On Thursday, Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry activated the state’s COVID-19 Task Force to investigate possible violations of a statewide ban on elective and non-emergency procedures. According to a Louisiana Department of Justice (DOJ) press release, Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) referrals resulted in the activation of the COVID-19 Task Force to perform “fact-finding examinations of several Louisiana facilities” to include an endoscopy center and “outpatient abortion clinics in Shreveport and Baton Rouge.”
Attorney General Landry indicated that all instances of non-compliance with LDH directives “not only put patients and staff at risk, they also divert much needed Personal Protective Equipment away from the brave medical professionals currently treating Louisiana’s coronavirus patients.” Though some in the abortion industry have attempted to claim on one hand that very little PPE is needed for surgical abortions, on the other hand, abortion businesses have been publicly pleading for PPE donations — PPE that is needed to help medical personnel fight the pandemic.
The Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) published an order on March 21 in response to the coronavirus pandemic, directing “that any and all medical and surgical procedures SHALL be postponed until further notice.” The only two exceptions to the order included treatment for an “emergency medical condition” or treatment to prevent “further harms from underlying condition or disease.”
Despite initial reports of compliance by Louisiana’s abortion businesses, a Live Action investigation on March 27 found that Hope Medical Group for Women in Shreveport — one of the state’s three abortion businesses — continued to schedule abortions.
In response to the investigation, Live Action president and founder Lila Rose issued a call to action:
In Louisiana, the abortion industry proves once again that it will seek profit no matter what. While the rest of the world is focused on rescuing the vulnerable from COVID-19, Hope Medical Group is scheduling abortions that will kill children, harm women, and use up precious medical resources like masks, gloves, and gowns. … We call on Governor John Bel Edwards and Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry to immediately shut down Hope Medical Group and penalize it for defying the state and endangering the community.
In the Louisiana DOJ press release, Attorney General Landry took a strong stand against violations of the LDH order: “My COVID-19 Task Force is ready for action and currently receiving referrals from LDH on possible violations. We are happy to be doing our part to protect the health and safety of all Louisianans by freeing up essential LDH resources and employees that are indispensable on the front-lines of this fight.”
READ: Louisiana abortion facility defies Department of Health order, continues to operate during pandemic
Hope Medical Group for Women in Shreveport is the plaintiff in the high-profile June Medical Services v. Russo case before the Supreme Court, in which the abortion business is arguing against a state law that would require physicians to have hospital admitting privileges — a requirement for all surgical centers in the state. Abortion businesses in Louisiana have admitted to not requiring background checks for their abortionists or vetting their previous training. As a result, an ophthalmologist and a radiologist were found to be committing abortions in Louisiana, as Live Action News has reported.
The abortion industry continues to show its true colors throughout the COVID-19 crisis. In many states and territories, the industry has also continued to seek profit by arguing that it provides an “essential” medical service, despite the fact that abortion is never medically necessary. It is also seeking to capitalize on the crisis by trying to weaken the FDA’s safety requirements (REMS) and expand access to the abortion pill.
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