Sam Whiting, legal counsel for the Massachusetts Family Institute, explains that Commissioner Robert Goldstein's recent memo to health practitioners about their licensing obligations contained an unconstitutional threat to those who partner with pro-life pregnancy centers.
"We firmly believe that if you single out pregnancy centers that have pro-life beliefs for this type of targeting, where you're going after the licenses of these medical professionals, that's a violation of their First Amendment rights, and that can't be tolerated," Whiting tells AFN.
He points out that Planned Parenthood and other child termination clinics in the state have faced malpractice lawsuits and consumer complaints, and ambulances have been called to transport many post-abortive patients to nearby emergency rooms.
"These are centers where the public health commissioner really should be taking a close look at their practices, but instead, he's focused on the pro-life centers, which have a sterling reputation for providing great care," Whiting says. "They have over a 95% satisfaction rating, lots of great reviews by women who they've helped over the years."
Shortly after Commissioner Goldstein issued his memo, Whiting wrote him a letter pointing out his error and warning that a lawsuit will be filed if he takes action against medical personnel who associate with the pregnancy resource centers.
