I'm still working on Gosnell: The Untold Story of America's Most Prolific Serial Killer, by Ann McElhinney and Phelim McAleer. As I listen, I'm blogging about relevant material that I know from over 35 years of abortion research. Links to previous commentaries are at the bottom of this post.
The Visitor from the National Abortion Federation
One person who testified before the Grand Jury was a National Abortion Federation representative who visited Gosnell's clinic when he had applied for membership. Ann and Phelim point out an interesting fact: She seems to be the only witness who wasn't a patient and wasn't identified by name in the Grand Jury Report.
Singing Praises
It's also interesting that the Grand Jury report takes time to praise the National Abortion Federation:
NAF is an association of abortion providers that upholds the strictest health and legal standards for its members.
[NAF is] a professional association of 400 abortion providers nationwide that offers referrals and services to member providers. Membership is contingent on meeting NAF’s quality assurance
standards and is based on an on-site inspection.
standards and is based on an on-site inspection.
To be certified by NAF, a provider must submit to an on-site inspection and complete a detailed questionnaire designed to determine whether the provider complies with NAF’s standards. After the initial approval and certification, members must complete questionnaires annually. NAF re-inspects members every five to seven years, or more often if there is a complication or a serious event with a patient.
They uncritically noted that the NAF representative said:
NAF’s mission is to ensure safe, legal, and acceptable abortion care, and to promote health and justice for women. To that end, NAF publishes clinical standards, called Clinical Policy Guidelines that members must follow. These guidelines are drawn from a review of evidenced-based medical literature and patient outcomes.
The Grand Jury also named NAF as one of the groups that would "conduct inspections of
abortion facilities before approving them or referring women to them."
There was absolutely no need to spout all these glowing words about the National Abortion Federation. The Grand Jury could have simple described them as an association of abortion providers who require that applicants be approved for membership.
Contradictions in Their Own Report
NAF’s mission is to ensure safe, legal, and acceptable abortion care, and to promote health and justice for women. To that end, NAF publishes clinical standards, called Clinical Policy Guidelines that members must follow. These guidelines are drawn from a review of evidenced-based medical literature and patient outcomes.
The Grand Jury also named NAF as one of the groups that would "conduct inspections of
abortion facilities before approving them or referring women to them."
There was absolutely no need to spout all these glowing words about the National Abortion Federation. The Grand Jury could have simple described them as an association of abortion providers who require that applicants be approved for membership.
Contradictions in Their Own Report
In spite of all the laudatory verbiage lavished on NAF, the Grand Jury noted that a member clinic had Gosnell initiating illegal third-trimester abortions there -- including the abortion that culminated in the murder of Baby Boy A.
No Censure Here
The Grand Jury Report vigorously castigated officials up and down the line. It pointed out culpability at every turn. But when it came to NAF, it was time for the kid gloves. The report gently chided NAF because their inspector failed to report Gosnell to the authorities. It made a tepid recommendation "that the National Abortion Federation reconsider the inclusion of Atlantic Women’s Medical Services in Delaware in its membership."
Why did the report not ream out NAF for allowing a member clinic to have Gosnell working on site? Why no harsh words when NAF failed to forbid their members to refer women to him? Why so gentle on NAF, while pulling no punches with anybody else?
Ann and Phelim say that somebody close to the case told them that Judge Renee Cardwell Hughes specifically insisted that the NAF representative's name be omitted. She did not want the case to criticize the abortion establishment, despite their obvious culpability.
I guess this is another case of having friends in high places.
Aside from Gosnell
Though Gosnell's clinic was so bad that NAF rejected him, it's not like they're all that picky. Some notable members of the National Abortion Federation include:
- Abu "The Butcher of Avenue A" Hayat, who ripped the arm off a 32-week baby in an attempted an abortion, sexually abused patients, and performed the fatal abortion on Sophie McCoy
- Hanan Rotem, who got caught having his receptionist administer anesthesia after the death of Gloria Aponte
- Family Planning Associates Medical Group, which was founded by the man "who did for abortions what Ray Kroc did for hamburgers" and where at least 16 women have lost their lives
- Summit Medical Center of Alabama, where the wife-killing abortionist Malachy DeHenry performed the fatal abortion on Leigh Ann Alford
- Alberto "Licensed to Lie" Hodari, who ran the shoddy clinic where Regina Johnson died and performed the fatal abortions on Tamiia Russell and Chivon Williams
- Atlanta Women's Pavilion, where staff managed to fatally injure two teenage girls in a single day
- Midtown Hospital, a filthy facility that was caught performing illegal late abortions and performed the fatal abortion on Sara Niebel
- Douglas Karpen, the "Texas Gosnell" who performed the fatal abortion on Denise Montoya
These examples tell you how bad Gosnell must have been to be the worst a NAF inspector has ever seen.
Prior posts:
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