James Kerian: Money Shows Measure 1 Opponents Are Lying
“I don’t just believe life begins at conception; I know it as a scientific certainty.” – Dr. Ron Paul
Measure 1, the human life amendment, is on the ballot this fall. Measure 1 supporters have been crystal clear that the purpose and the only effect of the measure is to increase constitutional protection of our current pro life laws. Measure 1 opponents, on the other hand, have tried to make the measure about anything and everything except abortion.
Measure 1 opponents have claimed the measure will ban IVF, end of life medical care,and even medical research. Measure 1 supporters have patiently and thoroughly debunked these claims with videos, expert testimony, fact check analysis, endorsements from state leaders and white papers from leaders in the health care and the legal industry who are recognized as experts in their field throughout the state.
If you’re undecided on Measure 1 and you don’t want to wade through all of that, however, there’s a short cut for those who believe in the old adage “follow the money.” The financial disclosure documents just released by the ND Secretary of State (here and here) make it very clear very quickly that the organized opposition to Measure 1 is completely driven by the abortion lobby.
In vitro fertilization is a $1.7 billion business in this country and if Measure 1 was really a threat to this business you would think they might put a little money into opposing it. Organizations as varied as the AARP and the Hemlock Society have an interest in end of life medical care and if Measure 1 had an influence on the issue you might expect them to be involved (the AARP recently clarified that it has no position on the measure).
But the financial disclosure documents (here and here) clearly show that North Dakotans Against Measure 1 has received over 95% of its funding from one out-of-state organization, Planned Parenthood. The remaining 5% comes mostly from the ACLU and a handful of known abortion advocates such as Fargo Forum columnist Jane Ahlin.
Planned Parenthood does not provide IVF services. It does not provide end of life care. It does not do medical research. Planned Parenthood is the nation’s largest abortion provider and, according to their own numbers they do over 300,000 abortions per year. This completely out-of-state organization (with a past as wretched as its present) has provided over $1,000,000 of the $1,100,000 that have been given to the campaign against Measure 1.
The television ads you will see in the coming weeks warning about the dire consequences of Measure 1 will be 95% funded by a single out-of-state abortion business that has no interest in IVF or end of life care. Keep that in mind when deciding who to trust.
