A pro-abortion activist in Kansas who is associated with the late late-term abortion practitioner George Tiller say she wants to open a new abortion business in Wichita, Kansas — Tiller’s former stomping grounds that has been abortion free since his death.
Julie Burkhart, who ran the political organization Tiller founded to promote pro-abortion candidates who would oppose laws holding his abortion facility accountable for meeting basic health and safety standards or limiting abortions, is now the executive director of the St. Louis-based Trust Women, a pro-abortion group. AP indicates she has said she wants to open an abortion clinic that will do first-trimester abortions and offer legitimate women’s health care.
Burkhart is reportedly aiming for opening up shop within the next 12 months and is working on recruiting a licensed physician to do abortions there. AP reports that Burkhart has raised about 25 percent of the funding necessary to open up for business.
Kathy Ostrowski, the legislative director for Kansans for Life, says Burkhart’s organization may be pursuing embattled abortion practitioner Mila Means, who state officials once declared to be the worst doctor in the state. She also noted the irony that Planned Parenthood, which also wants to do abortions in Wichita, the biggest city in the state, can’t find an abortion practitioner to work there.
“So we have a tiny N.O.W. group backing abortionist-in-training Mila Means’ request for donations to start a first trimester Wichita abortion clinic and a Wichita Planned Parenthood facility whose president says he can’t find a willing physician,” Ostrowski said.
“Burkhart is obsessed with Kansas– despite a willing abortionist and an available facility, she is using her PAC to build her own abortion business that Rachel Maddow–not Wichtans–want,” Ostrowski added. “All in the backdrop of a two-clinic lawsuit claiming abortion facilities shouldn’t have be subject to newly-enacted state oversight, despite numerous court decisions to the contrary and operative regulation in other states.”
In June 2009, Tiller’s family confirmed it would close his abortion business, Women’s Health Care Services. The decision meant other late-term abortion practitioners like Nebraska-based LeRoy Carhart will not take over Tiller’s Kansas-based abortion center and continue it following his death. Carhart eventually moved to Maryland to do abortions in Germantown, outside the nation’s capital.
The statement also indicated that Tiller’s family will not have any involvement in any other abortion centers. That means the Tiller name will no longer be connected with the performance of abortions on babies who may be able to live on their own outside their mother’s womb.
“Notice is being given today to all concerned that the Tiller family is ceasing operation of the clinic and any involvement by family members in any other similar clinic,” the statement continued.
Tiller opened Women’s Health Care Services in the 1970s and it was one of the few places in the nation solely dedicated to doing late-term abortions. Such abortions are done across the country, with as many as 13,000 or more done annually.
