Kennedy retirement sparks big plans by Texas abortion opponents | Austin American-Statesman

Visit Website

By: Chuck Lindell

Joe Pojman, head of Texas Alliance for Life, sees an opportunity to re-enact the restrictions that Kennedy helped strike down in 2016 — requiring all abortions to be done in hospital-like centers, and requiring abortion doctors to have admitting privileges in a nearby hospital.

Difficulty meeting those requirements would have left fewer than 10 abortion clinics open in Texas. More important for future legal challenges, the 2016 ruling established a harder-to-meet legal burden that requires states to show that regulations have benefits that outweigh the difficulties placed on women seeking an abortion.

Pojman also sees a chance to ban cities, counties and hospital districts from signing contracts or providing tax money to abortion providers such as Planned Parenthood. Efforts to enact such a ban fell short in the 2017 legislative session.

Catholic bishops sever ties to Texas Right to Life, exposing rift

Visit Website

By: Chuck Lindell

According to a written directive, Texas Right to Life has engaged in misleading attacks against political candidates, lied about the Catholic Church’s position on legislation at the state Capitol and opposed church-supported bills by arguing that they don’t go far enough to limit abortions.
. . .

“This is really big,” Wright said. “It’s very, very unfortunate that it came to this. But for our organization, and me personally, to be maligned and slandered for several years, and for our candidates and people who work in good faith to advance good policy down in Austin to be unfairly and maliciously attacked, that hasn’t been good for our movement, either.
. . .

The directive also encouraged Catholics to remain active in opposing abortion and endorsed participation in Texans for Life Alliance, Texas Alliance for Life and “pro-life groups which engage in respectful legislative advocacy.”

Thousands gather at Texas Rally for Life on Saturday | Austin American Statesman

Visit Website

By: Ariana Garcia and Taylor Goldenstein

Thousands of anti-abortion demonstrators gathered Saturday afternoon at the Capitol for the Texas Rally for Life, where Gov. Greg Abbott and other guests spoke.
Event organizers estimated around 5,000 people attended the rally.

Melissa Duncan, spokeswoman for the Texas Alliance for Life, one of several organizations that came together for the event, said the gathering highlights the 45th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Roe v. Wade case, which legalized abortion in 1973.

“From our leadership and the legislature to our religious leaders to our organizations across the state, we’re all trying to band together to remember that there are lives to defend and we’ll continue to do so and bring gatherings like this together, not only at this event but across the state to remember that Texas is pro-life,” she said.

Abortion opponents say favored bills stymied in the Texas House | Austin American-Statesman

Visit Website

By: Chuck Lindell

But Joe Pojman, head of the Texas Alliance for Life, which also opposes abortion, said Tuesday that it’s too early to sound the alarm.

The House State Affairs Committee, he said, has already passed significant abortion reforms, including a ban on using fetal tissue from abortions for medical research, stricter reporting of abortion complications and a ban on any state funding for abortion providers.

In addition, abortion-related bills passed by the Senate have a later deadline for House votes, extending the time for action.

“It’s all very doable,” Pojman said. “I think we’re on task to have another sensational session.”

Anti-abortion demonstrators rally at Capitol | Austin American-Statesman

Visit Website

By: Nicole Barrios

People from Midland, Corpus Christi, Houston and elsewhere took about 30 charter buses to the event, said Joe Pojman, executive director of Texas Alliance for Life and a member of the event host committee. Pojman said Saturday’s crowd was the biggest he had ever seen in his 30 years attending the anti-abortion rally