Stand with Truth

It is increasingly likely that the American public will vote in this year’s Presidential election with a willing ignorance of the darkness that resides in America’s abortion facilities. Recently, the truth about Mr. Barak Obama’s opposition to protecting born alive infants was revealed. (read more here). And now, the truth that such infants need legal protection has also been revealed.

Students for Life has placed on youtube a recorded conversation with a Planned Parenthood worker in Freehold, New Jersey. During the conversation the worker admits that infants that survive the abortion attempt at the facility are left to die after they are born.

This truth has long been known in the pro-life community and other statements by abortion providers have confirmed such actions. One must understand the “logic” of abortion supporters: “an unwanted child is not a human being.” Accordingly, the birth of the child is not the defining point of the beginning of human life, but rather humanity is defined by whether the birth of the child is desired.

In their eyes, it is, therefore, the intent to abort the child that defines that child as inhuman, regardless of whether it is born.  The fact that the child is born alive is simply being an unfortunate mistake by the abortionist. Accordingly, allowing the child to die is not inhuman in the eyes of the abortionist nor those who support abortion on demand.

You will not see those who support abortion debate these issues in these terms as they believe that such logic is not politically palpable. And so we are forced to listen to the rationalizations that an unwanted child will live a miserable, impoverished life and that it is truly better to allow it to die. We will also hear the constant false claims that every aborted child suffers a severe deformity and that every instance of abortion is necessary to preserve the mother’s “health.”

Yet, unfortunately, we wonder whether such mental gymnastics by the abortion industry are necessary in today’s political and cultural climate. In many ways America has accepted their argument. This acceptance, and a benign neglect of our own humanity, allows us to publicly celebrate the miracles of science and technology in preserving the lives of prematurely born wanted children; while failing to notice the trash-bags full of the bodies of the prematurely killed unwanted children.

The electorate seems more focused on Wall Street and reflecting on its uncertain personal financial future rather than the suffering of the voiceless and voteless.

It appears that in America today, few elections are won due to voters expressing concerns for others as they case their ballot.

I doubt the recent news that abortion clinics actually do what we all know they are designed to - kill babies - will have much of an impact until those who claim the mantle of leadership teach America why it matters. Such is sad commentary on our nation.

It is a political truism that if you repeat a lie often enough it becomes the truth. Unfortunately, this tactic has greater success in Kansas since the state is absent an objective print media.

Currently, political candidates seeking jobs as District Attorney in Shawnee and Johnson counties are claiming not to be politicians as they use the above political tactic. Their efforts to achieve success in portraying lies as truth are being significantly helped by abortion seeded fundraising by Governor Sebelius and the refusal of the Kansas City Star to report facts relating to former Attorney General Phill Kline’s investigation of abortion clinics and the performance statistics of his current office.

Governor Sebelius is a fundraising machine and much of her political money is provided with gratitude by a Kansas abortion industry that leads the nation in abortions on viable children. The photographs of the Governor and late-term abortionist George Tiller yucking it up at the Governor’s mansion should give Kansans pause.

This money is now being used to perpetuate two falsehoods first articulated by former Attorney General Paul Morrison. You remember, the guy that the Kansas print media portrayed as the tireless hero of public safety being harassed by the cruel and politically motivated Kline who trumped up false accusations about sexual harassment against Morrison, except the allegations proved to be true and Morrison was forced to resign – that guy.

In a paltry, yet principled, attempt to battle those who buy ink by the barrel (although the barrels are getting smaller these days) we are refuting two of the most oft repeated lies.

False allegation #1: Kline’s investigation of abortion clinics invaded women’s privacy and was a fishing expedition.

Response: Oh, come on! We now know that the records never contained patient names and so privacy was not an issue. And in case you haven’t read it in the Kansas press (you probably haven’t because they don’t like to report it): four independent judges have now reviewed Kline’s evidence five separate times and each and every time have found probable cause to believe that either Mr. Tiller or Planned Parenthood have committed crimes.

To date, judges have approved the filing of 156 criminal counts resulting from a review of 90 files AND NOT ONE PATIENT NAME HAS BEEN REVEALED.

Heck, even Morrison felt the evidence was so compelling that he filed charges against Tiller.

Yet, Sebelius and Kansas editorialists continue to harp the privacy red herring while ignoring that those opposed to the investigation have benefited from millions of dollars of abortion industry political expenditures.

False Allegation #2: Kline’s Johnson County office is performing poorly.

Response: Kline’s office is performing better than when Mr. Morrison was District Attorney and there are not any more midnight illicit liaisons in judge’s chambers. A greater percentage of cases result in guilty dispositions and jury trial conviction rates are up.

Even the most recent claims that the attorneys Kline brought on board had a low jury trial conviction rate are refuted by the facts: the new attorneys hires had an 82% conviction rate in their first year, 18 points higher than the 64% conviction rate of the last four years of the Morrison administration.

And as for Kline? He personally prosecuted and convicted John Henry Horton in a 34 year old cold murder case and Edwin Hall, the murderer of Kelsey Smith, is now gone for life, without right of appeal and zero chance of probation. Thought Kline wasn’t an attorney?

The truth is that Gov. Sebelius, the Democrat party and the abortion industry successfully spent millions to redefine Phill Kline’s name as “devil” and they continue the lies to build on their investment. It is unfortunate that the Kansas media crew is content to participate in and allow such tactics.

The following is the content of a letter and Media Advisory that Mr. Kline sent to the Kansas media this morning (October 29, 2008).

Letter and Media Advisory

Dear Members of the Media:

Unfortunately, facts are often a casualty in election years. I have never become used to the deception or cheapness of some campaigns, but I have come to recognize that as an elected official I am a fair target of such tactics. I have chosen to hold public office and am willing to take the assaults but that is where it should stop.

The Office of Johnson County District Attorney is staffed with qualified, dedicated, efficient and successful attorneys and support staff. This is born out in performance statistics.

These are the facts and these facts have been communicated to the Kansas City Star which chose not to use the facts in their stories covering the District Attorney’s race and Mr. Guinn’s claims. All of these facts are supported by data compiled by the District Attorney’s Office and which is available.

In this community, perception all too often becomes reality and it is a disservice that these facts are not widely known because they have not been reported. I have placed my name on the ballot and certainly have chosen a profession where criticism comes with the territory but false attacks on the dedicated professionals of the office should stop!

It has been impossible to get these facts reported by the local major daily newspaper. Please do not use any portion of this letter on a quote for a story unless you also agree to report the attached facts. The citizens of Johnson County deserve the facts not more political tit for tat.

Sincerely,

Phill Kline

Johnson County District Attorney

Attached: Office Performance Statistics

MEDIA ADVISORY

October 29, 2008

Office Performance Statistics

The current jury trial conviction rate during my tenure as District Attorney is one percentage point higher than the last four years of my predecessor while the overall case disposition has improved.

Further, last year new hires had a higher jury trial conviction rate than those who remained in the office who previously worked for Mr. Morrison. This year the numbers are slightly reversed. In other words, the new hires and those who have been in the office for years are performing in generally the same manner.

At the same time the overall case disposition rate has improved. In 2006, the last year of the Morrison administration, 55% of the overall case dispositions resulted in a finding of guilt. In 2007, 60% of the cases during my administration have resulted in a finding of guilt. (These figures include jury trials, bench trials, pleas and dismissals by court or prosecution).

The following chart summarizes this information:

Category	Morrison	Kline
Jury Trial Conviction Rate	64.75%	65.5%
Overall Case Disposition Resulting in a Guilty Finding	55% (2006)	60% (2007)

The following table compares the performance of attorneys hired since January of 2007 with the overall office performance.

Year	Office Overall	Kline Hires
2007	62%	67%
2008	69%	67%

Further, we assessed the performance of the attorneys who came with me to the Johnson County District Attorneys office – those who replaced the 7 that were let go when I assumed office. (The above figures include new attorneys hired during my first year).

The attorneys that I brought with me to the District Attorneys office had 17 jury trials resulting in a verdict in their first year, 2007, and obtained 14 guilty verdicts.

This is an 82%jury trial conviction rate for the new attorneys I brought to the office on day one in 2007!

Does ProKanDo Recent Ethics Problems Indicate Abortion Patient Names Have Been Given to Political Fundraisers?

When it was first publicly revealed that former Attorney General Phill Kline was investigating Mr. George Tiller and Planned Parenthood, both abortion clinics cried foul. At the time, and continuously since, the abortionists have complained that Kline was grossly invading privacy and on a “witch hunt” and “fishing expedition.”

Now we know that the files subpoenaed by Shawnee County District Court Judge Richard Anderson do not contain names and not one patient name has been revealed by the investigation - there goes the privacy claim.

And we know that every judge who has reviewed the evidence has found probable cause to believe that Tiller and Planned Parenthood have committed crimes ( 156 crimes charged so far)- so quite a successful “fishing expedition.”

But what many do not remember is what Kline predicted when the clinics first publicly expressed their concerns about “privacy.” At the time Kline predicted that that patient identities would only be revealed by the clinics, not Kline’s investigation.

The prediction is coming true. First, Tiller has engaged in a public relations effort in which former patients describe their abortions. Stories have run in the LA Times about such abortions. Interestingly, the stories demonstrate violations of state law as, for example, one abortion patient informs the reader she had her abortion because her unborn child was diagnosed with down’s syndrome. Fetal anomaly is not justification under Kansas law for an abortion on a viable child.

But an even greater indication that Mr. Tiller is struggling with the issue of privacy comes from his PAC’s most recent run-in with the Kansas ethics commission. The Commission is considering issuing a fine to ProKanDo, one of Mr. Tiller’s political arms (read news story here).

The Commission reports that the PAC failed to report the identity of hundreds of contributors and instead reporting tens of thousands of dollars in a lump sum contribution from a telemarketing company that ProKanDo hired to do fundraising.

Who did the telemarketing firm call? Most likely, part of the list was Mr. Tiller’s abortion clients. In other words, in words from Mr. Tiller’s website, Tiller provides the names, addresses and phone numbers of his abortion clients to ProKanDo which in turn provides the information to telemarketers. All of this done while Tiller and Planned Parenthood fought to avoid a judges subpoena of records without names claiming a gross violation of privacy.

In 2005, John Hanna of the Associated Press confronted Tiller about the “privacy policy” statement that Mr. Tiller placed on his website. (read story here) The statement read in part:

“Fundraising Communications.
We may contact you to request a tax-deductible contribution to support important activities of Women’s Health Care Services, PA and/or ProKanDo. In connection with any fundraising, we may disclose to out fundraising staff demographic information about you (e.g. your name, address and phone number) and dates of health care that we provided you. If you do not want to receive any fundraising requests in the future, you may contact our Privacy Officer at (316)-684-5108.” (this page of his website is archived at: http://web.archive.org/web/20030623101920/www.drtiller.com/notice.html).

(the site points out another potential problem for Mr. Tiller in that ProKanDo’s activities are likely not tax deductible).

In response to Mr. Hanna’s questions, Mr. Tiller’s staff claimed that the inclusion of the above statement on the website was a simple mistake. Here’s the excerpt from Hanna’s February 2005 story:

“That was actually mistakenly put on there,” she said. Burkhart said Tiller doesn’t disclose the information to fund-raising staff and said she didn’t know how the statement was placed on the site.

The quote is by Julie Burkhart, the executive director of the ProKanDo PAC. Yet, the statement had been on the website for close to two years prior to Hanna’s question. The effective date of the policy is identified on the webpage as follows:

“Effective Date and Duration of This Notice

• Effective Date.
  This notice is effective on April 14, 2003.”

A two year mistake? Unlikely. It is likely that some of the contributions reported as a lump sum from ProKanDo’s telemarketer are contributions obtained from Mr. Tiller sharing his patient lists with ProKanDo which in turn shares the names with the telemarketing firm to raise funds to “support important activities” such as electing prosecutors that will look the other way and give up on investigations of Mr. Tiller.

Unfortunately, Hanna’s story received very little Kansas print media play and zero electronic media coverage. Kansas editors that support abortion on demand, regardless of the law, ensured that Mr. Tiller’s hypocrisy was not exposed.

Further, the same concerns exist with Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri, although their use of the private information of their patients is even more brazen - it is still on their website (follow this link to the Planned Parenthood privacy statement). It reads:

“Fundraising Activities

We may use health information about you to contact you in an effort to raise money for our not-for-profit operations. Please let us know if you do not want us to contact you for such fundraising efforts.”

And so, as Planned Parenthood continues to claim privacy concerns regarding records that do not contain names, the organization continues to reserve the right to give out the name, address and phone number of women who have had abortions at their clinic to telemarketers.

This inconsistency has been pointed out to the Kansas City Star numerous times and the Star’s refusal to report these facts is probably what allows Planned Parenthood to be so brazen.

At one point, Planned Parenthood was asked about the statement by a reporter. Planned Parenthood replied that the organization was required to include that statement in their privacy statement by federal law, specifically HIPAA.

This is true, but only if Planned Parenthood actually does provide the names to fundraisers. HIPAA’s requirement only requires disclosure of intended uses of the records. If the records were not to be used for fundraising, then it was not necessary to make such a disclosure under federal law. Accordingly, Planned Parenthood making the disclosure is an admission of their intent to use the records for that purpose. The reporter, however, accepted Planned Parenthood’s explanation and refused to do a story.

It will be interesting to see if ProKanDo claims a constitutional right to privacy to prevent disclosure of the names of its contributors. Appearances, however, already indicate that Mr. Tiller and Planned Parenthood are more than willing to disclose the names of their patients to third party fundraisers, while at the same time fighting tooth and nail to prevent disclosing evidence of potential crimes when privacy is not at issue because patient names are not requested. And it also appears that the Kansas print media and editorialists are more than willing to continue to applaud the abortion organizations as great protectors of privacy despite the clear and evident duplicity of such a claim.

Kansas – The Epicenter in the Battle for Life

This page provides links to stories that will help you to understand 21^st century Bleeding Kansas. Kansas, as a territory, became known to the nation in the 1850’s as “Bleeding Kansas” during a time that abolitionist and pro-slave forces engaged in guerilla warfare in an effort to usher Kansas into the union as either a slave or free state.

The abolitionists prevailed in Kansas in the 1850’s and Kansas entered the union as a free state in 1861. The battle in Kansas, President Lincoln’s role in supporting the Kansas free state cause and subsequent election as President of the United States served as a precursor to the American Civil War.

Today, Kansas is again a battleground over whether our nation will live up to its promise to respect the dignity of all human life. Kansas is the center of our nation’s abortion wars.

Former Kansas Attorney General and current District Attorney Phill Kline, in an effort to perform his duty and enforce the law, became the first prosecutor in United States history to charge Planned Parenthood with criminal activity. If Kline prevails in his case, Planned Parenthood could lose $350 million plus of annual federal taxpayer funding. Kline also became the first prosecutor ever to obtain copies of abortion records from abortion clinics.

Mr. Kline also led and investigation that resulted in criminal charges against notorious late-term abortionist George Tiller of Wichita. Mr. Tiller is one of the few in the nation who will perform abortions on healthy viable children up to the moment of birth even when the mother is not in threat of any physical injury if the pregnancy continued to term.

For his efforts, Mr. Kline has been maliciously attacked by millions of dollars of abortion monies, abortion rights supporter Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, named a “domestic terrorist” by Planned Parenthood and repeatedly maligned by the two major daily and sister newspapers in Kansas the Kansas City Star and Wichita Eagle.

Efforts to communicate the truth about Mr. Kline’s investigation and prosecution to Kansans has been stymied by the profound media bias and deception by these two daily newspapers. Unlike most media markets in the nation – Kansas media is controlled by very few reporters and editors and they have kept Kansans ignorant of the truth.

The links on this page are an effort to get out some of the truth regarding the investigation and the prolonged battle in Kansas that national columnist Bob Novak calls “the fiercest state battle ground in the abortion war.”

October 13 “News” Article Gives Impression Republicans Cannot Win.

The Star’s “ace” political reporter and analyst delivered another formulaic “newsatorial” on page A-1 of the Star this week complete with unnamed Republicans critical of their party’s candidate for Missouri Governor. The in the first six paragraphs of the article, before it jumps from page A-1 to A-8, Kraske managed to use the following terms to describe Republican Rep. Kenny Hulshof’s campaign for Missouri Governor against Democrat AG Jay Nixon:

• “vitrol”
• “too late” in getting started
• “unleashed a series of criticisms”
• “struggling to get into contention”
• “paddl(ing) against the current”
• “got a late start;”
• “empty campaign kitty.”

Seven negative references in six paragraphs without quoting anyone!

Any doubt who Kraske think’s and wants to win?

But Kraske continues his assault on page A-8. Continuing to question Hulshof’s viability as a candidate, Kraske in paragraph 10 again goes to the well with unnamed Republican sources who “privately have begun to question Hulshof’s prospects.” Kraske ends the next paragraph describing Holshof’s campaign as “no momentum, no traction.”

The article does not contain one positive named quote supportive of Hulshof – not one. The closest Kraske got in 37 paragraphs is the following:

“Hulshof, insiders say, will close the gap. But he has a long way to go.”

This is standard Kraske/Star modus operandi – no substantive reporting on the issues only “horse race” prognostication and portray, with unnamed sources, the Republican as hopelessly behind.

Read the Kraske story here.

It is Difficult to Understand the Battle in Kansas without Understanding the Willingness for those who Support Abortion on Demand to the moment of birth - even when such abortion is against the law.

Former Kansas Attorney General Paul Morrison was elected Kansas Attorney General on the promise that he would end Phill Kline’s efforts to enforce Kansas abortion laws and with the support of millions of abortion industry money and the support of the Kansas print media establishment. (Morrison has since been forced to resign his office due to scandal). Morrison worked to deliver on his promise and the following video is of Mr. Morrison’s first news conference about Kline’s investigation. Mr. Morrison averages one lie every 16 seconds. Unfortunately, Kansas media repeated the lies as fact for several months.

National Review’s Denis Boyles takes Kline’s abortion battle in Kansas to the streets of Europe - and finds support for Kline.

Read the full story here.

The last Presidential debate Senator McCain challenged Senator Obama’s opposition to the Illinois born alive act. As a State Senator, Mr. Obama worked to defeat the bill on four separate occasions.

The born alive act is simple: any child that survives an abortion attempt and is born alive must be protected. Similar bills have been introduced around the nation as evidence has come forth that abortion clinics allow these infants that survive abortion, to die of neglect.

In the Illinois Senate, Mr. Obama voted against the bill in committee, in on instance as Committee Chairman used his powers to prevent the bill from being heard, and worked hard to defeat the bill in a manner in which his opposition would not be widely known. In one instance, when the bill survived Mr. Obama’s procedural attempts to kill it, and the bill was finally voted on in a public vote, Mr. Obama voted present. Mr. Obama did not want to register his opposition to the act publicly on the Illinois Senate floor because he rightly reasoned his opposition would be viewed by the American public as extreme.

What Mr. Obama failed to recognize, however, is that the dominant mainstream media would gladly guard Mr. Obama’s extremism and that when such came to light, explain away his actions as either insignificant or justified. This media effort occurs because in most network and major newspaper newsrooms, allowing a born infant that survives abortion to die is not extreme as all is justified to protect the most cherished right of an abortion. And so, Mr. Obama’s pro-abortion extremism has not played.

But thanks to the power of the Internet and the willingness of some to come forward - the full scale of Mr. Obama’s efforts to sacrifice born alive children on the altar of political expediency is being revealed.

Ms. Jill Stanek is a nurse by profession and now a pro-life activist blogger by passion. Such was not always the case. Ms. Stanek was on duty in a Chicago hospital as a delivery nurse when she was forced to witness the death of an infant who survived an abortion. The infant, though a survivor of the abortion, was simply abandoned to die so that the intent of the abortion could be fulfilled. You do not have to take the hippocratic oath to understand the horrible tragedy in a child being allowed to die at a facility that claims to dedicate itself to healing and life. Ms. Stanek had seen enough and dedicated herself to passing legislation to protect children who are born alive.

Ms. Stanek testified before the Illinois Senate in support of protection for such infants but, according to Stanek, here testimony “did not faze” Mr. Obama.

Stanek appeared before Mr. Obama’s committee on a second occasion bringing pictures of infants who would be protected by the legislation “trying to show them unwanted babies were being case aside. Babies the same age were being treated if they were wanted.”

When the hearing concluded, Mr. Obama, according to official committee records, thanked Ms. Stanek for being forthright and then stated his opposition to the legislation stating “what we are doing here is to create one more burden on a woman and I can’t support that.”

As Mr. Obama’s Presidential campaign ramped up the issue hung in the background until earlier this month an independent organization began running ads in New Mexico and Ohio. The television ads featured an abortion survivor, Gianna Jessen, challenging Mr. Obama on why he did not want to protect people such as herself. (You can view the ad here).

Mr. Obama with his own ads, accusing the McCain campaign of falsehoods (Mr. McCain’s campaign is not responsible for the ads) and simply stating the ad was a lie.

With the ad wars in full swing, Fox News did initiate some stories on the issue. (You can view Jill Stanek on Hannity here and view Gianna Jessen on Fox here).

In the recent Presidential debate, Mr. Obama modified his statements. Mr. Obama first said Mr. McCain’s statements about his opposition to the born alive act were false, but then stated his opposition was because the act would endanger Roe. Protecting live children who are born in no fashion endangers Roe and in fact even Planned Parenthood did not oppose the federal born alive act - an act, which despite Mr. Obama’s claims otherwise, is identical to the version he opposed as an Illinois Senator.

(You can hear audio of Mr. Obama’s opposition here and you can read the text of the legislation here).

Unfortunately, in the current media and cultural environment, it is not viewed as important to explore the attitudes and legislative positions of a Presidential candidate relevant to whether children, who are alive and born, are deserving of protection.

It is a sad commentary on America that we are willing to ignore the substance of such an important issue.

We appear to be about to elect a President who, in order to deliver to his political base, refuses to see any justification for laws to prevent born children from being left to die of neglect in a house of healing - and you expect him to stand up for you?