Planned Parenthood to Hold Large Fundraising Gala to Open Houston Abortion Biz
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
March 11, 2010
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — Planned Parenthood of Houston has planned a large fundraising gala on April 30 to mark the grand opening of its massive new abortion facility. The is the same abortion business that saw thousands of pro-life advocates participate in a rally protesting its planned opening.
The new "super center" abortion facility is equipped to abortions that officials say will be done on babies through 19 weeks into pregnancy.
The invitation to the event bills it as "historic" to mark both the 75th anniversary of the Texas Planned Parenthood and the opening of the new 78,000 square-foot facility.
Lou Engle, founder of The Call to Conscience, the group that sponsored the huge January rally, talked with CNS News about the fundraising event.
“Planned Parenthood is absolutely right when it claims in its dinner invitation that this is a ‘historic event’ – it is,” he said. “Its massive abortion facility on Gulf Freeway in Houston is truly unprecedented and will lead to countless innocent deaths and make late-term abortions more convenient.”
Seats at the gala go for a premium, with tickets starting at $350 and $25,000 getting a group a table for 10 people.
“While Planned Parenthood’s major donors and apologists dine at $350-a-plate for its diamond anniversary, innocent lives are being discarded for profit,” Engle said. “Planned Parenthood portrays itself as a benevolent force that helps guide young women through difficult choices.”
“That is absolutely false,” Engle told CNS News. “Planned Parenthood has grown itself into a booming business that targets poor and minority Americans.”
Melanie Gray and Mark Wawro, a husband and wife attorney team who have been financial benefactors of Planned Parenthood will also be honored at the event.
At the rally, pro-life advocates — representing people of all races — decried Planned Parenthood for relocating to a former bank building next to three predominantly Hispanic and one African-American neighborhood.
Family Research Council president Tony Perkins was on hand to deliver an address.
"Planned Parenthood’s Houston abortion super center will most likely become the prototype for so-called ‘preventative care’ centers under President Obama’s health care plan," he warned.
He said that the government-run health care restructuring bill in Congress must be stopped or Planned Parenthood will get more money for more centers.
"Make no mistake about it, the present health care bill gives bureaucrats in Washington great discretion in how they dole out funds and to what programs. Most of these decisions will be made by Kathleen Sebelius, the former governor of Kansas who has a record that made her the most pro-abortion governor in America," he said.
Planned Parenthood released a statement in response to the event.
"Our new building on the Gulf Freeway will be the largest Planned Parenthood building in the U.S.," the abortion business said. "It will be our administrative headquarters for 35 counties in Southeast Texas and Louisiana."
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