Wisconsin Democratic Leaders Prevent Vote to Stop UW Late-Term Abortions
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
June 15, 2009
Madison, WI (LifeNews.com) — Democrats in charge of the Wisconsin Assembly have prevented a vote on an amendment to the state budget bill that would prevent the University of Wisconsin health system from doing late-term abortions. UW will be doing late-term abortions at the Madison Surgery Center.
The Assembly Democratic leadership used a procedural maneuver to kill an amendment to the state budget that would have prevented UW entities from performing late-term abortions.
The amendment, authored by Rep. Dan LeMahieu, was strongly supported by pro-life groups but the leadership asked the Assembly to vote on a procedural maneuver that all members knew would result in killing the LeMahieu amendment.
The procedural vote prevailed by a one vote margin as all Republicans voted against it along with Democrats Peggy Krusick and Bob Ziegelbauer and Independent Jeff Wood.
"It is obvious by the very close vote that the leadership was fearful that the LeMahieu amendment would pass if members were permitted the opportunity to vote on it," Wisconsin Right to Life legislative director Susan Armacost told LifeNews.com.
"Apparently, the leadership felt that using a complicated procedural maneuver would mask their intention to protect the hideous late-term abortion plan at the Madison Surgery Center. Wisconsin Right to Life considers the recorded vote in favor of the leadership’s procedural maneuver to be a vote in favor of the late-term abortion plan at the Madison Surgery Center," she added.
Armacost continued, "We thank Assembly Republicans, Representative Krusick, Representative Ziegelbauer and Representative Wood for voting to protect babies from hideous late-term abortion procedures at UW facilities."
The procedural vote comes after University of Wisconsin health officials responded to a series of ads Wisconsin Right to Life ran about the late-term abortions.
The Wisconsin Right to Life ads exposed information contained in internal emails between various UW officials regarding the late-term abortion plan at the Madison Surgery Center. The emails were obtained through an open records request.
Pete Christman, UWMF Executive Director, said state employees would be forced to participate in "emergency" follow-up medical care for women who are victimized in a botched abortion, though the email does not define an emergency.
ACTION: Express your response to their votes by contacting members of the Assembly at https://www.legis.state.wi.us/asmhome.htm
Related web sites:
Wisconsin Right to Life – https://WisconsinRightToLife.org
Latest WRTL ad – https://www.wrtl.org/pdf/WisconsinStateJournal_Ad3.pdf
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