New Catholic HHS secretary has history of protecting late-term abortionist

Wichita, Kan., Mar 2, 2009 / 17:58 pm

Though the newly-nominated Secretary of Health and Human Services has spoken about the importance of a "culture of life," she has gone to great lengths to protect a well-known late-term abortion doctor and has continued to support legalized abortion over her 30-year political career.

When Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius ran for re-election in 2006, she, along with Kansas Democrats, created a plan to incorporate faith-based messaging to appeal to pro-life voters.

The result was the founding of a Political Action Committee (PAC) called "Democrats for Life of Kansas" and the hosting of a conference on faithful citizenship.

Although Catholics United co-founder James Salt has worked with Gov. Sebelius’ efforts to reach Catholic voters, Salt told CNA in an email that neither of the two initiatives came from his consulting.

"I have neither advised Gov. Sebelius to establish Democrats for Life of Kansas, nor to hold a 'Faithful Citizenship Conference,'" Salt said.

According to files from the state of Kansas, the PAC not only never raised any money, but did not support any pro-life candidates.

Speaking at the 2006 Kansas for Faithful Citizenship conference, Sebelius stressed that her "Catholic faith teaches me that all life is sacred, and personally I believe abortion is wrong.

"If we truly wish to reduce the number of abortions further," she said, "we need to work together to truly promote a culture of life, by helping women and families get the support they need when facing unexpected pregnancies and to continue to reduce the number of abortions. Health care, child care, job opportunities, affordable housing - they are all the building blocks of a culture of life and we can use them to build a future where abortion is extremely rare."

However, her support for legalized abortion and her relationship with late-term abortion doctor, George Tiller, tell a different story.

Tiller, who has boasted that he has performed over 60,000 abortions, is the Medical Director of the facility, Woman’s Health Care Services which states on their website: "We have more experience in late abortion services over 24 weeks than anyone else currently practicing in the Western Hemisphere, Europe and Australia."

In 2007, Bill O’Reilly, reported on his show the O’Reilly Factor that Tiller had been performing "late term abortions without defining the specific medical reasons why."

In Kansas, abortionists must obtain a second opinion from an independent doctor before carrying out a late-term abortion on a viable fetus.

O’Reilly went on to accuse Sebelius of protecting Tiller when, in 2007, she vetoed a bill that would have forced the doctor "to provide a specific medical reason for destroying a viable fetus."

"Now America is a great country," commented O’Reilly, "but this kind of barbaric display in Kansas diminishes our entire nation. Tiller has killed thousands, thousands of late-term fetuses without explanation. And Governor Sebelius is allowing him to continue the slaughter. How the governor sleeps at night is beyond me."

In addition to protecting Tiller’s privacy, Sebelius made headlines last May when it was discovered that she held a reception for Tiller at the governor’s residence and it has been reported that her campaign has accepted donations from Tiller and his political action committees.

Last May, Washington Post columnist, Robert Novak, also noted that there is evidence that Sebelius has been "‘laundering’ abortion industry money for distribution to Kansas Democrats."

He goes on to say that "… Sebelius sits at the apex of a complicated Kansas financing system involving the famous abortion provider George Tiller of Wichita. She controls Bluestem Fund PAC, which distributed money to Kansas Democratic candidates. Tiller, one of the few U.S. doctors still performing late-term abortions, contributed $120,000 in 2006 to the Democratic Governors Association, which has given $200,000 to Bluestem."

Currently, Tiller is accused with violating the state’s late term abortion law by failing to obtain a second opinion before performing a late term abortion. His trial will begin March 16.