New Jersey Democrats Seek to Restore Planned Parenthood Funding

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Jun 20, 2012   |   11:34AM   |   Trenton, NJ

Despite the fact that pro-life New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has vetoed taxpayer funding for the Planned Parenthood abortion business twice, Democrats in the state legislature are pushing to fund it again.

The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee approved the bill (S788) that would send $7.45 million to Planned Parenthood. The measure is expected to get traction and potentially be approved by state lawmakers a third time and sent to Governor Christie.

Marie Tasy, of New Jersey Right to Life, told LifeNews that Democratic lawmakers are “trying to score political points by pushing for funding of their core constituencies.”

“It is reprehensible that any lawmakers would even consider using the hard earned tax dollars of New Jersey taxpayers to fund Planned Parenthood,” she said, “especially after this organization has been repeatedly caught on tape aiding and abetting the sexual predators of minor girls and most recently, encouraging the late term sex selection abortion of baby girls.”

“Planned Parenthood’s conduct toward women and girls is disgusting, discriminatory and indefensible. This is the real “War on Women” and it’s time these legislators stopped trying to pad the pockets of Planned Parenthood and instead focus on working with the Governor to help bring tax relief to New Jersey’s citizens,” Tasy said.

The New Jersey Family Policy Council also opposes Planned Parenthood funding and said it is asking lawmakers to vote no as the bill moves forward.

“Politics aside, this funding harms children,” the group said. “The funds, which are designated for “women’s health and family planning” services, are contracted to Planned Parenthood, which swears that is uses the money strictly for services like mammograms (which Planned Parenthood does not actually offer), breast exams, and pap tests. Unfortunately we know that every dollar they receive for women’s health services frees up another dollar for the taking of innocent human life through abortion. We also know that all of the services offered at Planned Parenthood’s 43 locations are offered at county health clinics across New Jersey, free of charge—which makes this funding a wasteful duplication of resources.”

In a letter to legislators, the group added:  “This appropriation is a needless duplication of other efforts. It is also contracted out to Planned Parenthood, a vendor whose practices I believe to be immoral and are certainly at times illegal.”

“Moreover, that organization is under federal investigation for its many, systemic, and repeated failures to report sex trafficking and statutory rape, among other violations. Surely the state is concerned about contracting with only law-abiding vendors,” it continued.

The group says the funding is unnecessary because women can obtain similar health services without going to an abortion business.

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“In addition to Planned Parenthood clinics, New Jersey has a network of 82 health clinics statewide where anyone can come for basic healthcare regardless of their ability to pay. Women’s health is included in these services,” it says. “It makes very little sense to spend $40 million in state Medicaid funds on these clinics, and then turn around and spend nearly another fifth of that amount so that dubious “women’s health” services can be performed again elsewhere, even though Planned Parenthood clinics are not nearly as numerous as county clinics and do not provide services regardless of ability to pay.”

“This is not a women’s issue and it is not an access issue. It is a responsibility issue, to our children and to our taxpayers. Please vote against S788,” the group concludes.

Previously, an employee at the Planned Parenthood abortion facility in Perth Amboy, New Jersey was caught on videotape working with an alleged sex trafficking ring operator to get abortions done on the underage girls he claimed he was exploiting.

Afterwards, an inespection of Planned Parenthood of Mercer County found the clinic in the state capital was cited for numerous health code violations which have placed the lives and health of women and young girls in imminent danger.

The New Jersey Department of Health conducted the surveys and found Planned Parenthood of Mercer County improperly used syringes and compounds, it was guilty of improper training and qualifications of staff on pain management and health care counseling (including abortions), the facility failed to have infection control program in place and failed to require physical exams for staff.

Health officials also determined the Planned Parenthood center did not test staff for rubella and TB, the medical director failed to designate a replacement for times of absence, the Planned Parenthood did not ensure adequate protections were in place for drug adverse reactions and medication errors, did not have procedures in place regarding dangerous substances, did not have a written agreement with a pharmacy licensed by the New Jersey State Board of Pharmacy, did not have adequate infection controls in place, was not using and sterilizing medical instruments and devices — including a vaginal ultrasound — properly, and did not provide any proof that the facility is a formal member of the Maternal and Child Health Consortium as required by law.

The inspection, written up in an April 7 letter, also noted Planned Parenthood failed to maintain hot running water in patient care areas, and it had several sanitary and safety violations involving patient care and many other administrative deficiencies.

After a U.S. Inspector General report showed New Jersey-based family planning clinics run by the Planned Parenthood abortion business were improperly billing Medicaid for services that did not qualify as family planning, the state had to return $2.9 million to the Medicaid program.

ACTION: Contact legislators to urge a no vote on the Planned Parenthood funding bill by going here.