Operation Rescue President Says AP Story Won’t Stop Abortion Opposition
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
September 16, 2009
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — The head if Operation Rescue told LifeNews.com today that he is displeased with an Associated Press article that makes it appear as if the pro-life group is close to going under. Formerly an abortion protest group, OR now focuses on exposing and putting abortion practitioners out of business.
OR and it pro-life allies Kansans for Life were close to getting late-term abortion practitioner George Tiller held accountable for potentially illegal abortions.
But, just when the state medical board was close to finally taking action to suspend Tiller’s medical license because of the problems, he was allegedly shot and killed by militia activist Scott Roeder.
Because Roeder happened to have contacted Operation Rescue for information about Tiller and had the group’s number in his vehicle, the pro-life group was erroneously tied to him.
That, and a fundraising letter asking for support because of the summer doldrums, prompted the Associated Press to write a news article saying OR was close to its demise.
Not so, Operation Rescue president Troy Newman tells LifeNews.com.
"Operation Rescue will continue its life saving pro-life because of the generosity of its supporters," he said.
"The Associated Press attempted to paint a dark and ugly future for Operation Rescue, but the truth is that Operation Rescue has been in ministry for over 20 years and will stay in the fight against abortion until every child is protected under law," he said.
Newman explained that the downturn in funding is partly seasonal and partly as a result of the slowed economy.
"Our faithful supporters responded to that letter, and we are back on track," Newman said, but he noted the "left wing media seized on a letter sent to our supporters, and blew it out of proportion.”
“We are an organization that exists entirely on donations," Newman continues. "And because we rely completely on God and our supporters, it is normal to have ebbs and flows in our funding."
Newman said he group is moving forward and, right now, that means concentrating its efforts on exposing late-term abortion practitioner LeRoy Carhart, who operates in the Omaha, Nebraska area.
He has already come under fire from a handful of former employees who allege he has engaged in unlawful and unethical practices.
“Our organization is busier than ever working on projects to stop the shedding of innocent blood through abortion," he said, adding that it "continue[s] to innovate new ways to close abortion clinics through peaceful legal means, and we have a dedicated donor base that is growing."
It will likely distress our pro-abortion detractors to know that our doors remain open and that we are not going anywhere until there is an end to abortion in our nation," he concluded.
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