Former pro-choicer Abby Johnson says an abortion caused her conversion-Records say it never happened

[kpete]

The "pro-life" parable
Former pro-choicer Abby Johnson says an abortion caused her conversion. Records say it never happened
By Tracy Clark-Flory


The abortion was supposed to explain it all. The traumatizing ultrasound-guided termination of a 13-week fetus set the stage for Abby Johnson's startling conversion from pro-choice warrior to anti-abortion extremist. It was meant to resolve questions about why the 29-year-old resigned as director of Planned Parenthood's Bryan, Texas clinic and joined forces with longtime foe Coalition for Life. Time and again on right-wing radio and TV shows, she passionately detailed how she had a sudden "change of heart" while witnessing the procedure. But the revelatory abortion never took place, according to medical records obtained by Texas Monthly.
http://www.texasmonthly.com/2010-02-01/letterfrombryan-1.php

Broadsheet reported on Johnson's about-face in November, breaking news that the former "Employee of the Year" had recently been put on a performance review and that, curiously enough, she had appeared on a local radio show singing Planned Parenthood's praises on September 27, the day after she claims the procedure took place. Now, Texas Monthly has followed up with additional reporting that casts further doubt on her story. Reporter Nate Blakeslee writes:

***According to Planned Parenthood, there is no record of an ultrasound-guided abortion performed on September 26. The physician on duty told the organization that he did not use an ultrasound that day, nor did Johnson assist on any abortion procedure. ... It's difficult to imagine that Johnson simply got the date wrong; September 12 was the only other day that month that the clinic performed surgical abortions.

In records filed with the Texas Department of State Health Services, Planned Parenthood reported that 15 abortions were performed that day, but none of the patients were more than ten weeks pregnant; however, Johnson claims to have witnessed the termination of a thirteen-week fetus.

http://salon.com/news/abortion/index.html?story=/mwt/broadsheet/feature/2010/01/07/abby_johnson_abortion
http://www.texasmonthly.com/2010-02-01/letterfrombryan-1.php

[malaise]

1. Busted

Oh my! :popcorn:

[nosmokes]

3. the Holier than thou set tend to lie like a cheap rug.

Badly.

[malaise]

10. You Betcha n/t

[Love Bug]

2. As much as I'm all for exposing hypocrites like Johnson,

I'm appalled that the media attempted to violate her medical confidentiality. If they can do it to her, they can do it to someone else, too.

The irony is that this is the very kind of fact-collecting that the anti-choicers like to see happen so they can figure out who got an abortion and shame them. This is the very definition of being "hoist on one's petard."

[Heddi]

4. SHE didn't get the abortion, she said she assisted with it, so they're not violating her med privacy

She said she assisted with a 13 week abortion and what she saw caused her to have a conversion...she didn't have the abortion herself.

From the article:
http://www.texasmonthly.com/2010-02-01/letterfrombryan-1.php

Nine days earlier, on September 26, she’d assisted a doctor who was performing an abortion for a woman who was thirteen weeks pregnant, she said. The doctor asked Johnson to hold an ultrasound transducer to the woman’s stomach as he performed the operation. Johnson told Carney she had never seen this done before, since ultrasound machines are not commonly used for first-trimester abortions, which make up the vast majority of abortions done at most clinics. What she witnessed on the ultrasound monitor, she said, horrified her. The fetus seemed to be moving away from the doctor’s probe, which was clearly visible on the screen as it entered the patient’s uterus. Johnson thought of all the patients whom she had told that their fetuses wouldn’t feel anything during the procedure. Then, as Johnson watched, the doctor turned on the suction.

[Love Bug]

6. D'oh! I stand corrected!

I misread it! :blush:

[nosmokes]

5. While I would normally agree with you completely, I think in this case the

rules can be waived. She is no ordinary citizen, or even an ordinary activist. She represents herself as a *convert* when that is very much in doubt.

Liars should be called out when they venture into the public square and attempt to influence open discourse with falsehoods.

[niyad]

7. we pretty much knew she was a liar from the beginning. nice to see it confirmed.

[Ignis]

8. "...And then they branded a B on mah face!"

Liars: They tend to get caught.

[Warpy]

9. Well, gee whiz, what a surprise.

An antichoice lunatic caught in a lie. Who would ever have thought those people would stoop so low?

(not going to insult anyone with the smilie today)