Roundup: FBI Monitoring Scott Roeder's Visitors

Roundup: FBI Monitoring Scott Roeder’s Visitors

Aug 14, 2009, 10:52am

Emily Douglas

FBI is monitoring Scott Roeder's visitors; "death panel" rumors are false; US Conference of Cathoic Bishops says Capps Amendment is not enough to prevent public funding of abortion through health care reform.

FBI Monitoring Scott Roeder’s Visitors
Alleged killer of Dr.
George Tiller Scott Roeder, while in Kansas’ Sedgwick County jail, has
been visited by a number of anti-abortion extremists, including "two
convicted clinic bombers and several activists who once signed a
declaration that defended the killing of abortion doctors," reports the Chicago Tribune,
and the FBI is now monitoring and talking to those visitors. The
anti-choice activists who have visited him insist that there is no
conspiracy afoot. Roeder’s trial is scheduled for September 21.

"Death Panel" Rumors False
"There is nothing in any of the legislative proposals that would call
for the creation of death panels or any other governmental body that
would cut off care for the critically ill as a cost-cutting measure," the New York Times explains,
despite a rash of right-wing pundits and politicians recently
circulating the "death panel" myth. The myth has a "mainstream
provenance, openly emanating months ago from many of the same pundits
and conservative media outlets that were central in defeating President
Bill Clinton’s
health care proposals 16 years ago, including the editorial board of
The Washington Times, the American Spectator magazine and Betsy McCaughey,
whose 1994 health care critique made her a star of the conservative
movement (and ultimately, New York’s lieutenant governor)," the Times
explains.

US Conference of Catholic Bishops Says Capps Amendment Not Enough
Despite yet another clear-sighted analysis of the status of abortion coverage post-health care reform — ABC News reports,
"One version of the House reform bill, by the House Energy and Commerce
Committee, would allow health plans to cover abortions, as long as they
were paid for entirely with private funds.
That provision is made in an amendment by Rep. Lois Capps, D-Calif." —
the "U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has released a letter
condemning the House Democrats’ healthcare plan, alleging that the plan’s purported prohibition on federal funds for abortion is a ‘legal fiction,’" Dan Gilgoff reports on US News & World Report. According to the USCCB, funding coming from the government is "fungible" and would therefore end up supporting abortion care, even if plans in the health insurance exchange paid for abortion care through privately-paid premiums.

Other News to Note
August 14: Catholic Exchange: Position Statement of the National Association of Pro-life Nurses on Health Care Legislation

August 14: Medical News Today: Many Women Not Using Safest Brands Of Contraceptive Pill, UK

August 14: Prague Daily Monitor: Median: Czechs use mainly condoms, pills as contraception

August 14: Vindy.com: Ryan in the crosshairs of pro-life groups

August 13: Examiner: It’s time to stop calling them “pro-life”

August 13: KSN: Group petitioning against Neb. abortion provider

August 13: Daily Herald: (Letters) Reform plan expands access to abortion

August 13: Courier-Journal: Anti-abortion group wants Pitino out

August 13: LifeSiteNews: Louisville Pro-Life Students Call for Dismissal of Coach who Killed Unborn Child to Cover Up Affair

August 13: LifeSiteNews: ND Judge Refuses Bid by Pro-Abortion Legal Group to Halt Informed Consent Law

August 13: Flesh and Stone: Pro-choice religious leaders urge Congress to maintain abortion access in health care reform

August 14: My SA: Teen pregnancy prevention program will be diminished