal officials to investigate the practices of Planned Parenthood and to call for an end to tax-funding of the abortion giant.
(Photos by Matthew Prosperie, a recent graduate of Vandebilt Catholic High School.)
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Thank You, Ben Watson, for Your Vocal Support of Life!
 The New Orleans Saints have begun training camp in West Virginia, and that might slow the Facebook posts of tight end
Benjamin Watson. But as important events unfold, he's sure to find some time to share his eloquent thoughts.
Watson, a devout Christian, husband and father of four, garnered lots of attention and Facebook and Twitter fans in recent months after a post in March about ISIS went viral.
Last week he shared his thoughts on Planned Parenthood once videos about the selling of fetal tissue and body parts began to surface, and that post, too, has caught the attention of many.
Click here to visit Benjamin Watson's website. Click the links below to follow him on social media, and be sure to thank him for his stance on behalf of life!
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Senate Democrats Stop Vote to Defund Planned Parenthood
Vitter, Cassidy Were Co-Sponsors of Bill
Senate Democrats defeated an effort to revoke taxpayer funding for the Planned Parenthood abortion business Monday by filibustering the bill and preventing a vote on it. Republicans were unable to secure the 60 votes needed to invoke cloture and stop debate on the bill, allowing an up or down vote.
The legislation followed four shocking videos
(a fifth was released today) that have caught Planned Parenthood doctors discussing and arranging the sale of body parts of aborted babies.
Louisiana Sens. David Vitter and Bill Cassidy were among 44 co-sponsors of S.1881.
Cassidy argued the merits of the bill on the Senate floor.
The Senate voted 53-46 on the cloture motion - failing to get the 60 votes needed to stop the Democratic filibuster against the defunding measure. Had the cloture vote been approved and the bill passed, and should the House pass its own bill to defund Planned Parenthood, President Barack Obama said he would veto the measure.
The vote was an improvement over a 2011 vote that saw the vote on the filibuster fail and technically the Senate is five votes away from overcoming a Democratic filibuster.
Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine voted to allow a vote on defunding Planned Parenthood but indicated she would vote no on the defunding bill itself. Pro-abortion Republican Lisa Murkowski of Alaska voted for cloture as well along with Democrats Donnelly of Indiana and Joe Manchin of West Virginia.
Republican Sen. Mark Kirk of Illinois was the only Republican to vote against the defunding effort, while pro-life Sen. Lindsey Graham, who supports defunding Planned Parenthood, missed the vote to campaign for president.
Following the vote, Sen. Vitter released the following statement: "Given that abortion is such a divisive issue among Americans, federal taxpayer dollars absolutely should not go to abortion mills like Planned Parenthood. We have plenty of other options - like community-based clinics that don't perform abortions - that can fund other services like pre-natal services. Federal taxpayer dollars shouldn't go to this organization or any other abortion mill."
With the Senate voting against defunding, attention now turns to attempts to defund Planned Parenthood via the budget process. Already, 18 House Republicans, including Louisiana Congressman John Fleming, have said they will not allow passage of any essential bills to fund the federal government if such bills do not include language defunding Planned Parenthood.
Attention will also now turn to Congressional and state efforts to investigate Planned Parenthood's sale of body parts from aborted babies and state-level efforts to defund Planned Parenthood further. (See story below on Gov. Bobby Jindal's efforts.)
Did you miss the videos exposing Planned Parenthood? Click below to catch up.
Visit LifeNews.com for complete coverage of the attempt to defund Planned Parenthood.
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Planned Parenthood's Medicaid Provider Contract Terminated
The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals on Monday exercised its right to terminate Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast's Medicaid Provider contract, providing written 30-day notice as required by the contract and relevant Louisiana law that says either party can choose to cancel the contract at will after providing written notice.
In recent weeks, multiple videos have surfaced showing Planned Parenthood Federation of America senior personnel and other employees describing how they actively engage in illegal partial birth abortion procedures and conduct these abortions in a manner that leaves body parts intact so that they can later be sold on the open market. Since these videos have surfaced, Gov.Bobby Jindal has directed DHH to investigate Planned Parenthood's activities in Louisiana and also sent a letter to both the Louisiana Inspector General and the F.B.I. asking them to assist in the investigation. In announcing the decision, Gov. Bobby Jindal said Planned Parenthood does not represent the values of the State of Louisiana in regards to respecting human life Gov. Jindal said, "In recent weeks, it has been shocking to see reports of the alleged activities taking place at Planned Parenthood facilities across the country. Planned Parenthood does not represent the values of the people of Louisiana and shows a fundamental disrespect for human life. It has become clear that this is not an organization that is worthy of receiving public assistance from the state." According to a press release from the governor's office, DHH has concerns that Planned Parenthood could be acting in violation of Louisiana law that states no person or group contracting with the state or receiving government assistance shall require or recommend that any woman have an abortion. The state investigation into Planned Parenthood remains ongoing.
Louisiana's Medicaid Family Planning Services program is required to provide adequate services to women across the state. Cancellation of this contract at will does not jeopardize those services in any way as Planned Parenthood is just one of many providers in the Baton Rouge and New Orleans areas.
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Benjamin Clapper, executive director of Louisiana Right to Life, released the following statement regarding today's development:
"Louisiana Right to Life commends Gov. Bobby Jindal for terminating the state's Medicaid provider agreement with Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast. PPGC is a big abortion business that our tax dollars should not be subsidizing. In 2012 Planned Parenthood affiliates sold 327,166 abortions, and PPGC plans to sell more at a regional abortion center that is building on Claiborne Avenue in New Orleans.
"In legislative testimony, former PPGC employee Abby Johnson exposed that Planned Parenthood imposes abortion quotas on its employees. The videos showing the harvesting and haggling over prices of unborn children's body parts is simply another confirmation that Planned Parenthood is a big business that commodifies human life. Women's health services are available at the many public and non-profit heath units that understand that abortion is not healthcare."
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