Ohio will suffer more death and destruction after a judge allowed abortion facilities in the state to continue elective abortions during the coronavirus pandemic.
Even though there is nothing essential about aborting an unborn baby, Ohio District Court Judge Michael Barrett ruled late Monday that closing abortion facilities would cause “irreparable harm” to women, according to National Review.
Ohio is one of several states that included elective abortions in their bans on non-essential medical procedures during the global health crisis. The orders are meant to save lives by conserving medical resources and preventing further spread of the virus.
However, Planned Parenthood and other abortion groups are suing to block these bans. Just hours after they filed the lawsuit, Barrett issued a two-week order blocking the state from enforcing the elective abortion ban, according to the report.
“The law is well-settled that women possess a fundamental constitutional right of access to abortions,” Barrett wrote in his ruling. “If a healthcare provider determines, on a case-by-case basis, that the surgical procedure is medically indicated and cannot be delayed, based on the timing of pre-viability or other medical conditions, said procedure is deemed legally essential to preserve a woman’s right to constitutionally protected access to abortions.”
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said they are looking at options to appeal, Cleveland.com reports. In a statement, he emphasized that the state implemented the health order to save lives.
“After consultation with the experts at the Ohio Department of Health, the state of Ohio will take the course of action that will most quickly achieve that goal — be it an emergency appeal, a trial on the preliminary injunction, a more specifically drawn order, or other remedy,” Yost said.
According to the report, 15 attorneys general from other states filed an amicus brief Monday in support of Ohio’s action.
As LifeNews.com reported, abortion facilities have been ignoring Ohio Health Director Amy Acton’s mandate to stop non-essential medical procedures. State officials confirmed that they were investigating potential violations earlier this week.
On Thursday, pro-life leaders with Ohio Right to Life sent a letter to state health leaders urging them to shut down abortion facilities and save lives.
“These clinics are performing surgical procedures in conflict with your order during this state of emergency,” the letter states. “Nowhere in the order was there included an exemption for surgical abortions. By performing surgical abortions, each of these facilities is putting the health and safety of all Ohioans in danger.”
State Rep. Candice Keller, R-Middletown, echoed their request, noting the growing health crisis.
“The point of the order was to stop the spread of the deadly virus and ensure there would be (personal protective equipment) for the protection for our first responders and health-care workers, which would in turn slow the spread to the general population,” Keller said. “Yet this order remains unenforced while the number of COVID-19 cases in Ohio grows exponentially by the day.”
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Monday brought bad news for Texas as well. There, a federal judge with a long history of siding with the abortion industry also ruled that Texas abortion centers can defy the governor’s order and continue to abort unborn babies in elective abortions.
As LifeNews reported, at least some Texas abortion businesses closed temporarily or stopped doing abortions in response to Gov. Greg Abbott’s order. The Republican governor temporarily halted all non-essential medical procedures to preserve medical resources to fight the coronavirus crisis.
In Iowa, Gov. Kim Reynolds also banned abortions in the state to preserve medical resources to help fight the virus. She said anesthesiology machines used during abortion procedures might instead be converted to function as ventilators so they can function as legitimate health equipment in a time of need. Her state also is facing a lawsuit from the abortion industry.
Notably, none of the lawsuits were filed by women claiming harm. All of them come from abortion advocacy groups and abortion facilities that benefit financially from the killing of unborn babies.
Although the situation is fluid, here are the latest reports from LifeNews.com on the status of abortion and orders to stop non-essential medical services:
States Attempting to Protect Babies From Abortion
Texas: Abortion centers are temporarily closed after Governor Greg Abbott’s order. But Texas abortion businesses have sued the state to reopen. Planned Parenthood has filed a lawsuit as well to do abortions and ignore the order. A federal judge has blocked the order and allowed abortion centers to keep killing babies.
Maryland: Abortion centers are included in the abortion order to stop non-essential procedures but they have been caught violating the order.
Louisiana: Abortion centers are included in the order to close and all three closed initially but at least one abortion center has been caught doing abortions.
Ohio: Abortion centers are included in the order to close but they are refusing to close. The health department is now investigating those violations.
Mississippi: Abortion centers are included in the order and the state’s sole abortion business has closed.
Oklahoma: Oklahoma Gov Orders Abortion Businesses to Close, Killing Babies is Not “Essential” Medical Care
Kentucky: Attorney General Asks Health Department to Shut Down Abortion Clinics to Combat Coronavirus
Indiana: Governor Bans Killing Babies in Abortions to Save Medical Resources to Fight Coronavirus
States Not Protecting Babies From Abortion
New York: New York has issued an order to stop non-essential health services but is not applying it to abortion centers. New York Attorney General: Coronavirus Crisis is No Reason to Stop Killing Babies in Abortions. NYC Mayor Bill DeBlasio has threatened to permanently close churches while letting abortion centers stay open.
Alabama: Alabama Shuts Down Non-Essential Health Care, Allows Abortion Clinics to Keep Killing Babies
Minnesota: Minnesota Issues Shelter at Home Order But People Can Still Go Kill Their Babies in Abortions
New Mexico: New Mexico Shuts Down Non-Essential Health Care, But Allows Abortion Clinics to Keep Killing Babies
New Jersey: Shut down non-essential health care but abortion centers are excluded.
Michigan: Governor Whitmer has stopped non-essential medical surgeries but allowed abortion clinics to keep killing babies.
North Carolina: Pro-life groups have called on the governor to stop abortions during the coronavirus crisis.
Washington: Shut down non-essential health care but abortion centers are excluded.
California: Shut down non-essential health care but abortion centers are excluded. But 11 Planned Parenthood abortion centers have voluntarily closed.
Pennsylvania: Shut down non-essential health care but abortion centers are excluded.
Maine: Shut down non-essential health care but abortion centers are excluded.
Puerto Rico: Puerto Rico Shuts Down Pregnancy Center Over Coronavirus, Lets Abortion Clinics Stay Open
Massachusetts: Shut down non-essential health care but abortion centers are excluded.
International
Canada Has Banned Every Other Elective Surgery, But People Can Still Kill Babies in Abortions
