After the Planned Parenthood abortion business was exposed selling aborted babies and their body parts, Alabama became the third state to de-fund it. But now a judge has issued a ruling forcing the state to restore the funding.
Governor Robert Bentley announced on Twitter in August that Alabama would also be cutting all state taxpayer funding to the abortion company.
“The deplorable practices at Planned Parenthood have been exposed to Americans. I’ve terminated any association with the organization in AL,” he said at the time. “As a doctor and Alabama’s Governor, the issue of human life, from conception to birth and beyond, is extremely important to me. I respect human life, and I do not want Alabama to be associated with an organization that does not.
Reuters has more information on the decision:
U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson issued a preliminary injunction after Planned Parenthood challenged the state’s move to terminate its contract to provide services under Medicaid, the federal and state healthcare program for the poor.
The judge wrote that Alabama had not provided a reason for terminating its agreement with the Planned Parenthood affiliate serving the region, as required under federal law. Planned Parenthood, which has clinics in Mobile and Birmingham, is an abortion provider.
“This is an absolute victory. The state of Alabama cannot impermissibly target abortion providers for unfair treatment,” said Susan Watson, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama, which joined in the lawsuit.
Alabama Governor Robert Bentley, a Republican named in the suit, said he was considering the state’s legal options.
“I am disappointed, and vehemently disagree with the court’s ruling today,” he said in a statement.
The states of Louisiana, Arkansas and Utah also cut Planned Parenthood funding in the wake of the aborted baby body parts sales scandal, but judges in each of those states are currently blocking the de-funding as well.
SIGN THE PETITION! Congress Must De-Fund Planned Parenthood Immediately
On the federal level, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will have the U.S. Senate vote next month on a bill that would de-fund Planned Parenthood, the abortion business caught selling aborted baby body parts. Senate Democrats have filibustered two previous bills to de-fund the abortion company but this third bill is not subject to a filibuster.
In August, Senate Democrats defeated an effort to revoke taxpayer funding for the Planned Parenthood abortion business by filibustering the bill and preventing a vote on it. Republicans were unable to secure the 60 voted needed to invoke cloture and stop debate on the bill, allowing an up or down vote. Republicans could only get 53 votes to shut off debate.
Then, in September, Senate Democrats voted to defeat a government funding bill that would de-fund the Planned Parenthood abortion business after it was caught in a series of 10 videos selling aborted babies and their body parts. The Senate voted 52 to 47 against ending debate.
Now, the Senate will vote on a reconciliation bill the House passed last week that will use the reconciliation process to de-fund the abortion company.
