Kansas Pro-Life Group Says Abortion Prompts Change at Kansas Medical Board
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
October 21, 2009
Topeka, KS (LifeNews.com) — The pro-life group Kansans for Life is not happy about the change at the head of the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts, the agency responsible for monitoring doctors and abortion practitioners. The group says it believes abortion politics has prompted the replacement of Jack Confer.
When Confer was named to head the medical board, KFL and other pro-life groups had repeatedly asked it to hold abortion practitioners ore accountable for breaking state laws and putting women at risk with botched abortions.
At the time of his death, the KSBHA had a complaint it was investigating regarding late-term abortion practitioner George Tiller and was close to revoking his medical license.
Last Friday, the Board conducted a regular meeting and voted to dismiss the Tiller revocation petition KFL submitted due to his death.
KFL director Mary Kay Culp tells LifeNews.com that the fact that "Confer uncharacteristically did not respond to our email the day before the meeting, or since then, hints that the Board did not want to pursue action against the other four abortionists and may be the heart of his resignation."
Culp says Confer admitted that he had almost lost his job twice during the first few months after his term began in July 2008, during which time the Board presidency turned over a few times.
"Jack Confer was our last hope against the complete ant total corruption of this state by abortion forces, and with his resignation, no matter what the reason, that hope is dashed," Culp told LifeNews.com today.
"It has only been under Confer’s leadership that the Board enforced the state’s law banning affiliated medical referrals for post-viability abortions," she explained.
"We are upset and outraged and demand Kansas legislators do whatever they can to get to the bottom of this. If indeed abortion is the reason for Confer’s resignation, as we suspect, it underscores the desperate need Kansas has for a governor, public officials and a medical board that are not pawns of the abortion industry," she continued.
Culp said the board, under Confer’s leadership, issued the revocation petition in December 2008 concerning Tiller’s license.
The board alleged six years of illegal post-viability abortion referrals had transpired at Tiller’s abortion facility in Wichita, including 11 cases of minors as young as 10.
From March 23-27, 2009 the state of Kansas conducted, and lost a trial against Tiller for the same crimes and the jury in the case seemed convinced that former Board director Larry Buening’s alleged advice exonerated Tiller’s misuse of a financially affiliated licensee to issue exemption referrals, Culp said.
Culp told LifeNews.com the board, under Confer, "interpreted the law correctly and seemed determined to win its case. Confer even sent four Board staffers to monitor the failed trial, so they would be ready to win an anticipated fight with Tiller’s pricey attorneys."
KFL submitted additional information to the Board in September 2009, connecting the dots between sworn testimony at Tiller’s trial and other documents since 1992 dealing with Board oversight of illegal abortion activities.
"We asserted Buening’s involvement in illegal Kansas abortions was more than just a convenient excuse for Tiller, and accused certain Board staffers of conflict of interest, asking for their recusal and the further recusal of any Board members still loyal to Buening," Culp noted.
On Oct. 14, 2009, an additional 15,000 hand-signed citizen petitions were delivered to Confer, asking for speedy disciplinary action against the other four abortion practitioners implicated by the Board’s December 2008 petition: Kristin Neuhaus, LeRoy Carhart, Susan Robinson and Shelly Sella.
Culp applauded Confer’s work during his tenure.
"Confer oversaw measurable improvements in case intake and outcomes. Unlike Buening, Confer, conducted himself as the consummate professional, not expressing any position about the abortion issue, but returning our calls, listening attentively to concerns and carefully explaining his legal role and the duties of the Board staff," she said.
Related web sites:
Kansans for Life – https://www.KFL.org
Sign Up for Free Pro-Life News From LifeNews.com
Daily Pro-Life News Report Twice-Weekly Pro-Life
News Report Receive a free daily email report from LifeNews.com with the latest pro-life news stories on abortion, euthanasia and stem cell research. Sign up here. Receive a free twice-weekly email report with the latest pro-life news headlines on abortion, euthanasia and stem cell research. Sign up here.
