Abortionists plan to set up shop in Wichita, Kansas: Operation Rescue vows opposition

by Patrick B. Craine

WICHITA, Kansas, July 15, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A leading pro-life group in Kansas says they are confident Wichita will remain abortion-free, despite several recent efforts to launch an abortion facility to replace that of deceased abortionist George Tiller.

“Do not underestimate the resolve of the pro-life movement in Kansas to keep Wichita abortion-free,” said Troy Newman, president of Operation Rescue, which is headquartered in Wichita.  “In fact, we are committed to making Kansas the first abortion-free state.”

Julie Burkhart, executive director of the St. Louis-based pro-abortion group Trust Women and the former head of Tiller’s political action committee, has announced plans to open a facility offering first-trimester abortions sometime in the next 12 months.  She says she is trying to recruit an abortionist, and claims to have raised about 25 percent of the needed funds.

At the same time, another abortionist, Dr. Mila Means is hoping to begin offering abortions in Wichita up to 15 weeks, but says she needs to raise $1 million.

Newman says, however, that the two activists are “big on bravado, but very little on substance.”  He said Means lacks the necessary training and has admitted that she is a poor financial manager.  Burkhart, on the other hand, has no abortionist willing to work with her and her fundraising abilities are “overstated,” he said.

Newman noted that Burkhart’s success for Tiller’s political action committee was fuelled primarily by Tiller’s own personal wealth.  “Without Tiller pouring hundreds of thousands of dollars of his own money into the PAC, it would have gone belly-up,” he said.

“With Operation Rescue continuing to work our program to ensure that Wichita remains abortion free, their prospects of success are especially slim,” Newman added.

Pro-lifers had expected Kansas to become the first abortion-free state in the country last month after it appeared the remaining three abortion facilities would fail to meet new health regulations.  Planned Parenthood in Overland Park narrowly qualified on June 30, however, and a judge then granted a temporary injunction allowing the other two to remain in business.

Planned Parenthood in Overland Park currently faces 107 criminal charges related to illegal late-term abortions and manufacturing evidence to cover up their crimes.