Two New Resources in Our Effort to Ask the Governor for 48-Hour Stand-Down of WV’s Abortion Industry

Petition FB image.001Yesterday, we announced that we had sent a letter to Governor Tomblin asking him to make sure that the abortion industry in West Virginia is operating safely.  We followed that up with an FAQ on why we had made such a bold request.  Then, we added the image above to our Facebook page so that you and others could share it and sign the petition, adding your voice to ours.

This morning, we have added two more resources to FamilyPolicyWV.com/action/stand-down:

  1. Yesterday, Hoppy Kercheval interviewed me on MetroNews Talkline and we have uploaded that audio for you to listen to and understand the situation more.  
  2. This morning, Tom Roten of the Tom Roten Morning Show on 800 WVHU out of Huntington took a little more time to let me unpack the story a bit more.  We have put that on the website as well.

To listen to these interviews, just go to FamilyPolicyWV.com/action/stand-down and click the links you want to listen to first.

As we have more information, we’ll upload it to FamilyPolicyWV.com/action/stand-down and try to make mention of it over here.  We don’t expect that this will get immediate action by the Governor, but we know that several individuals in the administration and beyond are carefully studying the issue.  Stay tuned!

About Jeremy Dys

Jeremy Dys is the FPCWV's President and General Counsel. In addition to his duties of providing strategic vision and leadership to the FPCWV, Dys is the chief lobbyist and spokesman. Dys is regularly featured in local, state, and national print, radio, and television outlets. He lives close to Charleston with his wife and growing family.

FAQ on Our Request for Governor to Issue Stand-Down to Abortion Industry

Question MarkThis morning, we issued a request to Governor Tomblin that his administration issue a 48-hour stand-down of the abortion industry in West Virginia to ensure they are meeting sufficient health and safety standards.  We simply want to make sure that the abortion industry in West Virginia is operating safely.

Since then, I have done an interview with MetroNews and a few have privately asked me a few questions related to this request.  Let me use this forum to help answer some questions that may be outstanding in your mind about our request.  If you have other questions, ask them in the comments section below.  I’ll try to answer them as I have opportunity.

Does the Governor have the authority to issue a stand-down of the abortion industry?

We believe that he does.  The governor is the chief executive of the State of West Virginia.  He is chiefly charged with ensuring that the laws of West Virginia are enforced.  That enforcement is done through the executive branch by both officers and agencies.

In this case, it would make sense for the Governor to ask the Attorney General – the state’s chief law enforcement official – to conduct a reasonable audit of the state’s abortion industry.  Those facilities that rely heavily upon state medicaid dollars to conduct their abortions should be asked to verify that they are in compliance with state law, reporting requirements, etc.  That’s the minimum.  Because Pennsylvania law enforcement only discovered the horrors of Gosnell’s practice by means of an investigation into illegal pain killer distribution, the Attorney General would be within his prerogative to work with local law enforcement to ensure state-issued medical licenses and prescription permissions are up-to-date by those given authority to the same within the industry.

In addition, it would seem to make sense for the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources to involve themselves.  That agency is generally responsible for ensuring the health and safety of West Virginians.  What that means for the abortion industry is unclear.  But, if DHHR oversees Medicaid, then they likewise have a responsibility to ensure there is no fraud.  Given the several cases of Medicaid fraud currently pending throughout the abortion industry throughout the country, it is reasonable for the DHHR to engage a minimal review of the abortion industry’s compliance.  If, as we suspect could be the case, DHHR has a responsibility to ensure the abortion is meeting adequate safety standards, then a more invasive review of the abortion industry may be called for by state regulators.

There are, perhaps, other means by which the Governor could use his office to ensure our sisters and daughters are well-protected from an industry that we know is under investigation (criminal and civil) and has been convicted of gross violations of state law across this country.

Who regulates the abortion industry in West Virginia?

To be entirely candid: I really don’t know.  Because we cannot find any state agency willing to raise their hand and claim responsibility for regulating this industry, we are assuming – until proven otherwise – that the industry is left to regulate itself.  That is, without state oversight, they are left to volunteer violations of health, sanitary, bookkeeping, and other necessary standards that would protect from abuse.

[Read more...]

About Jeremy Dys

Jeremy Dys is the FPCWV's President and General Counsel. In addition to his duties of providing strategic vision and leadership to the FPCWV, Dys is the chief lobbyist and spokesman. Dys is regularly featured in local, state, and national print, radio, and television outlets. He lives close to Charleston with his wife and growing family.

PRESS RELEASE: FPCWV Calls for Immediate Safety Stand-Down of Abortion Industry in WV

FPC logo

Lawmakers urged to reject a self-regulating abortion industry to protect innocent human life.

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A day following the murder conviction of notorious abortionist Kermit Gosnell by a Pennsylvania jury, the Family Policy Council of West Virginia (FPCWV) sent a letter to Governor Tomblin asking him to protect the health and safety of West Virginia’s women by issuing a stand-down order and safety review of the state’s abortion industry.

“Gosnell’s clinic shows the stark reality of an unchecked abortion industry,” said Jeremiah Dys, president and general counsel of the FPCWV.  “We call upon Governor Tomblin to issue an immediate stand-down of the abortion industry until state regulators have sufficient time to ensure the abortion industry is protecting the women of our state.”

“As a state, we would not tolerate a self-regulated coal industry, why would we allow a self-regulated abortion industry to continue its operations outside of the health and safety authorities of West Virginia?” Dys asked.  “We would rather no woman would be used by the abortion industry, but so long as it is legal, our top priority as a state ought to be protecting our daughters and sisters.”

“Is there a state agency willing to engage its responsibility to regulate West Virginia’s growing abortion industry?”

Gosnell operated a clinic in Philadelphia that even the National Abortion Federation (NAF), the self-regulating arm of the abortion industry, refused to endorse.  However, even though NAF knew of the unsafe, unsanitary, and illegal conditions of Gosnell’s clinic, they failed to report Gosnell’s violations to law enforcement and state health and safety agencies.  In West Virginia, the state’s largest abortion clinic – one that commits an average of six abortions per day – is regulated by the NAF.

“We can no longer rely upon a self-regulated abortion industry,” said Dys.  “Every innocent human life in West Virginia is worthy of protection.  Our lawmakers must take decisive and immediate action to ensure the safety of the abortion industry in this state.”

Read the Family Policy Council of West Virginia’s letter at www.FamilyPolicyWV.com/action/stand-down.

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The Family Policy Council of West Virginia is a servant organization that advocates for policies that embrace the sanctity of human life, enrich marriage, and safeguard religious freedom.  We are passionate about advancing, defending, and equipping West Virginia’s families through policy, politics, and preparation.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 15, 2013
CONTACT: Jeremiah Dys, 304-553-7616, info@familypolicywv.com

About Jeremy Dys

Jeremy Dys is the FPCWV's President and General Counsel. In addition to his duties of providing strategic vision and leadership to the FPCWV, Dys is the chief lobbyist and spokesman. Dys is regularly featured in local, state, and national print, radio, and television outlets. He lives close to Charleston with his wife and growing family.

Are There Any “Good Abortion Providers?” That Depends on What You Mean by ‘Good.’

Writing in the USA Today one day after notorious abortionist Kermit Gosnell was convicted of 4 counts of murder and over 200 violations of Pennsylvania’s abortion laws, Amanda Marcotte argues that the way to prevent more Gosnell-like situations is to have fewer regulations of the abortion industry.  She argues that when the pro-life community argues for more – to use her words, “unnecessary regulations” – it is actually driving women to predatory creeps like Gosnell who give no meaning to back alley abortions and keep severed baby parts as his trophies.

Instead, she says, “if we want to prevent future Gosnells, the solution is simple: Support good abortion providers.”

Marcotte forces us to consider the very important question: are there good abortion providers?

[Read more...]

About Jeremy Dys

Jeremy Dys is the FPCWV's President and General Counsel. In addition to his duties of providing strategic vision and leadership to the FPCWV, Dys is the chief lobbyist and spokesman. Dys is regularly featured in local, state, and national print, radio, and television outlets. He lives close to Charleston with his wife and growing family.

Pope Francis Says Pro-Abortion Politicians Cannot Receive Communion

Pope Francis has made a lot of waves since being elected Pope of the Catholic Church. Thankfully, they are good waves as the newest Pope seeks to serve in humility. His latest wave comes as he issues a letter to all Catholic Cardinals and Bishops stating that those people, particularly politicians and world leaders, that are pro-abortion and pro-euthanasia are not eligible for communion. This is sure to upset the likes of Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi who claim to be practicing Catholics while supporting abortion. Part of Pope Francis’ letter states:

“[people] cannot receive Holy Communion and at the same time act with deeds or words against the commandments, particularly when abortion, euthanasia, and other grave crimes against life and family are encouraged. This responsibility weighs particularly over legislators, heads of governments, and health professionals. These are the guidelines we need for this time in history.” We hope the Pope continues to be staunchly pro-life and condemn the violence of abortion and any practice that does not convey the sanctity of human life. Click here for original article.

About Nathan Cherry

Nathan Cherry is the chief editor and blogger for the Engage Family Minute blog, the official blog of the FPCWV. He serves also as the Regional Development Coordinator as a liaison to the pastor's of West Virginia. He is a pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-religious freedom conservative. He is also a husband, father, pastor, author, musician, and follower of Jesus Christ.

Religious Freedom Win: Obama admin Withdraws Lawsuit Against Christian Business

A major religious freedom victory took place when the Obama administration abandoned its lawsuit against Tyndale House publishers – the world’s largest publisher of Bibles. Obama had initially sought to force Tyndale to obey the HHS mandate, but has since withdrawn the lawsuit against Tyndale. It could be as the Alliance Defending Freedom has reported, that Obama doesn’t want to try and convince a court that a Bible publisher is not “religious enough” for an exemption. A recent article states:

“In a huge victory for pro-life advocates taking on the controversial HHS mandate, the Obama administration is giving up its effort to force a Bible publisher to obey it…Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys representing Tyndale House Publishers say the administration is apparently nervous about trying to defend its position that a Bible publisher is not religious enough for a religious exemption to the mandate.” Click here for original article.

About Nathan Cherry

Nathan Cherry is the chief editor and blogger for the Engage Family Minute blog, the official blog of the FPCWV. He serves also as the Regional Development Coordinator as a liaison to the pastor's of West Virginia. He is a pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-religious freedom conservative. He is also a husband, father, pastor, author, musician, and follower of Jesus Christ.

Should Doctors Have the Right to End Life?

DoctorThe Hippocratic Oath that doctors swear when they are designated as doctors, among its most prominent tenets, states, “Do no harm.”

But if government has its way, at least in Texas (so far), doctors will be handed the power of life and death over the patient of their choosing with little in the way of effective and timely appeal from their decisions.

S.B. 303 sponsored by State Senator Bob Duell has actually been approved by the necessary committee’s review and is still alive and in danger of passing the full Texas Senate as Duell is a member of the majority party in that august body of legislators.

A WND TV article tells it this way:

“A new bill advancing through the Texas Legislature would allow doctors to decide when you die, giving them the authority to issue “Do Not Resuscitate” orders regardless of the wishes expressed by patients or their families.” [Read more...]

About Tom Stark

Tom Stark began writing for the Engage Family Minute blog in February 2012. As a small business owner Tom is passionate about the intersection of faith and politics in the life of Christians and the community around him. Having been touched by both the abortion issue and the issue of homosexuality in his own family, Tom is passionate about defending the lives of the unborn and upholding Biblical Truth. Tom also writes for www.westvirginiaconservative.com

Pro-Life Pregnancy App Tracks the Birth of Jesus

As the pro-life movement gains ground, tools to further humanize the unborn are becoming more common. Combining science and technology is just one great way to reach a younger generation that increasingly utilizes technology in their every day lives. One such tool is a new pro-life app for the iPhone that allows the user to track the birth of Jesus right alongside their own unborn child. A recent report says of the new app:

“[P]ro-life advocates have made it possible and appealing for anyone to follow the progress of fetal development by creating an app for the iPhone that features the development of Jesus as an unborn child. In addition, a pregnant woman has the option to sync the app with her due date to track the gestation of Jesus and of her own child simultaneously. Combining science with a devotional, the app is a creative approach to appreciating the humanity of Christ before he was even visible in the world. At the same time, it offers the practical benefit of serving as a pregnancy tracker.” Click here for original article.

About Nathan Cherry

Nathan Cherry is the chief editor and blogger for the Engage Family Minute blog, the official blog of the FPCWV. He serves also as the Regional Development Coordinator as a liaison to the pastor's of West Virginia. He is a pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-religious freedom conservative. He is also a husband, father, pastor, author, musician, and follower of Jesus Christ.

Members of Congress View “3801 Lancaster” Film About Gosnell

Members of Congress watched the film that helped break the case about Kermit Gosnell in the absence of media coverage. The film, called “3801 Lancaster” details the shocking details of Gosnell’s abortion clinic now known as the House of Horrors. It seems the members of Congress and their staffers had a hard time watching the film as it showed graphic details. One article reports:

“Staffers from the offices of Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Reps. Chris Smith, R-N.J., Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., and Doug Lamborn, R-Colo., watched the graphic documentary, ’3801 Lancaster,’ which detailed the squalid conditions of Gosnell’s clinic and showed graphic images of the babies who are believed to have died there. Several of the staffers winced or turned away from the screen when images were shown of babies Gosnell allegedly aborted by ‘snipping,’ a practice by which a baby’s spinal cord is severed with scissors.” We hope these members of Congress will now take action and demand an end to tax-payer funding for abortion, Planned Parenthood, and the HHS mandate in light of these details. Click here for original article.

About Nathan Cherry

Nathan Cherry is the chief editor and blogger for the Engage Family Minute blog, the official blog of the FPCWV. He serves also as the Regional Development Coordinator as a liaison to the pastor's of West Virginia. He is a pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-religious freedom conservative. He is also a husband, father, pastor, author, musician, and follower of Jesus Christ.

Unbelievable Photo of Baby Born in Amniotic Sac

Have you seen the image that is making news around the world of a baby that was “born” still inside his mother’s amniotic sac? To say it is incredible is just not enough. It is an amazing photo. I’ve posted it below so you can see it for yourself. The doctor who “delivered” this baby via C-Section said he was “breathless” by the sight of the child resting peacefully in his mother’s womb because he did not know he had been “born.” The fact that the mother’s water never broke and the baby was born inside the sac means the baby still thinks he is inside his mother’s womb awaiting birth. It’s an awe-inspiring image to be sure.

With this photo comes a myriad of questions that pro-abortion advocates need to consider. My biggest question would be, is it legal to kill this baby just because he is still inside the amniotic sac and therefore not technically born yet? [Read more...]

About Nathan Cherry

Nathan Cherry is the chief editor and blogger for the Engage Family Minute blog, the official blog of the FPCWV. He serves also as the Regional Development Coordinator as a liaison to the pastor's of West Virginia. He is a pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-religious freedom conservative. He is also a husband, father, pastor, author, musician, and follower of Jesus Christ.