Kansas County Votes to Shut Down Abortion Clinic Accused of Spreading Coronavirus Nationwide

State   |   Micaiah Bilger   |   Apr 1, 2020   |   4:44PM   |   Wichita, Kansas

The county commissioners who oversee Wichita, Kansas voted Wednesday to close a dangerous abortion facility suspected of contributing to the spread of the coronavirus.

The Sedgwick County Commissioners approved a recommendation urging Gov. Laura Kelly and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to include elective abortions in the state-wide stay-at-home order and ban on non-essential medical care during the coronavirus outbreak, the AP reports.

“Kansans are living under stay-at-home orders, yet the abortion industry is steering out-of-state individuals to the Wichita clinic, potentially exposing countless individuals to COVID-19,” said Jeanne Gawdun, Kansans for Life director of government relations.

The pro-life organization praised the commissioners for taking action to close the abortion facility, Trust Women Wichita, and protect local residents.

“The Sedgwick County Commission made the right decision, and we hope that Dr. Minns and Governor Kelly do the right thing,” Gawdun said.

In a recent interview with Vice, abortion facility owner Julie Burkhart confirmed that all 13 of the abortionists who rotate through her Kansas and Oklahoma facilities travel from out of state. One of them appears to be working even though they may have been exposed to the coronavirus.

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Earlier this week, Sedgwick County Commissioner Michael O’Donnell expressed concerns about local residents’ safety if the abortion facility remains open during the health crisis.

“This past weekend the Governor of Oklahoma said that abortions were not considered essential services,” O’Donnell said. “So what’s happened is, all these individuals are coming from Oklahoma to Kansas to have their abortions. That just creates an obvious problem, because we’re bringing in people that may have been exposed to the coronavirus. That’s the reason it was closed in Oklahoma City.”

Local pro-life advocates estimated the facility aborted 117 unborn babies last weekend alone. They said they noticed license plates from Oklahoma, Texas and Louisiana, where state orders halting non-essential medical care include elective abortions.

“Women from Louisiana had to drive through multiple states to get to Kansas. These women had the potential of spreading the virus along the way. People who are not yet symptomatic, but have been exposed to COVID-19 can still transmit the virus to others,” according to Operation Rescue.

However, Kelly, a pro-abortion Democrat, is not expected to act on the commissioners’ recommendation. According the AP, the governor insisted Tuesday that elective abortions are “essential” health care.

But abortion facilities are not in the business of saving lives.

As Gawdun noted: “Trust Women’s Oklahoma City clinic has stopped performing abortions, due to Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt’s executive order postponing elective surgeries (including abortion) in order to protect the citizens of Oklahoma and preserve the resources needed to combat the virus. But here in Kansas, it is business as usual for the abortion industry, which is known for putting profits ahead of the health and safety of patients.”

There are serious concerns about the safety of women as well as unborn babies at the Wichita facility. Operation Rescue recently uncovered information about a California abortionist practicing at the Kansas facility after allegedly being exposed to the coronavirus. Pro-life advocates believe the abortionist was not tested for the virus and could be spreading it to patients.

Another abortionist may be practicing at the Wichita facility without a license. “The abortionist on duty over the eventful weekend was believed to be a former Trust Women abortionist named Cheryl Chastine, who allowed her Kansas medical license to expire in 2016, after quitting her job in Wichita.  It has not been renewed. Chastine is also not listed on Trust Women’s current 24-hour consent form as required by law,” according to the pro-life organization.

Pro-lifers who continue to stand on the sidewalks hoping to save unborn babies also are at risk.

Last weekend, in a gross violation of basic health standards, an abortion facility security guard in Texas allegedly gave a pro-life volunteer a bag of vomit from a sick woman, according to the pro-life organization. The volunteer filed a police report. At the Kansas abortion facility, another man was arrested for reportedly stealing property from a local pro-life leader.

Because of the governor’s stay-at-home order, Kansas pro-life advocates also expressed fears about being arrested if they continue their life-saving work.

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 blocked the order and allowed abortion centers to keep killing babies but a federal appeals court reinstated the order.

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. Meanwhile, a judge has blocked the state’s order banning abortions.

Mississippi: Abortion centers are included in the order and the state’s sole abortion business has closed.

Tennessee: Tennessee Governor Wants Abortion Businesses to Close, Killing Babies is Not “Essential” Medical Care

Oklahoma: Oklahoma Gov Orders Abortion Businesses to Close, Killing Babies is Not “Essential” Medical Care. The Planned Parenthood abortion business has sued to keep doing abortions.

Kentucky: Attorney General Asks Health Department to Shut Down Abortion Clinics to Combat Coronavirus

Iowa: Governor Kim Reynolds Bans Killing Babies in Abortions to Save Medical Resources to Fight Coronavirus

Indiana: Governor Bans Killing Babies in Abortions to Save Medical Resources to Fight Coronavirus. At least one abortion business is refusing to comply.

Alabama: Alabama stopped abortions under its non-essential order until April 13th but a judge ruled the state can’t infringe on the so-called “right” to abortion.

West Virginia: Gov Bans Killing Babies in Abortions to Save Medical Resources to Fight Coronavirus.

States Not Protecting Babies From Abortion

Virginia: Christians Could be Jailed for 1 Year for Attending Church, But Abortion Clinics Can Keep Killing Babies

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.

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 non-essential medical procedure except abortion.