California ProLife Council News 

FRED THOMPSON MAKES PRESIDENTIAL ANNOUNCEMENT WHILE REPUBLICANS DEBATE
Washington, DC -- While his Republican counterparts debate in New Hampshire, former Tennessee senator Fred Thompson made an appearance on a late-night television program to announce his presidential bid. After several months of waiting, Thompson told talk show host Jay Leno "I'm running for president of the United States." Following the announcements, Thompson appeared in an online video on Thursday to make the bid official and he plans to follow it up with whistle stops in early primary states starting on Tuesday in Iowa.  "I'm going to give this campaign all that I have to give," he promised, in an attempt to counter some concerns that he's too old to run a competitive campaign.  Thompson is a former attorney best known for his investigative role in Watergate and his status as an actor on NBC's "Law & Order" and in character roles in dozens of movies. While Thompson took a solo route Wednesday night in announcing his plans, some of his rivals griped that he didn't make an appearance at the debate. "Maybe Sen. Thompson will be known as the no-show for the presidential debates," former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said. "Maybe we're up past his bedtime," Arizona Sen. John McCain joked. In recent months, Thompson has been touting his pro-life credentials.
"I think Roe v. Wade was a bad decision. I think it was bad law and bad medicine," Thompson said in a recent appearance on CNN. "You don't just get up one day and overturn the entire history of the country with regard to nature and major social policy, without any action by Congress, without any action by the American people or constitutional amendment, and that's what happened," Thompson explained. The former Tennessee senator continued, "It shouldn't have happened. It ought to be reversed." Source: Life News, September 7, 2007


MITT ROMNEY, MIKE HUCKABEE ADDRESS ABORTION IN LATEST REPUBLICAN DEBATE
Concord, NH -- The latest Republican presidential debate featured few fireworks on pro-life issues such as abortion or embryonic stem cell research. During Wednesday night's debate, Mitt Romney was asked about his strategy to end abortion and Mike Huckabee called for a human life amendment to the constitution.  Romney has come under criticism from other candidates for favoring a two-step approach to ending abortion -- one that is the traditional approach backed by most pro-life groups.  He has said he prefers to see the Supreme Court overturn Roe v. Wade and allow states the opportunity again to make abortion illegal. Following the high court's decision, he wants a constitutional amendment adopted to protect all unborn children by law. 
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee declined an opportunity from the questioner to criticize Romney's position and used his time to delineate his own. "I would look to see us have in this country what I helped lead in our state in Arkansas, and that’s a human life amendment to our state constitution," he told the audience. "It says that we believe life begins at conception and that we ought to do everything in the world possible to protect it until its natural conclusion, and that means that we truly value and respect elevate and celebrate every life," Huckabee said. Source: Life News, September 7, 2007

KANSAS PRO-LIFE GROUP TURNS IN GRAND JURY PETITIONS FOR ABORTION PROBE
Topeka, KS -- A Kansas pro-life group has turned in 8,000 petitions asking for a grand jury to convene to find out whether more illegal abortions were done at George Tiller's Wichita abortion center. Tiller as been charged with 19 misdemeanor counts of illegal late-term abortions, but Kansans for Life says there are likely more. Kansans for Life spokesman David Gittrich told LifeNews.com, “Late-term abortions are illegal in Kansas and it's time the law was enforced." "Today, we are presenting nearly 8,000 signatures of registered Sedgwick County voters to the Sedgwick County District Court requesting the District Court to immediately impanel a Grand Jury to investigate a pattern of criminal behavior we are observing in our community," he explained. The 7,857 signatures are almost three times the number needed. Kansas law prohibits these post-viable abortions except in dire emergencies or when the life of the mother is immediately threatened. Since 1998, when this law went into effect, there have been over 2,519 post-viable abortions performed. "We don't believe that all of the 2,519 women were in danger of having substantial and irreversible injuries to major bodily functions as the law dictates," Gittrich said. "Kansas statistics reveal that none were done where the life of the mother was threatened. Therefore, many of these post-viable abortions are against the law." Source: Life News, September 7, 2007

ILLINOIS ABORTION CENTER FIGHTS BACK, PLANNED PARENTHOOD RUNS PR CAMPAIGN
Aurora, IL -- The Planned Parenthood abortion center in Aurora, Illinois if fighting back after a massive protest over its building a secret abortion center there. The outcry has been so strong that thousands of local residents have attended protests and meetings with local officials, who are looking into the construction process. Pro-life advocates have asked officials to prevent the abortion center from opening. They want Mayor Tom Weisner to complete an investigation into whether or not it followed the law in approving Planned Parenthood's application, even though it didn't use its name during the approval process. The Aurora city council last Tuesday saw more than 100 pro-life people pack the city hall to tell members of the council they don't appreciate Planned Parenthood secretly building a monstrous abortion center in their community. Source: Life News, September 7, 2007  

ARKANSAS CHOOSE LIFE PLATES GENERATE 7K FOR CATHOLIC ADOPTION PROGRAM
Little Rock, AR -- Motorists across the state of Arkansas have turned their vehicles into funds to help women find alternatives to abortion. As in dozens of other states, residents can purchase Choose Life license plates featuring a crayon drawing of a boy and girl that help support pregnancy centers and adoption programs. The adoption agency is one of 12 groups that applied for funds from the Choose Life plate program, and the group can use 60 percent of the funds to provide for the needs of the mother. That includes housing, medical care and educational training. The adoption center isn't the only group benefiting from the plates as about 8,000 have been sold or renewed since the legislature approved them in 2003 and they have raised $200,000 for adoption and pregnancy center groups. Governor Mike Huckabee, signed the Choose Life plate measure into law on March 4, 2003. The plates cost an additional $35.00 each time residents renew or purchase a vehicle license. Source: Life News, September 7, 2007

KANSAS ATTORNEY GENERAL UPSET WITH PRO-LIFE GROUPS ON ABORTION PANEL
Topeka, KS -- Kansas Attorney General Paul Morrison is accusing pro-life groups of hindering his case against late-term abortion practitioner George Tiller. Tiller has been charged with doing illegal late-term abortions, but pro-life groups say the pro-abortion state attorney isn't doing enough to prosecute him. A legislative panel is examining the issue of the state's late-term abortion law and its enforcement and Morrison is upset about it. And statewide pro-life group Kansans for Life turned in 8,000 petitions today to request a grand jury to investigate more possible violations regarding Tiller's abortions. Source: Life News, September 7, 2007 

BRITISH GOVERNMENT GIVES INITIAL APPROVAL TO HUMAN-ANIMAL CLONING
London, England -- The British government has opened a Pandora's box that worries pro-life advocates because scientists will be allowed to create clones consisting of human and animal parts. The decision is the first step in the approval process and now a licensing committee will review two applications to engage in the research. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority considered the proposals from scientists at King's College London and Newcastle University. It said there was "no fundamental reason" to prevent the research. "However, public opinion is very finely divided, with people generally opposed to this research unless it is tightly regulated and it is likely to lead to scientific or medical advancements," it added. "This is not a total green light for cytoplasmic hybrid research, but recognition that this area of research can, with caution and careful scrutiny, be permitted." Source: Life News, September 7, 2007