Pro-Life, Pro-Abortion Groups Spar Over Buffet Donation to Gates Foundation 
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
June 29, 2006
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — Pro-life and pro-abortion groups are fighting over a decision by Warren Buffett to leave the vast majority of his $44 billion dollar fortune to the Gates Foundation. Headed by Microsoft founder Bill Gates, the foundation has come under fire for giving tens of millions of dollars to Planned Parenthood abortion businesses.
Rev. Thomas Euteneuer, the president of Human Life International, condemned the decision saying the Gates Foundation’s agenda includes promoting abortion worldwide — even in third world nations and countries with pro-life laws.
“Warren Buffett’s money has gone to fund the production and distribution of portable suction abortion devices in the developing world [and] organizations that push abortion on developing countries," Euteneuer said.
“The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have also given millions of dollars to organizations pushing abortion around the world. The merger of Gates and Buffett may spell doom for the families of the developing world," he added.
The Gates Foundation has given the Planned Parenthood Federation of America abortion business almost $12.5 million since 1998, including funds to persuade teenagers to support abortion and to lobby the United Nations to advance pro-abortion proposals.
Gloria Feldt, a former Planned Parenthood president, defended Buffett’s decision.
"What an outrage that these people have the gall to cast aspersions on other citizens for standing up for what they believe," Feldt told the Associated Press. "They have no right whatsoever to criticize people who put their money where their mouths are."
This isn’t the first time Buffett’s so-called philanthropy has gotten him in trouble with pro-life advocates.
His own charitable foundation spent $2 million in the 1990s to help fund the clinical trials of the dangerous abortion drug RU 486. Since its approval during the last days of the Clinton administration, the mifepristone drug has been responsible for the deaths of seven women and injuring more than 950 others.
Planned Parenthood in total has received millions more from the Gates Foundation as it has has also given nearly $21 million to the International Planned Parenthood abortion business and nearly $2 million to Planned Parenthood abortion centers in Washington state and more than $1.3 million to the Planned Parenthood in Canada.
Buffett is the 75 year-old chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway and he will begin making contributions to the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation next month by giving it stock options in the company.
Buffett will give the Gates foundation 12,050,000 in Class B shares of Berkshire Hathaway. One share of the stock sells for just over $3,000, and would give the Gates foundation another $37 billion. It already has $29 billion, which makes it the world’s largest charity.
ACTION: Contact the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and urge it to stop supporting Planned Parenthood and abortion. Contact: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, PO Box 23350, Seattle, WA 98102, (206) 709-3100, [email protected]
