Leslee Unruh is the founder and president of both the National Abstinence Clearinghouse and the Alpha Center, a crisis pregnancy center operation in Sioux Falls. Both are registered as 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations. In 2004, according to returns filed with the IRS, Unruh's combined personal income from almost three-quarters of a million dollars in government contracts, federal grants and other "direct public support" to these two organizations was $152, 376.00. The Abstinence Clearinghouse Form 990 says that "God is the curegiver," but since you and I seem to be paying the lion's share of Unruh's salary, let's take a look at what she's spending it on -- besides, as one local observer, Coat Hangers at Dawn, surmised last week, "lobster and cheap cosmetics."
As of the first of June 2006 Vote Yes had raised $88,000 for their campaign. By the end of that month they has spent almost the entire amount. They spent $87,000 in one month. Remember June? This was the time that little was going on and things like media buys or production had not even started happening yet. This was before Leslee Unruh went begging for Jerry Fallwell to raise a million dollars for her. Yet according to the official financial report [pdf link] filed by "Vote Yes for Life," that's exactly what happened. Although she didn't sign the report, the "Vote Yes for Life" Campaign Team is under the sole command of Leslee Unruh -- because when you're lobbying against abortion rights in South Dakota, Leslee Unruh is a woman who can pull the strings. Local observers have taken note of Unruh's political connections since 1987, when she paid a nominal fine and walked out into the sunshine after pleading nolo contendere to five misdemeanors, instead of facing a much more severe sentence for ten other misdemeanors and multiple felonies with which she was also charged.
The center was fined $500 in 1987 after pleading no contest to five misdemeanor charges of unlicensed adoption and foster care practices. That was part of a plea bargain in which 19 charges, including four felonies, were dropped. Nice dodge, but "saving babies" isn't against the law. However, leaning on teenagers to hand over their babies for money is still a crime, even in South Dakota.
The dropped felony charges centered on an alleged offer of money to women who would agree to put their unborn children up for adoption. Of course he was. Even though Governor Mikelson personally asked a state's attorney to prosecute her. But in most places in the world, it takes a powerful friend somewhere to make four felony counts disappear. Even though the returns from both Abstinence Clearinghouse and the Alpha Center declare that neither of these officially related organizations engaged in lobbying activities, defined by the IRS as attempting "to influence national, state or local legislation, including any attempt to influence public opinion on a legislative matter or referendum" -- and although Abstinence Clearinghouse and the Alpha Center represent her sole sources of declared income -- Leslee Unruh does little else. Indeed, she openly registered as a lobbyist for the Alpha Center during the 2006 legislative session. Unruh's blatant and ongoing violations of federal law during the 2004 legislative session prompted an official complaint by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW).
Both NAC and Alpha Center claimed on their 990 tax forms that they engaged in no lobbying activities. Yet, despite these assertions, Ms. Unruh, acting in her official capacity, has repeatedly been quoted in newspaper reports as lobbying legislators to fund abstinence education programs and to ban abortion. For example Ms. Unruh was featured in a story in the Star Tribune: Last week, in an eleventh hour push in the campaign to pass the hotly contested ban, Unruh's son-in-law, Dr. Mark Rector, lent his face, voice and professional reputation -- such as that might be -- to a video containing a litany of lies [video link] recited by South Dakota physicians whose white coats fail to sanitize deliberate misstatements of fact that were, according to South Dakota statute, criminal misdemeanors. Perhaps because it was the biggest lie of all, it was Unruh's son-in-law who mouthed this whopper from television sets across the state.
In the new ad for Vote Yes for Life, South Dakota physician Mark Rector says "This measure does provide exception for the life and the health of the mother." Not to mention, of course, that making such a public claim is just plain illegal. Not that anyone of influence in South Dakota seems to be overly concerned. The doctors in Leslee's commercial also get away with assuring the public that the ban provides an exception for survivors of rape and incest. That means that they can take emergency contraception -- even though it has a failure rate of at least 10%, and no hospital or physician in the state is required to provide it. And that, of course, is no exception at all -- exactly as the ban's primary proponent in the legislature, Rep. Roger Hunt, intended. And of course, as reported by the Argus Leader:
The ban would not allow a pregnant woman with serious health issues whose life isn't in imminent peril to receive an intentional abortion, said Republican Rep. Roger Hunt of Brandon, who sponsored the ban in the Legislature. In the meantime, Leslee Unruh continues to make TV and radio appearances on major media outlets to detail the traumatic aftermath of abortion, which she claims left her unable to vacuum her carpets [audio link] because the sound of the vacuum cleaner supposedly reminded her of her own abortion. Apparently no one has told her that the aspiration machine used to perform an abortion procedure sounds nothing at all like a vacuum cleaner, but is very quiet -- much more like the low hum of a dishwasher before the water cycle begins -- else she'd doubtlessly have spent a fortune by now on paper plates. Despite Leslee's vulgar little comedy, the linked PBS program clip is worth hearing for a brief interview with Dr. Miriam McCreary, who at age 70 still flies into Sioux Falls once a week to provide women with abortion care, because no doctor in the state has enough courage to oppose Leslee Unruh and her friends.
Dr. McCreary has an entirely different view of her medical obligations than another of Leslee Unruh's pet physicians, Dr. Glenn Ridder. The original Argus Leader article is unavailable online, but its text has been preserved by Tennessee Vals.org.
Jonna DiRito, formerly known as John DiRito, filed a lawsuit Monday against the hospital and family practice Dr. Glenn Ridder claiming both denied treatment. DiRito also is suing Dr. Michael Kuglitsch of Aberdeen and Kuglitsch's clinic, Eastern Plains Clinic of Urology. A real "pro-life" physician. Meanwhile, in anticipation of victory, Leslee has yet another project, the "Fleet for Little Feet."
Of course, if Referred Law 6 passes, women won't feel that they can choose abortion -- unless, God forbid, they do it themselves.
Fleet for Little Feet is currently under the umbrella of the Abstinence Clearinghouse, but will soon be an independent organization. FFLF will provide baby supplies (diapers, formula, bottles, baby clothes, baby furniture, high chairs, etc.), ultrasounds, counseling services including post-abortion counseling, information about sexuality issues, and even plans to perform a play called "Scar." One shudders to think what that's about, coming from a woman who can say, "I'm giving women freedom. We are giving back the women what they really want. This is true feminism. ... I would like to have people instead put in their mind a woman who has an abortion who can no longer live with what she does, and instead takes a gun to her head. That's the image she needs to be putting out there right now, because that's what's happening all over America." You're doin' a heckuva job, Leslee. [All citations not otherwise credited may be found in CREW's exhibits document [pdf link] in support of their IRS complaint, including tax returns for National Abstinence Clearinghouse and the Alpha Center, as well as various press reports.] [Title photo: PBS]
Inside Leslee Unruh | 6 comments (6 topical, 0 hidden)
Inside Leslee Unruh | 6 comments (6 topical, 0 hidden)
|
Left Behind: Eternal Forces: Installments of Jonathan Hutson's Talk To Action expose series
on the "Left Behind: Eternal Forces" video game have been viewed by up to 1/2 million people. See our site section featuring Over 35 original articles covering the controversial "Left Behind: Eternal Forces" video game that has provoked a boycott by a coalition of religious groups and a letter writing campaign urging Walmart to stop selling the game. Media inquiries click here(image: detail from Francoise Dubois' rendition of the Bartholomew's Day Massacre reveals the actual nature of religious warfare)
David Barton: Bobby Jindal is "One of the Really Cool Guys"
Quite a few articles were written last week about speculative McCain VP pick, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, many focusing on Jindal's signing into law...... By Chris Rodda (0 comments)
Religious Right Leaders Back McCain -- New Set of Problem Pastors?
Ohio Religious Right leader Phil Burress recently said of McCain, "We don't like him, and he doesn't like us." But Burress has gotten himself...... By Frederick Clarkson (1 comment)
Walid Shoebat: The Simon Altaf Connection
Following on from my examination of Walid Shoebat's snake-oil Biblical scholarship a couple of days ago, I decided to check out his former collaborator,...... By Richard Bartholomew (0 comments)
Pulpit Politicking: Why It's Not A Free-Speech Issue
Americans United for Separation of Church and State has recently received calls from a couple of Minnesota pastors who are convinced they have a...... By Rob Boston (9 comments)
CUFI Speaker: "666" is "In the Name of Allah"
When Joe Lieberman gives credibility to the upcoming Christians United for Israel with his attendance, he won't just be lending his reputation to conspiracy-monger...... By Richard Bartholomew (2 comments)
Peter Marshall, Christian Nationalist
Previously I discussed the Reverend Peter Marshall's work here. Rev. Marshall is a fairly big figure in "Christian America" circles. From what I know...... By Jonathan Rowe (2 comments)
Short Takes
Time: Amy Sullivan thinks Dobson's attack on Obama may be backfiring. Americans United for Separation of Church & State to Louisiana: "We are watching."...... By Frederick Clarkson (0 comments)
Charismatic Dominionists Endorse Bentley
A few days ago I wrote a piece on Todd Bentley's faith-healing revival in Florida, noting support for Bentley from Steven Strang, the influential...... By Richard Bartholomew (0 comments)
Financial Fiddling at Fidelis?
The Catholic Right, Part Sixty-one A little more than a year ago Fidelis, an umbrella advocacy group consisting of various not-for-profit entities, sought to...... By Frank Cocozzelli (4 comments)
RAMBO Returns: Some Notes on Tradition, Family and Property
Tradition, Family and Property's attack on same-sex marriage in California has brought the traditionalist Catholic organisation back into the spotlight. Bill Berkowitz has an...... By Richard Bartholomew (0 comments)
On the Failings of Evangelicalism
Christine Wicker's new book, The Fall of the Evangelical Nation, tells two stories very well. First, it explains how Americans have been duped into...... By Mainstream Baptist (0 comments)
All in the Family -- A Review of Jeff Sharlet's New Book
Jeff Sharlet's book The Family has been getting some high profile media attention, most recently with an interview on The Diane Rehm show, on...... By Frederick Clarkson (0 comments)
The Discovery Institute, the LA Family Forum, and the "LA Science Education Act" UPDATED
Louisiana has become the latest target of the Discovery Institute, the Seattle think tank whose "Wedge Strategy" for getting intelligent design (ID) creationism into...... By Barbara Forrest (1 comment)
MRFF Urges DoD to Pull the Plug on TBN Special, Demands Investigation
The Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) has sent the following letter to Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates, urging that appropriate action be taken...... By Chris Rodda (2 comments)
Whatever Happened to the Religious Left?
The annual Netroots Nation conference (formerly the Yearly Kos) will be held this year in Austin, Texas, July 17-20th. I'm pleased to announce that...... By Frederick Clarkson (4 comments)
Hope Never Dies for Extremists
The extreme political Religious Right hasn't given up hope of getting something out of this election. Their latest ploy involves petitioning the parties for a "True Christian" in the vice-presidential slot. The Christian Anti-Defamation...... By John McKay (0 comments)
Catholic religious right wing: Legion of Christ
Frank L. Cocozzelli's weekly series of posts on "The Catholic Right" (listed here) includes quite a few posts about Opus Dei. There's another, similarly ultra-orthodox Catholic religious order he might want to examine in...... By Diane Vera (3 comments)
Prosyletization in Iraq: A threat to national security
As amazing as it sounds, dominionists may in fact be fomenting terrorism--not just the domestic terrorism like bombings of women's clinics we normally associate, but the very "Islamist terror bombings" that the GOP loves...... By dogemperor (0 comments)
Proselytization in Iraq: A minor history
The recent incident where a Marine was recently found distributing "Bible coins" promoted by a fundamentalist "Bible church" is, sad to say, far from the first incident of overt prosyletisation in Iraq. The truth...... By dogemperor (1 comment)
Source of "Bible coins" distributed by USMC in Iraq discovered
In what is--sadly--yet another case of the extent of which blatant prosyletisation is tolerated in the modern US military, a recent incident where members of the US Marine Corps were handing out coins to...... By dogemperor (0 comments)
What Does the Religious Right Fear the Most?
A poll that one of the giants on the right, Coral Ridge Ministries, sent to their members gives a revealing insight into their world view. ...... By John McKay (3 comments)
UK Abortion Limit Stays at 24 Weeks Despite Washington Think Tank's Tactics
IN GOD'S NAME is a revealing documentary about how the Alliance Defense Fund is using its tactics to try to restrict abortion in Europe as well as in America. Watch this trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeTfW8-dCNE ...... By TMurray (2 comments)
'Christians United For Israel' Joyfully Sing of Israel's Invasion and Destruction
An open letter, from Ray McGovern, a 27-year intelligence analyst with the CIA, to Admiral William J. Fallon, warns of an impending US attack on Iran. If such an event occurred, the resulting war...... By Bruce Wilson (3 comments)
The Petrification of John McCain
We are very pleased to welcome Frederick Lane as a guest front pager. He is the author of several books,most recently, The Court and the Cross: The Religious Right's Crusade to Reshape the Supreme...... By Frederick_Lane (3 comments)
More Biblical Precedent for Allowing Abortion
This is a follow up to my most recent diary entry. ...... By TMurray (1 comment)
John Hagee Says God Made AIDS and Bird Flu But Lord will Protect Him Personally
John Hagee claims 1) that he knows with absolute certainty the will of God (as he told a BBC interviewer in 2003), is 2) sure that he, John Hagee, has a place in heaven...... By Bruce Wilson (0 comments)
Biblical support for abortion, who knew?
It turns out that our present legal understanding of when a life is entitled to legal protection is consistent with the Old Testament Biblical understanding of when a fetus becomes a 'life' warranting legal...... By TMurray (2 comments)
2001 John Hagee Film Shows Gangsterish Rabbi, Foppish Catholic Priest In League With anti-Christ
The following somewhat satirical video is built around a brief excerpt from Texas megachurch pastor John Hagee's 2001 55-minute film "Vanished", which followed the prophetic, premillennial plot line of Tim LaHaye's and Jerry Jenkin's...... By Bruce Wilson (0 comments)
PBS "Carrier": A Mixed Blessing
Watching the PBS miniseries "Carrier" was a revelation, but not always a pleasant one... ...... By bughouse square (0 comments)
Will We Ever Learn?
Ever looked at something or did something which at the time seemed good and beneficial only to learn that it was not what you thought? If we could all have the opportunity to live...... By truthngrace (0 comments)
McCain-Endorser's Church Casts Out "Demon of Anal Fissures", Teaches Vomiting Evil Spirits
[NOTE: for a related story, see Mai Tai Dogs: Pics Show Bush Administration, McCain-Endorser Hagee Schmoozing at Chinese Restaurant] I have to admit, on one level it sounds more entertaining than a church full...... By Bruce Wilson (3 comments)
Bush 41 salutes Sun Myung Moon's effort to subdue the planet.
Sun Myung Moon's end time political front, the Universal Peace Federation had a summit from April 28 to May 2 in Washington DC. The participants took a tour of the Moon owned Washington Times...... By Lou (2 comments)
Advancing The Kingdom
Over the past four years, I've researched the darkest regions of the Christian right for the non-fiction film Silhouette City. The film tracks the movement of apocalyptic Christian nationalism from the margins of American...... By MichaelWWilson (2 comments)
Newspaper Profiles Army of God Spokeman
We have written a great deal about the anti-abortion terror organization, Army of God. One recent post prompted God Tube to take down videos posted by the proprietor of the Army of God web...... By Frederick Clarkson (0 comments)
Judicial Council Chief James Holsinger and $20 million of UMC Money
Dr. James Holsinger, a leader in the IRD-linked Methodist renewal movement has, until now, been best known for his crack-pot anti-gay views. - FC Dr. James Holsinger, the Bush nominee for Surgeon General and...... By AJWEAVER (0 comments)
No Constitution Party home for Keyes
Well, that didn't take long. All the speculation about Alan Keyes finding a home with the rabidly right-wing Constitution Party has quickly come to naught as the CP convention picks radio talk show host,...... By tacitus (0 comments)
Florida Christian License Plate
Well, Florida is at it again. They're considering a "Christian" license plate. It's supposed to have a cross and a stained glass window on it with the words "I Believe!" More below the break!...... By ArchaeoBob (3 comments)
The Alleged 'Atheist Delusion'
John Gray's ample Saturday Review column in the March 15th edition of London's Guardian newpaper diagnosed the current climate surrounding religion as one of `moral panic'. This is true only of the irrational fear...... By TMurray (0 comments)
A Real GI Bill of Rights
As much as I admire Jim Webb and Chuck Hagel for their efforts to reform the military, I respectfully submit that their proposed bill doesn't go far enough... ...... By bughouse square (2 comments)
Mikey's War
There comes a time when ordinary citizens need to step up and openly challenge the perverse Christianization of our national instutions, particularly the military. What follows is an introduction to someone who is doing...... By bughouse square (1 comment)
For McCain, Silence on Religion is Golden
Just one day before lambasting Barack Obama over his recent comments about religion, John McCain was a no-show at Sunday's CNN Compassion Forum on faith. That's because when it comes to discussing his own...... By Jon Perr (0 comments)
Christian Right Flees Randall Balmer's Challenge On Torture
At the Daily Kos website, I have written what so far is a four part series [1, 2, 3, 4] on the Bush Administration and torture. My series covers the structure of the National...... By Bruce Wilson (3 comments)
Just *what* is "The Family" so desperate to hide?
Over the past few days, I've done some writing expressing concern regarding some revelations that Jeff Sharlet will be discussing extensively in his new book "The Family"--including information regarding apparently widespread and systemic use...... By dogemperor (7 comments)
The *other* members of Hillary's "Family" cell
On Friday, news reports started coming out to the effect that Hillary Clinton may be a member of a cell-church group run by the secretive "Family" nee "Fellowship" org; as the import of this...... By dogemperor (1 comment)
Hagee donating 6 Million dollars to Irael
Today it was reported in the local paper that John Hagee has donated 6 million dollars to Israel. http://www.theledger.com/article/20080406/API/804062669 It appears to be a big publicity stunt. The article says that "Hagee... brought hundreds...... By ArchaeoBob (0 comments) More Diaries... |
BlogsBartholomew's Notes On ReligionChip BerletMax BlumenthalThe Panda's ThumbFrederick Clarkson Chuck Currie DefCon father Jake Stops The World John Gorenfeld Religion Clause Chris Mooney Religious Right Watch The Revealer Jesus Politics Majority Report Radio Blog Mainstream Baptist Orcinus Dispatches from the Culture Wars Ex-Gay Watch The Wall of Separation Blog From The Capital:a blog on religious liberty issues and the separation of church and stateOrganizationsAmerican Booksellers Foundation for Freedom of ExpressionACLUAnti-Defamation LeagueAmerican Library AssociationChristian Alliance for ProgressCitizens ProjectDefCon: Campaign to Defend The ConstitutionFaithful America People For the American wayInstitute For Democracy StudiesInterfaith AllianceJews On First: Defending the First AmendmentAmerican Fundamentalists Americans United for Separation of Church and StateBaptist Joint Committee on Religious Liberty The Clergy and laity Network Political Research Associates Theocracy Watch Media Matters for AmericaMilitary Religious Freedom FoundationMontana Human Rights NetworkNational Center For Science EducationReligious Coalition for Reproductive ChoiceThe RevealerSouthern Poverty Law CenterTexas Freedom NetworkCrossLeft: Organizing the Christian LeftTheocracy WatchTruth Wins Out" |
|||||||||||