Life Links 12/23/10

The Daily Caller has picked up the story on Planned Parenthood's plans to require all affiliates to provide abortions and got a statement from a PP spokesperson.

When contacted by The Daily Caller, Lisa David, senior vice president of Health Services Support for Planned Parenthood, said that the organization is implementing a broad “new patient services initiative.”
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She went on to say that abortion services will be offered in at least one clinic per affiliate. However, a waiver may be obtained in the case of “unique local circumstances.”

The federal government has filed suit against an abortion clinic protester named David Hamilton in Louisville who is accused of violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act by using force against an abortion clinic escort and intimidating women seeking abortions. The suit seeks to prevent Hamilton from coming within "eight feet of anyone obtaining or providing services at EMW Women's Surgical Center, the only abortion clinic in Louisville."

From the article, it sounds like the feds don't have much of a case or any reason to be filing suit.

In an interview, Hamilton, 26, said he moved to Houston in July and that the lawsuit “is out of the blue to me.”

Hamilton said that before he moved, he had regularly tried to counsel women as they entered the Louisville clinic, but never pushed or shoved anyone.

“I never touched the girl going into the clinic,” he said of the Jan. 30 incident, which led to his arrest. “I didn’t come close to touching her. I said what I had to say and kept walking.”

Hamilton acknowledged he moved the arm of one of the two escorts out of his way, as he talked with the woman walking inside, but didn’t try to hurt or stop anyone. He said the officer saw only the escorts’ reactions and charged him.

Clinic director Anne Ahola said she didn’t know about the suit or remember details about the January incident, but she said she wishes there was a buffer zone between the protesters and those trying to enter to ensure safety.

Harford County in Maryland and the prolife organization Defend Life have reached a settlement after prolifers sued when their free speech rights were violated during a 2008 protest.

“We have settled with the county revolving around the strip searches in the county detention center,” Matt Paavola, the lawyer for the anti-abortion organization Defend Life, one of the plaintiffs in the case, said Monday.

“It [the settlement] was very amicable and the county was very accommodating,” Paavola said, adding that the county was also apologetic in the matter.

The Town of Bel Air and the state of Maryland are still defendants in the lawsuit.