(Pictured Above- Protest and Press Conference, July 17, 2015: Demanding Answers regarding SWO consent form indicating baby body part harvesting and their ties to UNM)
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE PRESS CONFERENCE
By Tara Shaver
Albuquerque, NM- On June 23, 2016, the U.S. House of Representatives Select Investigative Panel issued a criminal referral to New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas with evidence that the University of New Mexico (UNM) and late term abortion facility Southwestern Women’s Options (SWO) may be in violation of local and federal law. Protest ABQ would like to thank the U.S. House Select Committee for their actions to hold the out of control and unregulated abortion cartel accountable in New Mexico. This has been an accumulation of the efforts of the collective pro-life community in New Mexico including New Mexico Alliance for Life as well as national pro-life groups such as, Operation Rescue. Protest ABQ is grateful that we have been able to contribute to this effort.
Troy Newman, President of Operation Rescue issued the following statement: “This recommendation of criminal charges against UNM and Southwestern Women’s Options is the fruit of years of research and hard work done by a tenacious community of pro-life activists. Seeing the fruit of that labor makes this a great day for us. All that’s left now is for law enforcement to read them their rights and take them away!”
This referral comes 11 months after Protest ABQ filed a formal complaint based on SWO’s 2012 and 2015 consent forms which exposed that donating fetal tissue was mandatory for all abortion patients. Documents obtained by the House Panel’s investigation reveal that in November 2015, shortly after Protest ABQ publicized that we had obtained their 2015 consent form, SWO updated the form to make fetal tissue donation optional (page 291).
After finally obtaining numerous documents through subpoenas from the University of New Mexico and Southwestern Women’s Options, it was determined by the panel that 42 U.S.C. § 289g-2, a federal statute which forbids the transfer of fetal tissue for valuable consideration caused major concerns in light of a close symbiotic relationship between the two entities. In addition to the New Mexico statute cited in the Panel’s letter to Attorney General Balderas, Protest ABQ’s criminal complaint has asked the Attorney General to investigate whether UNM and SWO are in violation of New Mexico’s Maternal, Fetal and Infant Experimentation Act, NMSA § 24-9A-1, et seq.
In a press release from Rep. Marsha Blackburn it was stated that, “Through its investigation, the Panel has discovered that personnel within UNM’s hospital and medical school have aggressively engaged in expanding abortion in New Mexico through the offices, personnel, and resources of UNM.” Highlighted activities by the panel include that UNM personnel, “expanded UNM”s role in training new abortion doctors” which has been ongoing since UNM’s involvement with the Ryan Residency Training Program. This program requires that residents practice performing abortions at various locations including Planned Parenthood and Southwestern Women’s Options, facts which the panel mentions in it’s plethora of findings. Members of Protest ABQ exposed this arrangement back in 2011.
Bud Shaver, Executive Director of Protest ABQ issued the following statement,
“Since 2011 members of Protest ABQ have worked to expose and connect the dots between Albuquerque abortion killing centers: University of New Mexico, Southwestern Women’s Options and Planned Parenthood. Findings have been submitted to the state’s highest authorities and investigations into unlawful and unethical conduct have been requested.
Protest ABQ and the pro-life community are grateful that the U.S. House Select Panel took the initiative to delve into the New Mexico abortion cartel and has referred it’s findings to the New Mexico Attorney General, Hector Balderas. Balderas should be ahead of the curve since Protest ABQ filed a formal complaint with his office 11 months ago. He now has more information to build his case and to move forward in a timely manner and we urge him to do so.”
Local Impact
The citizens of New Mexico have been concerned for many years about the use of state tax dollars that pay for abortions against their will and conscience. This fact should be a driving motivation for New Mexico’s Attorney General Balderas to conduct a thorough investigation into New Mexico’s abortion industry.
Documents obtained from the Select House Panel’s investigation further reveal that since 2010 New Mexico tax dollars have paid over 5 million dollars to Late-Term abortion killing center, Southwestern Women’s Options! New Mexico Medicaid is directly funding the New Mexico Abortion Cartel.
“New Mexico Medicaid and SCI Reimbursements Received by Southwestern Women’s Options, 2010-2015” page 159
2015- 880,782.14
2014- 504,220.68
2013- 799,972.28
2012- 963,850.43
2011- 938,635.82
2010- 974,054.47
Total New Mexico Tax Dollars from 2010-2015: 5,061,515.82
Protest ABQ is encouraging New Mexico Republican Governor, Susana Martinez, Lt. Governor John Sanchez, Albuquerque Republican Mayor Richard Berry along with all of the GOP leadership of New Mexico to urge New Mexico AG Hector Balderas to act upon the U.S. Republican House Committee’s criminal referral. Protest ABQ submitted its formal complaint to Balderas almost a year ago, and it appears that the U.S. Congress is backing us up!
Fr. Stephen Imbarrato: The Protest Priest of Priests for Life issued the following statement:
“I have been involved in New Mexico pro-life activism for the last 6 years as Tara Shaver of Protest ABQ and more recently Elisa Martinez of New Mexico Alliance for Life has investigated and exposed the abortion cartel in our state. It is heartening to see their pro-life efforts bearing fruit. I am calling on Hector Balderas to react immediately to the Select Committee’s letter and respond to the complaint that Tara and Protest ABQ filed 11 months ago. All pro-life groups in New Mexico need to continue to work to investigate and put pressure on the New Mexico abortion cartel until it collapses under the weight of its own evil.”
Protest ABQ looks forward to working with the New Mexico pro-life community until the abortion cartel in our state continues to be completely exposed and also fully dismantled.
Click here for Protest ABQ’s timeline recap: New Mexico Baby Body Parts Scandal Timeline Recap
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Select Panel Refers UNM & Late-term Abortion Facility for Criminal Charges Related to Fetal Tissue Procurement
BREAKING: Abortion clinic provided “whole brains” for youth summer camp
