September 5, 2011

Using “FACE” Again

Posted by Pat Richards under Abortion Information, FACE Act, FACE law, Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act | Tags: , , , , , , , |
[129] Comments 
Abortion.com Law access to Abortion Clinics

Stop Anti Abortion Terrorism

I looked President Clinton directly in the eye and, shaking his hand, said “Thank you Mr. President for helping to protect our clinics.”

In the last week, I’ve been reading with great interest how President Obama’s Department of Justice has been aggressively using the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (“FACE”), a law passed in 1994 designed to protect abortion clinics, abortion patients and the clinic staff from certain anti-abortion activity.

As a staff person for the National Coalition of Abortion Providers , in the early 1990’s I attended a number of meetings with the Clinton Administration’s staff about the need for federal protection from anti-abortion zealots.  At that point, any prosecution of such activity was carried out generally by the state and, well, there were a number of states that did not give a crap about protecting abortion clinics.  But the Clinton folks were in a quandary because, as they told us, they had no jurisdiction in these cases because there was no federal law protecting clinics.  So, they urged us to try to pass the “FACE” Act, which had been introduced a while ago but was languishing in the Congress.  Our meetings were very frustrating because we knew – we just knew – that one day the violence would escalate.  And on March 10, 1994, it did go to a new level when Doctor David Gunn was murdered as he entered his clinic.

Abortion Clinic

Abortion Clinic

Doctor Gunn’s death and the incredible amount of publicity it generated gave pro-choicer groups more ammunition to pass the FACE Act and to give the Department of Justice jurisdiction over these crimes.  Congressional hearings were held, the pro-choice lobbyists worked hard to get support for the bill and ultimately the bill passed both houses of Congress.

By this time, I had become good friends with David Gunn, Jr. and his sister, Wendy.  In fact, after a while David basically became the national spokesman for NCAP, going so far as to pose for a picture that was used in a full page New York Times ad to help us raise money.  We were both on “The Donahue Show” together and on various other shows as well.

Abortion

Abortion

After the Congress passed the FACE Act, I got a call a call from one of Clinton’s staff people inviting me to attend the signing of the bill in the White House.  Needless to say, I was totally thrilled, having never been to the White House except for that crappy little public tour.  Then, that night I got a call from David, Jr. and he told me that he and Wendy had been invited to the White House as well and he asked me if I could pick them up that morning and drive over with them.  They were both very nervous and what they didn’t know was I was probably just as nervous.

So, I picked them up at their hotel that morning and we drove over.  I actually found a parking space pretty close to the White House so we had just a short walk.  We entered through the North Gate and were escorted to the West Wing to a room with about 75 chairs and a podium.  I was standing next to David and Wendy, trying to soak it all in when an official came over and said to us “Excuse me, but the President would like a few words with you.”   They started to follow him and David looked back and waved me to follow him.   But I was stopped at the door and when it opened, I caught a glimpse of the President standing behind his desk in the Oval Office.  I mean, that was pretty cool…

After about 10 minutes, the three of them came out and the audience sat down.  I was in the front row, sitting next to California Senator Barbara Boxer.  The President spoke about the need for this bill, about how his administration would protect the clinics (while guaranteeing the first amendment rights of the protestors) and that was that.  He actually didn’t have the bill in front of him to sign, so I didn’t get one of those pens for a souvenir.  Then he was done, and we all started to mingle.

At one point, I took a step backwards and bumped into somebody.  When I turned around to apologize, I was face to face with the President.  Shaking, I stuck out my hand and thanked him for his help.  I will never forget how he looked at you straight in the eye, as if he was clinging to your every word, just you and him in the White House.  It was mesmerizing and I guess that is what made him such a great politician.

It took a while for the Clinton Administration to get its feet wet enforcing the new law and, of course, when the Bush crew came in not much happened.  I am now happy to see that the Obama Administration is going to aggressively enforce the law.   But it’s sad to think that after all of this time, it is a law that still needs to be enforced.

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September 23, 2010

The Accidental Senator

Posted by Pat Richards under Abortion Advocates, Abortion Blog, Abortion Candidates, Abortion Centers, Abortion Heroes, Abortion Information, Abortion Law, Abortion Medical, Abortion Pill | Tags: , , , , , , |
[60] Comments 

This is a story about how the abortion issue accidentally made someone a U.S. Senator.

After abortion became legal in 1973, anti-abortion forces wanted to make sure that no federal tax dollars would be used to pay for abortions.  There was a concern that women on the Medicaid program would use their Medicaid cards to terminate a pregnancy.  So, every year the anti-abortion Members of Congress would insert language into a federal spending bill saying that no federal dollars could be used for abortions unless the woman’s life was endangered.  They were always successful.  The pro-choice forces took a beating year after year.  It was downright embarrassing.

Abortion

Abortion

In the mid-1980’s, I joined the staff of Congressman Les AuCoin, a Democrat from Oregon. He was staunchly pro-choice and was intent on liberalizing those annual abortion restrictions.  One day he told me that he’d like to offer an amendment to the spending bill that would allow federal dollars to be used for victims of rape and incest in addition to those whose lives were endangered.

I immediately convened the pro-choice lobbyists and told them of my boss’ plan. There were mixed reactions.  Some were concerned that another losing vote would further depress the pro-choice movement and some were excited.  We decided to move forward.

Over the next few months, we lobbied very hard for the “AuCoin Amendment.”  Our effort became a national cause, with pro-choice voters across the country urging their Members of Congress to support the measure.   One day, after months of intense lobbying, I told AuCoin that I actually thought we had a chance of winning.  He was stunned.  He figured it would just be another losing effort.

Finally, the day of the vote arrived.  The phone rings on my desk.  It’s AuCoin.  .

“Pat, I hate to tell you this but I can’t offer the amendment.”

“What the hell do you mean?  We’ve been working on this for months.  The pro-choice groups will hang you if you don’t do this!”  He told me that a very powerful – and very pro-life – chairman of a committee told him that if offered his amendment he would never give AuCoin any money for projects back in his district.

“You need to find someone else to offer the amendment,” he said.

Abortion

Abortion

I frantically started calling other Members of Congress who were part of our strategy team.  And I kept striking out.   Most of them just said they didn’t have time on their schedule.  I reported my results back to AuCoin and then he said “Did you call Barbara Boxer?”

Barbara Boxer was a relatively unknown Member of Congress from California.  She was very pro-choice, very energetic, perhaps a little too energetic.    She attended all of the pro-choice strategy meetings but rubbed some people the wrong way, so she was not high on our list of potential replacements.  I gulped and picked up the phone.

“Barabara, my boss can’t offer the amendment and we were wondering if you were willing to do it?”

Before I could finish my sentence she said “Meet me on the floor in 30 minutes.”

I ran over to the Capitol, to the floor of the House of Representatives and there she was.  We had about 4 hours to wait before the amendment would be offered, but she was ready to go.

Eventually, she offered “her” amendment and the debate began.  Like a good staff person, I answered her constant questions about the amendment and helped her rebutting some arguments.  She was a nervous bundle of energy, constantly tapping her feet.

After an hour of debate, the vote was taken.  And we won.

When the Speaker of the House announced the final tally, the pro-choice forces erupted in applause and wild cheers.  Finally, a victory in the U.S. Congress!   We left the floor and were greeted by hundreds of supporters, some of them in tears.  That night, the victory was covered on all of the network news programs and the next day it was a front page story in the major newspapers.  The “Boxer Amendment” was national news.  Barbara Boxer was suddenly a national figure.

A few weeks later, Barbara Boxer called me.  “Pat, I want you to know that winning that vote has really energized a lot of pro-choice voters out here in California and I’m thinking of running for the Senate on this issue.”

I was stunned but managed to say “That’s great, Barbara!”

“And when I win, I want you to join my staff.”   I didn’t respond.

For the next six months, the pro-choice movement poured a crap load of money and resources into her campaign.  And in November, she became the Senator from California.

It’s funny how things work out, huh?

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