Tag Archives: Tom Wolf

Wolf Veto Harmful to Health

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By Maria Gallagher, Legislative Director

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf (D) is receiving national attention for his refusal to allow an expansion of telemedicine in the Commonwealth in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The reason? The Chief Executive—a former clinic escort for Planned Parenthood—vetoed a popular telemedicine bill because it would have banned the telemedicine distribution of dangerous drugs, such as the abortion pill RU-486.

Pennsylvania has been considered one of the “hot spots” for Coronavirus in the country. As a result, there has been a tremendous push to increase the availability of telemedicine, especially in under-served rural areas.

The telemedicine bill, known as Senate Bill 857, passed the Senate and landed in the PA House of Representatives. There, House members inserted an important amendment which would have barred telemedicine services not approved under what’s known as the Food and Drug Administration’s Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS). RU-486 has not been permitted under the REMS standard.

Responding to the public outcry over his veto, the Governor said, “As amended, this bill interferes with women’s health care and the crucial decision-making between patients and their physicians.”

But the truth is, the amendment would have safeguarded women’s health and safety by ensuring that dangerous medication was not dispensed without a physician physically present. RU-486 has a host of harmful side-effects, everything from excessive bleeding to vomiting, nausea, even death.

Two years ago, the abortion behemoth Planned Parenthood made public its plans to spend a whopping $1.5 million to re-elect Wolf, whose radical pro-abortion stance is considered at odds with Pennsylvania’s mainstream. He has routinely vetoed pro-life legislation, including a ban on brutal dismemberment abortions and a bill which would have banned the abortion of preborn babies diagnosed with Down syndrome.

With his latest veto of the telemedicine bill, Wolf has cemented his reputation as an unapologetic cheerleader for the pro-abortion cause.

Wolf Veto: A Sad Day for PA Women

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HARRISBURG, Pa. –Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf has ushered in a policy that will do grave harm to women, as a result of his veto of an important telemedicine bill.

The measure, known as Senate Bill 857, would have banned the telemedicine distribution of dangerous drugs, such as the abortion pill RU-486.

“The women of Pennsylvania deserve to be protected from the harm that can be caused by tele-abortions,” said Maria Gallagher, Legislative Director of the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation, an affiliate of National Right to Life.

“This veto sends the disturbing message that women’s health will be compromised in order to placate the abortion industry,” Gallagher added.

RU-486 can cause a number of complications, including excessive bleeding, vomiting, and nausea. Without the restrictions contained in Senate Bill 857, women will be forced to deal with these possible dangerous side-effects on their own, without a physician physically present.

Senate Bill 857 passed the Senate, then passed the House with the insertion of a key amendment halting the dispensing of dangerous drugs by telemedicine. The Senate concurred with the amendment, sending the legislation to the Governor for his review.

“Once again, Governor Wolf has sided with the abortion industry over the interests of the women of Pennsylvania. The veto is appalling and demonstrates how out of touch the Wolf Administration is when it comes to medical care for women,” Gallagher said.   

Emergency Alert: Planned Parenthood Open for Abortion Business During Coronavirus Crisis

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Emergency Alert: While Businesses Throughout PA Shut Their Doors, Planned Parenthood is Open for Abortion Business

In the wake of the coronavirus crisis, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf has ordered businesses throughout the Commonwealth to close.

Yet, Planned Parenthood remains open—for abortion business only.

 “At this time, Planned Parenthood Keystone is serving patients in Allentown, Wilkes-Barre, Warminster, Reading, York, and Harrisburg for abortion services only,” reads the Coronavirus update message on the Planned Parenthood Keystone website (https://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-keystone/covid-19-info ).

Please join us in calling on Gov. Wolf to order Planned Parenthood to stop performing abortions during the coronavirus outbreak.

You can show your support by signing the petition here:  https://www.paprolife.org/petition .

For more on Planned Parenthood performing abortions during a national health emergency, click here: https://www.nationalrighttolifenews.org/2020/03/pa-gov-shuts-down-businesses-but-not-planned-parenthood/ .

Please share our inspirational Open Letter to a Pregnant Woman During the Coronavirus Crisis, found here: https://www.nationalrighttolifenews.org/2020/03/open-letter-to-a-pregnant-woman-during-the-coronavirus-crisis/

Together, we can stop pregnant women and preborn children from being harmed by abortion during the coronavirus pandemic.

“Progressive” Governor Stalls Progress on Life Issues

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Baby with block  By Maria Gallagher, Legislative Director

He might call himself a progressive, but the Governor of Pennsylvania is standing directly in the way of progress, when it comes to pro-life advances in the Commonwealth.

Democrat Tom Wolf has staked out a position at odds with the state’s mainstream, when it comes to the life issues. He opposes any and all restrictions on abortion, towing the Planned Parenthood line time and time again.

He vetoed a common sense bill that would have banned brutal dismemberment abortions, where babies are torn limb by limb from their mothers’ wombs. The former volunteer clinic escort for Planned Parenthood opposes a ban on taxpayer funding of abortion, even though such a measure is supported by the vast majority of Americans.

He has gone so far as to pledge to veto any pro-life bill that comes to his desk. Undaunted, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives this past spring passed House Bill 321, which would ban abortion for the sole reason of a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome. The House approved the bill by a large, bipartisan majority. The measure is now awaiting action in the Pennsylvania Senate.

If the Senate follows the lead of the House and OK’s the bill, would Wolf stand in the way of people with disabilities being protected? Or would he at least acknowledge that children with special needs deserve special legal protection? Time will tell.

But all indications are that, if Wolf had his way, Pennsylvania would become another New York, legalizing abortions up to the moment of birth, while offering no care and consideration for babies born as a result of “botched” abortions.

Pennsylvania’s House and Senate retain pro-life majorities, so Wolf is clearly out of step with the state legislature. He has also distanced himself ideologically from the majority of the populace, who oppose most abortions, according to public opinion polls.

I know of people who are hoping and praying for a conversion of the Governor’s heart. Unless and until that happens, the state legislature is providing a critical firewall against radically pro-abortion policies.

But with another election, that firewall could easily melt away. That is why it is critical that, come 2020, pro-lifers become engaged and informed. Retaining pro-life majorities in the General Assembly is crucial to ensuring that Pennsylvania’s common sense limits on abortion, such as parental consent, informed consent, and 24-hour waiting periods, are maintained.

Without them, PA will lose the legislative ground we’ve gained…not to mention untold numbers of precious lives.

Promoting LIFE this Labor Day

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Labor Day is the turning point when summer begins gives to fall. It is also when people traditionally begin thinking about the upcoming General Election and really start to think about who to vote for.

So, as you gather with friends and family over the holiday, share with them information about the candidates competing for your vote. You can start by showing them this educational piece comparing the pro-life candidates for US Senate, Congressman Lou Barletta and his opponent, Senator Bob Casey. You can also show them this comparison of candidate for Governor Scott Wagner and Governor Tom Wolf.

Thank you for educating people about the stands of the candidates on the pro-life issues. And remember to vote November 6th!

Gov. Wolf Appoints Member of PA Planned Parenthood Board as His New Chief of Staff

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As Planned Parenthood comes under fire nationally for harvesting aborted babies’ organs, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf today appears to have appointed a board member of the abortion giant as his chief of staff.

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Mary Isenhour

According to a biography posted on the website for Mack Sumner Communications, Mary Isenhour, Wolf’s new top advisor, serves on the board of Planned Parenthood of Pennsylvania.

This part of her biography is not in the official state press release, perhaps conveniently so. Nationally, Planned Parenthood faces two federal investigations into whether the abortion chain is profiting off the sale of aborted babies’ tissue and changing the abortion technique for the purpose of harvesting intact organs, both of which are illegal. Watch the undercover videos that led to the investigations here.

Wolf himself served as a volunteer escort for Planned Parenthood at one time, according to Cecile Richards, CEO of the national organization.

In appointing Isenhour, Wolf sends a clear message that he continues to support the abortion giant, even as it is embroiled in scandal.

Vote Shows Many Senators Had Serious Concerns about Cortes, Nominee from Gosnell Era

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By Maria Gallagher, Legislative Director
gallagher@paprolife.org

This week’s vote in the Pennsylvania Senate on the confirmation of a Wolf Administration nominee shows continuing concerns that the Keystone State will return to the lax enforcement of abortion law seen during the Kermit Gosnell era.

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Kermit Gosnell

Eighteen state Senators voted against confirmation for Pedro Cortes as Secretary of State. Cortes previously served in that capacity at a time when the Department of State took no action against notorious abortionist Kermit Gosnell. Gosnell is now serving time for killing three full-term babies and causing the death of a female patient. The grand jury believed that Gosnell was actually responsible for the deaths of hundreds of babies, but charges could only be filed in a handful of cases because he destroyed the records in the rest.

While 31 Senators voted for confirmation for Cortes, the sizeable number of negative votes demonstrates that a number of people in the state legislature have lingering worries about the Gosnell case.

In fact, more than 40 PA lawmakers in the PA House and Senate signed a letter to the governor raising concerns about Cortes. The letter stated, “To fully understand the gravity of the failures of the department throughout Secretary Cortes’ service, one needs to read directly from the grand jury’s damaging report.

According to the grand jury report: “Between 2002 and 2009, Board of Medicine attorneys reviewed five cases involving malpractice and other complaints against Gosnell. None of the assigned attorneys or their supervisors, suggested that the Board take action against the deviant doctor. In fact, despite serious allegations, three of the cases were closed without any investigation. The other two were investigated and then closed — without any action being taken.”

The letter from the lawmakers notes, “In his resume and biography Secretary Cortes takes credit for various achievements in dealing with occupational and professional licensure complaints and investigations during his tenure. Yet at the same time he takes no responsibility for the documented blatant failures of those same units under his leadership.”

The letter goes on to say, “…it is deeply troubling to us that you would nominate someone for such an important position as Secretary of the Commonwealth despite his deep ties to this national nightmare.”

The Wolf Administration has been put on notice — the old lax attitudes toward enforcement of abortion law will not be tolerated. We owe it to Gosnell’s victims to remain vigilant, to ensure that the PA Department of State cracks down on dangerous doctors who threaten the health and safety of women and children in the Commonwealth.

What Circles the State Each Spring? Our Pro-Life Town Halls

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By Michael Ciccocioppo, Executive Director

This was my fifth year leading the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation town hall tour around the state. I was privileged to have our education director, Micaiah Bilger, as my co-presenter this year.

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Executive Director Michael Ciccocioppo and Education Director Micaiah Bilger

Based on the feedback we received at every stop along the way, the tour was an unequivocal success. People genuinely appreciate our brand of pro-life education. And we reached hundreds of citizens in their hometowns.

We traveled 1,200 miles in seven days this month, speaking in 11 different communities, starting in Ebensburg and continuing on to Uniontown, Pittsburgh, Titusville, Erie, State College, Scranton, Nesquehoning, Easton, Philadelphia and Lancaster. We have one last stop to make in Grove City on September 16. Click here for details.

People like the way we provide the most important information on some of the hottest pro-life topics of the day with high energy, passion and plain English.

This year, we covered seven topics at each stop:

  • The state of abortion in Pennsylvania
  • Gov. Wolf’s ties to the abortion industry
  • Hope for parents whose babies have poor prenatal diagnoses
  • Abortion and medical rationing in the era of the Affordable Care Act
  • The push for doctor-prescribed suicide
  • Encouraging signs for the pro-life cause
  • What you can do to help restore the culture of life in Pennsylvania

Since each event is one-and-a-half to two hours long, we keep our talks brief and focus on the most important aspects of each topic. When people want more details, we provide them during Q&A.

Special thanks to all those who hosted this year’s pro-life town halls. Check out a slideshow of photos from all these events here.

If you or a group would like to host a pro-life town hall in your community in 2016, contact the Federation at lifelines@paprolife.org or 717-541-0034.

In the Wake of Gosnell Scandal, Lawmakers Have Serious Concerns about Nominee

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By Maria Gallagher, Legislative Director
gallagher@paprolife.org

More than 40 Pennsylvania lawmakers have signed a letter to Governor Tom Wolf which raises serious questions about Secretary of State nominee Pedro Cortes. Cogosnell40rtes previously served as Secretary of State during the Rendell Administration, a period of time in which the Department of State took no action against infamous abortionist Kermit Gosnell.

Gosnell was suspected of killing hundreds of full-term babies and causing the deaths of female patients in a West Philadelphia abortion facility, which was called a “House of Horrors” by prosecutors. Gosnell is now in prison after being convicted of killing three babies and causing the death of a woman. Prosecutors say they were unable to bring charges in the rest of the cases because Gosnell destroyed the evidence.

The letter from the legislators states, “To fully understand the gravity of the failures of the department throughout Secretary Cortes’ service, one needs to read directly from the grand jury’s damaging report.”

According to the grand jury report, “Between 2002 and 2009, Board of Medicine attorneys reviewed five cases involving malpractice and other complaints against Gosnell. None of the assigned attorneys or their supervisors, suggested that the Board take action against the deviant doctor. In fact, despite serious allegations, three of the cases were closed without any investigation. The other two were investigated and then closed — without any action being taken.”

The letter from the lawmakers notes, “In his resume and biography Secretary Cortes takes credit for various achievements in dealing with occupational and professional licensure complaints and investigations during his tenure. Yet at the same time he takes no responsibility for the documented blatant failures of those same units under his leadership.”

The letter goes on to say, “…it is deeply troubling to us that you would nominate someone for such an important position as Secretary of the Commonwealth despite his deep ties to this national nightmare.”

You can read the full letter and see the names of the legislators who signed it here.

Wolf Administration Removes Pro-Abortion Link

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By Maria Gallagher, Legislative Director

Following an outcry from legislators and citizens throughout the Commonwealth, the state of Pennsylvania has removed a pro-abortion link from its website.

Mom-and-ChildPreviously at PA.gov, visitors who went to the Information page, clicked on Health and Wellness, then Women’s Health, were directed to the Women’s Law Project, a pro-abortion legal group which opposes any restrictions on abortion.

Now, the series of clicks brings visitors to a page encouraging healthy eating, exercise, breast cancer, cervical cancer, and other issues of interest to women.

While we are grateful that the state no longer links to a site which linked to abortion facilities, we must remain vigilant. The president of the nation’s largest abortion operation, Planned Parenthood, has stated that Governor Tom Wolf previously served as a “clinic escort,” accompanying women to their abortions. His candidacy was also endorsed by both Planned Parenthood and the pro-abortion group known as NARAL.

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a pro-life state, and should remain one, despite the governor’s personal views.