As we have written many times, the right of medical conscience is squarely in the crosshairs of the hyper-pro-abortion Biden-Harris administration. To illustrate, let’s compare and contrast with the pro-life administration of President Donald Trump.
On December 16, 2020, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division filed a civil suit against the University of Vermont Medical Center alleging that the UVMMC had forced a nurse to participate in an abortion. In a statement, the Justice Department explained that the lawsuit
alleges that UVMMC violated the Church Amendments when it chose intentionally and willfully to discriminate against a nurse who plainly made her objection to participating in abortions based on her religious beliefs or moral convictions known to UVMMC.
But that was under the Trump administration which was especially keen at protecting the right of conscience.
However, according to Fox News’ Sam Dorman, the Department of Justice (DOJ) under the pro-abortion Biden administration has dropped the lawsuit:
Filed on Friday, the DOJ’s notice of dismissal in Vermont’s district court came months after the Trump administration brought the suit. The brief notice doesn’t offer much by way of explanation, but rather reads: “Defendant University of Vermont Medical Center has not served an answer or motion for summary judgment in this action. The United States accordingly notices voluntary dismissal of this action, without prejudice.”
Roger Severino is the former head of Health and Human Services’ Office of Civil Rights (OCR). He told Dorman, “It’s a dereliction of duty that is an insult to the bipartisan consensus that says you cannot force people to assist in abortions.”
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Severino was not the only former Trump official to lambast the decision by DOJ.
According to Dorman
John Daukas, who served as former acting assistant attorney general for civil rights under Trump, told Fox News the move was a stark departure from normal practice.
“It’s very hard to understand how anybody could support forcing someone to perform an abortion, who thinks that they’re killing an innocent life,” said Daukas.
“I think that’s just outrageous, and I can’t believe the Justice Department dropped the lawsuit. Setting the morality aside, the law is clear,” he said. He was referring to the Church amendment, which was passed after the landmark decision in Roe v. Wade.
This action is in tune with the larger agenda of Biden-Harris and THE Congressional Democrat leadership which NRL News Today has written about repeatedly. That starts with budget proposals to eliminate the life-affirming Hyde Amendment credited with saving 2.4 million babies.
LifeNews.com Note: Dave Andrusko is the editor of National Right to Life News and an author and editor of several books on abortion topics. This post originally appeared in his National Right to Life News Today —- an online column on pro-life issues.
