A.G. Asks Court to Let Arkansas Enforce Abortion Rules

Abortion, COVID-19, , , ,

Yesterday Attorney General Leslie Rutledge’s office asked the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals to let the state enforce restrictions on surgical abortion during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Here’s a recap of everything that has happened with this case in the past week:

Last Friday the State of Arkansas sent a cease and desist order to a facility in Little Rock that was performing elective surgical abortions despite state health directives prohibiting elective surgeries.

The abortion facility responded by filing a legal challenge against the state on Monday.

On Tuesday U.S. District Judge Kristine Baker issued a temporary restraining order against the state. The order effectively allows surgical abortions to continue as usual in Arkansas.

Yesterday the A.G.’s office asked the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn Judge Baker’s bad restraining order.

Given the Eighth Circuit’s track record, we are hopeful that the court will put Judge Baker’s bad order on hold and ultimately rule against the abortion facilities.

Surgical abortions waste precious medical resources.

We have ample evidence that women from neighboring states, including COVID-19 hotspots, are coming to Arkansas for abortions. Traveling like that increases the risk that people in Arkansas and elsewhere will be exposed to the coronavirus. 

Ordering abortionists to stop performing elective surgical abortions is the right thing to do, and we’re proud of Arkansas’ Governor, Attorney General, and public health officials for standing by that decision.

We will continue to monitor and report on this situation as it develops.

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Planned Parenthood Ramps Up “Telehealth” Amid COVID-19

Abortion, , , ,

This week Planned Parenthood Great Plains — the Planned Parenthood affiliate that operates abortion clinics in Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma — announced it is ramping up its “telehealth” tools for patients in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The organization issued a press release, saying,

Planned Parenthood Great Plains (PPGP) is proud to announce the launch of a new telehealth program in Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Arkansas, which allows patients to access high-quality, affordable health care services by phone and/or through a private and secure video conferencing platform that connects them with trusted providers. 

It’s worth noting this isn’t exactly new. Planned Parenthood has been promoting “telehealth” like this for many years, but the coronavirus outbreak is a good opportunity for them to highlight technology like this.

In some states, abortionists are even able to prescribe abortion-inducing drugs via telephone or video conference.

It’s important to point out, however, that Arkansas law requires the abortionist to be physically present when administering abortion drugs.

This effectively prevents abortionists at Planned Parenthood and elsewhere from prescribing RU-486 over the phone or via video conference.

However, Planned Parenthood still appears to be relying heavily on technology to spread its pro-abortion message in Arkansas and elsewhere.

For example, last year Planned Parenthood launched its new “Roo” chatbot aimed at teens and young adults.

Teens can ask Roo questions about things like sex and contraceptive, but they can also use Roo to find out about abortion.

Planned Parenthood also has unveiled search tools and apps to help people find abortion facilities.

All of this underscores what we have said for years: Pro-lifers need to continue working to make abortion not only illegal, but unthinkable as well.

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