Tiller Victim Seeks Help from Sebelius
A Kansas resident who has testified before legislative committees several times on her personal experience of being coerced into having an abortion asked Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to sign legislation that would tighten Kansas abortion laws.
Michelle Armesto-Berge issued her plea at a Tuesday afternoon press conference in Topeka. She urged Sebelius to sign Senate Bill 218, which the Legislature passed last week.
Armesto-Berge said she was manipulated by her parents to have an abortion at George Tiller’s Wichita clinic when she was 25 weeks pregnant.
Armesto-Berge said her unborn child was poisoned before she was given a consent form, or before she filled out a medical questionnaire.
The legislation would amend the late-term abortion law so abortion providers are more likely to be held accountable for their actions, and to follow the law. The legislation would amend current partial-birth abortion law so that it matches federal statute, and allow for civil-action suits to be brought against physicians performing an abortion believed to be illegal.
The bill would also require that 24 hours prior to an abortion the woman would be informed that the abortion would “terminate the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being.”
“Certainly, Gov. Sebelius wants women to be treated with respect and not run through an abortion mill, the way I was forced to abort my 25 week unborn child that was supposed to be protected under Kansas law,” Armesto-Berge said in her press conference statement. “Time has run out for justice for me under current law, but under Senate Bill 218, women and families have the right to sue for illegal abortion treatment. Certainly, Gov. Sebelius believes in that right.”
Pro-life supporters are concerned Sebelius may veto the legislation as she did with a similar bill last year known as the Comprehensive Abortion Reform Act.
“I am concerned the bill is likely unconstitutional or even worse, endangers the lives of women,” Sebelius said in her explanation last year of the CARA veto.
Although SB 218 is similar to last year’s legislation, the bill’s sponsors were careful to take out aspects of CARA that Sebelius notably opposed in hopes of saving the bill from a veto.
The House passed SB 218 in April with an 82-43 vote, and in the Senate with a 25-11 vote.
Sebelius' spokesperson Beth Martino would not comment on the press conference other than to say that Sebelius was reviewing the bill.
After the press conference, Armesto-Berge visited Sebelius’ office and requested that a meeting be scheduled with the governor to discuss the importance of the legislation.
However, no appointment was scheduled, and Armesto-Berge was instead referred to the governor’s constituent services, which is headed by the wife of Larry Buening, the former executive director of the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts. Click here to read the entire story.
Michelle Armesto-Berge issued her plea at a Tuesday afternoon press conference in Topeka. She urged Sebelius to sign Senate Bill 218, which the Legislature passed last week.
Armesto-Berge said she was manipulated by her parents to have an abortion at George Tiller’s Wichita clinic when she was 25 weeks pregnant.
Armesto-Berge said her unborn child was poisoned before she was given a consent form, or before she filled out a medical questionnaire.
The legislation would amend the late-term abortion law so abortion providers are more likely to be held accountable for their actions, and to follow the law. The legislation would amend current partial-birth abortion law so that it matches federal statute, and allow for civil-action suits to be brought against physicians performing an abortion believed to be illegal.
The bill would also require that 24 hours prior to an abortion the woman would be informed that the abortion would “terminate the life of a whole, separate, unique, living human being.”
“Certainly, Gov. Sebelius wants women to be treated with respect and not run through an abortion mill, the way I was forced to abort my 25 week unborn child that was supposed to be protected under Kansas law,” Armesto-Berge said in her press conference statement. “Time has run out for justice for me under current law, but under Senate Bill 218, women and families have the right to sue for illegal abortion treatment. Certainly, Gov. Sebelius believes in that right.”
Pro-life supporters are concerned Sebelius may veto the legislation as she did with a similar bill last year known as the Comprehensive Abortion Reform Act.
“I am concerned the bill is likely unconstitutional or even worse, endangers the lives of women,” Sebelius said in her explanation last year of the CARA veto.
Although SB 218 is similar to last year’s legislation, the bill’s sponsors were careful to take out aspects of CARA that Sebelius notably opposed in hopes of saving the bill from a veto.
The House passed SB 218 in April with an 82-43 vote, and in the Senate with a 25-11 vote.
Sebelius' spokesperson Beth Martino would not comment on the press conference other than to say that Sebelius was reviewing the bill.
After the press conference, Armesto-Berge visited Sebelius’ office and requested that a meeting be scheduled with the governor to discuss the importance of the legislation.
However, no appointment was scheduled, and Armesto-Berge was instead referred to the governor’s constituent services, which is headed by the wife of Larry Buening, the former executive director of the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts. Click here to read the entire story.
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