In this issue:

• With upcoming abortion restrictions in Florida, this VA PP is excited to increase its abortion business.
• If a woman cannot have an abortion because of a state’s restrictions, Planned Parenthood will help her find a place to go.
• You can become an advocate, and you can help stop Planned Parenthood. We explain!

The Virginia League of Planned Parenthood Gears Up to Kill More Babies

By Ed Martin

In a press video released by members of the Virginia League of Planned Parenthood on May 1, 2024, the abortion organization stated that it is gearing up for an increase in abortion clients to Virginia due to Florida’s “heartbeat law” that went into effect on that same day. This law permits preborn children to be murdered through abortion up to six-weeks’ gestation, allowing various exceptions past six weeks. Inevitably, Planned Parenthood is labeling this situation as a major crisis because a number of women who are seeking abortions will travel to Virginia to receive “essential care.”

The video referenced above features statements from Paulette McElwain, Virginia League of Planned Parenthood’s CEO, who said the following about the situation in Florida: 

It’s with a deep sense of purpose that The Virginia League for Planned Parenthood, along with our provider partners, reaffirms our commitment to providing essential care to tens of thousands of displaced patients in the South. We know that over 80,000 patients received abortion care in Florida in 2023. Our doors are open, and our hearts are with those in need. In the midst of this crisis, we are dedicated to meeting the unique needs of our patients and supporting our highly skilled providers and health care teams. Together, we forge ahead with compassion, determination, and unwavering resolve. It will take all of us, together, to meet this moment, and VLPP is committed to championing accessible and equitable reproductive health care, no matter what.

Something to note is that abortion remains legal in Virginia up to 27 weeks’ gestation, with exceptions for the life of the mother and her general and mental health. While Virginia requires parental consent for a minor to obtain an abortion, it does not require counseling prior to the abortion. Several media outlets also point to the fact that Virginia is the only southern state that has not created any restrictions on its abortion laws post-Dobbs, disturbingly looked at by abortion supporters as a “sanctuary” state for baby killing in the southeast United States. 

In typical Planned Parenthood fashion, it is capitalizing on Florida’s new ruling to instill panic in people with fearmongering and deceptive language. The communications specialist for the Virginia League of Planned Parenthood told a local Virginia paper that what “happened with regard to abortion access in Florida is nothing short of devastating” (emphasis added). VLPP’s chief medical officer said, “Since the Dobbs decision I care for patients every day who drive 6 or 9 or 12 hours to obtain an abortion, I take care of patients who have never flown before coming to Virginia for their abortion and patients who are often panicked at a canceled flight or a flat tire means that we won’t be able to still see them.” 

Lastly, the executive director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia proclaimed that “the public has shown a robust desire to preserve and protect reproductive rights, pushing back against overreaches that threaten our bodily autonomy. When abortion is on the ballot, reproductive freedom wins.” These statements demonstrate Planned Parenthood’s continuous false narrative that women cannot survive and be successful without abortion.

The real crisis is threefold with this new Florida abortion law. First, it still puts an artificial timestamp on the preborn child’s life and tells the public that before six weeks or in various circumstances, these tiny lives are not worth living. The second crisis is that these women are deceived into thinking that Planned Parenthood provides the answers they need when in difficult situations. Last, we have several leaders and politicians who continue to promote abortion themselves or enact laws that still permit exceptions for Planned Parenthood and others to kill preborn children at certain periods of fetal development.

This leads us to the question of what we can do as defenders of life to help as these problems continue to infiltrate our country and individual states.

First, we must keep educating the public about what abortion really is and that no matter the circumstance or stage of development, abortion is the murder of an innocent life. It is never permissible or justifiable. 

Second, we must show up at our polls during the election season and vote for candidates who truly value human life at all stages, as well as write to our representatives and speak the truth to them when new pro-abortion or pro-life legislation passes their desks. 

We also must remain vigilant in our prayer and peaceful witness and pray outside abortion facilities like Planned Parenthood. 

Finally, and most importantly, we must support women and their babies through our works and prayers. Donating time and resources to local pregnancy care centers is vital, as these centers provide counseling, free pregnancy tests, vitamins, clothes, supplies, and resources to pregnant mothers so they can take care of themselves and their babies.*

These are all tangible ways we can commit to protecting and encouraging mothers to choose life for their children and a better life for themselves. We know that no one needs Planned Parenthood, so let us continue to show women why they don’t and show them the alternatives they have to help them and their babies.

*See more in this American Life League PLTW article for other ways we can help and support mothers in need.

Planned Parenthood Is Taking a Page Out of the ACORN Playbook

Do you remember ACORN, the left-wing front group that helped push election fraud (as well as abortion) a few decades ago? You might remember its name, but did you realize that ACORN pioneered the use of front groups to push its agenda. When ACORN was finally busted, it was found to have over 100 “organizations” run out of a single business suite.

Planned Parenthood appears to be growing an ACORN-like network.

Within the Planned Parenthood annual report, STOPP noticed the reference to abortionfinder.org. This is a “service” helping individuals find nearby abortionists. But was this app built and paid for by Planned Parenthood? The annualreport said little about AbortionFinder.org. Hard to tell. So we did some digging. 

It turns out that AbortionFinder.org “appears” to be independent of Planned Parenthood. It was launched by Power to Decide, which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. On its website, Power to Decide lists its funders, and Planned Parenthood is not listed. But all the usual funders of Planned Parenthood are listed. See the list at powertodecide.org/about-us/funders.

Why would Planned Parenthood NOT start its own app? Why create an outside group? We cannot know for sure, but STOPP surmises that Planned Parenthood wants to escape liability and accountability. 

This means that we have to continually identify state and even local level efforts that are taking place in our communities. 

STOPP Can Help Your Community

Since the STOPP analysis of the Planned Parenthood annual report was published, STOPP has had fruitful contact with folks across the nation who are willing to step up and oppose Planned Parenthood in their home communities. One of these, an organization based in Florida, is ready to go today with protests in front of its Planned Parenthood. Another in Idaho wants to confront its local town council about the Planned Parenthood there. 

Please consider reaching out to us to become a part of our STOPP team. In many states in November, there will be ballot initiatives that need attention. Our role can be to point out how these ballot initiatives are funded by Planned Parenthood and its affiliates. Thank you in advance.