In a libelous statement made against those involved in the pro-life movement, New York State Senator Eric T. Schneiderman has sent a letter to his supporters linking Father Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, with those involved in criminal attacks against abortionists. Schneiderman is calling on his friends at NARAL, Planned Parenthood and NOW to join him in a demonstration tomorrow night when Father Pavone is honored at a National Right to Life dinner at New York’s Waldorf Astoria.
In his letter of April 11, Schneiderman calls attention to the recent capture of James Kopp, the person accused of killing Dr. Barnett Slepian. He also mentions how a recent court decision found it legal for a radical pro-life group, the Nuremberg Files, to post information about abortionists on its website. He then links Father Pavone and the “enemies of choice” at the National Right to Life Committee to these extremists. He says that Father Pavone “openly advocates criminal activity to harass abortion providers,” without ever providing evidence for this remarkable accusation.
Catholic League president William Donohue commented on this today:
“I have long said that there are irresponsible people in the pro-life movement, some of whom are downright crazy. But most of them are good, decent people who simply want to end the killing. On the other side, we have groups like NARAL, an organization that is on record saying that in instances when a child is born alive after an abortion—and is fully separated from his mother—he should be allowed to die. This does not mean, however, that it would be fair to paint all pro-abortion activists as favoring this outcome.
“If the letter written by New York State Senator Eric Schneiderman had been written by someone from NARAL, it would be considered par for the course. But when a sitting public official writes such an incendiary letter, it is outrageous. Schneiderman has crossed the line and should apologize to those involved in the pro-life movement.”
