The following is a Catholic Action League of Massachusetts press statement…
On June 29th, Lisa Kashinsky, the author of Massachusetts Playbook on Politico, contacted the Catholic Action League, seeking a comment from C. J. Doyle on the call by U. S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, (D-MA), to ban pro-life crisis pregnancy centers.
In stories which appeared in The Boston Globe, the Boston Herald and
MassLive, reporting on a press conference held by Warren in Boston yesterday, the left wing Democrat called for a federal and state crackdown on efforts by pro-life volunteers to assist women in troubled pregnancies.
“These are deceptive outfits that front for groups that are trying to harass or otherwise frighten people who are pregnant to keep them from seeking an abortion, and they do so under the cover of pretending to offer abortion services,” Warren asserted.
Astonishingly, when referring to pro-life counselors who help women, Warren actually claimed “they wish them harm.” She went on to accuse the pro-life movement of “deceiving people” and of preying upon the vulnerable.
Warren has introduced legislation—endorsed by Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice America–to restrict crisis pregnancy centers and suppress the free speech of abortion opponents by empowering the Federal Trade Commission to investigate, regulate and impose fines upon them under the rubric of “deceptive advertising.”
Unlike Planned Parenthood, crisis pregnancy centers do not enjoy the advantage of taxpayer funding, foundation grants or major corporate giving. Litigation and civil penalties would likely bankrupt them and force their closure, which is, apparently, Warren’s intention.
The anti-Catholic hate group, Catholics for Choice, was prominently featured in the news release from Warren’s office announcing the proposed law.
Catholic Action League Executive Director C. J. Doyle issued the following statement: “Senator Elizabeth Warren’s unfounded assertions imputing deception and predation to pro-life pregnancy centers are recklessly counterfactual.”
“Pro-life centers offer women compassionate alternatives to abortion. They provide free testing, counseling and material aid to women facing difficult pregnancies. They try to locate housing for women who may be forced to move because of a decision to continue a pregnancy.”
“The largest such center in eastern Massachusetts is Pregnancy Help Boston, which is a ministry of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston. It clearly states on its website that it does not perform or refer for abortions.”
“Senator Warren’s proposal is special interest legislation on behalf of Planned Parenthood, intended to shut down that organization’s opponents. It is punitive and it would likely fail a constitutional test on First Amendment grounds.”
“Apparently, for Senator Warren and other proponents of choice, the only permissible choice is abortion.”
A portion of Doyle’s statement appeared today in Massachusetts Playbook in Politico.
An additional comment from C. J. Doyle: “Elizabeth Warren is a shameless demagogue and an unscrupulous liar, who is willing, for political advantage, to appeal to the worst instincts of the most radicalized elements of the Democratic Party base.”
“Abortion proponents are angry over the Dobbs decision and are looking for opportunities to punish pro-life citizens. The Massachusetts House of Representatives just voted to compel most Catholic institutions in the Commonwealth to subsidize abortions.”
“The abolition of conscience clauses and the revival of buffer zones—despite McCullen v. Coakley—will likely be the next items on Warren’s agenda to, as she said yesterday, ‘play a little offense.'”
