But we, the pro-life movement and specifically The Family Foundation, will not let it go because Gosnell is not a one-off. He is, in fact, the tip of the iceberg. There are emerging investigations from Texas (see LifeNews.com) to Iowa to Maryland to Delaware to D.C. and elsewhere.

One of this country’s most eloquent voices for the unborn is Charles J. Chaput, who happens to be Archbishop of Philadelphia, where Gosnell performed his brutality. Archbishop Chaput released this statement last week:

The trial of Kermit Gosnell is over. His convictions will surprise very few. But nothing can bring back the innocent children he killed, or make up for the vulnerable women he exploited. We should keep the repugnance of his clinic conditions sharp in our memories, and we should remember the media’s inadequacy in covering his case, because Kermit Gosnell is not an exception. Others just like him run abortion mills throughout our country.

We need to stop cloaking the ugliness of abortion with misnomers like “proper medical coverage” or “choice.” It’s violence of the most intimate sort, and it needs to end.

“Violence of the most intimate sort,” is chillingly accurate, made more so by the Orwellian use of term, such as “women’s healthcare” and “reproductive choice” to obfuscate abortion’s uniquely cruel and inhuman wickedness. The exposure of these crimes will continue, convictions will happen, the true meaning of euphemisms will be restored and, eventually, abortion will end. No matter how much the Left tries to ignore, cover-up or apologize for it.

What to make of it all and the seven candidate jumble? A lot of organizations and web sites, who otherwise wouldn’t be considered too important, have either made themselves so, or have been granted such status because in a crowded and unpredictable field, where no one can accurately gauge delegate preferences until people actually show up — and who knows who will or even can show up for an entire day and at least some evening? — candidates have to find a way to gain traction. Thus, what has been a generally clean campaign (nothing like the rear-end exam the Left will launch at the nominee starting Sunday) has become something of a He lied, She lied, They’re all playing dirty affair.

The crossfire has been amusing. Candidate 1 criticizes Candidates 4 and 5 through robocalls, and maybe Candidate 3 via mail. Candidate 2 attacks Candidate 1 for that, but goes after Candidate 7. Candidate 6 claims Candidate 4 is attacking him through a front group, while Candidate 5 says certain web sites and blogs are in Candidate 2′s back pocket. But in person, they all seem to get along. That was the case two weeks ago at their last debate, at Benedictine College Prep in Richmond, sponsored by the Richmond City Republican Committee and other Central Virginia GOP units. (It drew, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, 250 people. A Democrat debate several days later, at the completely contrasting Richmond Gay Center, only drew about 150 according to the same source.) In the holding room where they were briefed by the host committee and moderator Scott Lee (of WRVA-AM and Bearing Drift/Score Radio Network), they joked with each other and exchanged campaign anecdotes. The potential fireworks during the debate itself were limited, with each touting him- or herself. Perhaps the “offenses” being felt are coming from over zealous supporters instead?

News was made at the debate, though. For the first time ever, an obscure process issue which punches well above its weight in importance, was addressed. After a warm up question about recently read books, they were asked what reform to bring accountability to the office would they work for. After all, so many of their campaign promises are really desires, because so much of what they want to do has almost nothing to do within the powers of the office of lieutenant governor. It’s a question I’ve put to a few of them individually, though phrased differently. Some had no clue. They all seem to know about it now.

Call it the crucial, but silent, issue, because not many are talking about it and the media isn’t reporting it. It’s about the power of the LG to assign bills to committee, similar to the House Speaker’s power. What good is it to be the presiding officer of a legislative chamber if your have little clout? Decades ago, during the day of one party (i.e., Democrat) rule, the lieutenant governor was a liberal populist named Henry Howell. The majority thought even he was too liberal to have that authority, and stripped it away, giving it to the unelected, unaccountable senate clerk, in cooperation with the majority leader. It’s one of the reasons the Senate has been the graveyard of many good bills and reforms, especially pro-life bills, where Democrat and Republican majorities have sent them to unfavorable committees that do not have a natural connection to the bills. (For example, coercive abortion is always referred to the “Committee of Death,” the Education and Health Committee, rather than the Courts of Justice Committee as it is in the House.) Restoring that power to the Senate’s presiding officer will make for a more responsive and accountable process. After all, what LG isnt’ already running for the top job?

Pete Snyder, Senator Steve Martin, Delegate Scott Lingamfelter and Corey Stewart all brought up bill referral power as a critical reform to governing the split chamber and to advance conservative legislation that many Republican senators would just as soon see fail. Martin, Lingamfelter and Stewart even expounded on the idea and expanded upon it.

Snyder was assertive, while Stewart was assertive and passionate about ending the Senate’s “graveyard” reputation by assigning bills to their rightful committees. Even though the LG has never had the power to assign members to committees as does the Speaker, Stewart went so far as to say he would use his clout as the tie-breaking vote to influence who sits on what committees (a power left to the party leaders in the Senate). Former Senator Jeanmarie Davis gave a lukewarm “I don’t disagree with it” answer. Susan Stimpson and E.W. Jackson never mentioned it.

There’s an old expression in Virginia politics: If you want to change Virginia, then change the Virginia Senate. Sometimes, it’s not the headline grabbing issues that make the difference, just as it can be a little thing no one suspects that wins a campaign. In this case, the two may have merged. While this just reform may not happen over night, it now is part of the conversation, whereas previously, no one had ever heard of it From now on, Republicans candidates will feel the necessity  to campaign on it until it finally happens.

The ACU, founded in 1964 by a coalition of prominent national conservative organizations, is known for its annual Congressional Scorecard, considered the “gold standard” of Congressional ratings. In 2011, it decided to take that success to the state level, with a goal of annual rating all members in each of the 50 state legislatures. That year, it graded five, Virginia being the first of those (this  year it will score 20). Consequently, the General Assembly is the first to be scored three times — more firsts for the Old Dominion.

The ACU Scorecard offers three awards: Defender of Liberty Award, for those who score 100 percent; the ACU Conservative Award for those who score above 80 percent, and the not-so-coveted True Liberal of the Commonwealth Award for those who get a zero — and there are a few of those. However, the number of members in both chambers who scored 80 or higher dropped precipitously, with some who have reputations as conservative stalwarts not even even getting to 80 percent.

The reason? Not only were there several immensely important and substantive votes this year on significant policies with massive ramifications, they were voted on multiple times. For instance, the tax increase bill (HB 2313) was voted on three times (scored twice). An ironic twist is that the House budget, which normally rates as a support because of its pretty tight spending parameters and policy language, was opposed by the ACU when it came out of conference committee with the Senate, specifically because the rejection of the Medicaid expansion was stripped out. That also got a second vote because of a gubernatorial amendment. The Obamacare health insurance exchange also made the list and several conservatives got nicked on that, as well.

The ACU Virginia Scorecard is not only the most comprehensive one of its nature in Virginia — complied annually, with more than 20 floor votes on everything from spending, taxes, education reform, securing voting rights, second amendment rights, religious liberty, right to work, life and marriage, and all else that make up the conservative agenda, it’s one the most comprehensive state scorecard in the country, as many legislatures, especially part-time ones, rarely let so many significant votes get to the floor. The ACU only scores floor votes and does not score unanimous or immensely lopsided votes, nor partisan votes, with the exception of significant policy shifting bills.

In a statement released today by the ACU, its Chairman Al Cardenas, said:

On behalf of the American Conservative Union, I am pleased to announce the winners of our 2013 State Legislative Ratings for members of the Virginia General Assembly. For 40 years ACU has set the gold standard for Congressional ratings, and we are now able to offer that same level of transparent information to the voters of Old Dominion so they can hold their elected officials accountable at the state level as well. In our third year rating the Commonwealth, we applaud conservatives in the Virginia General Assembly who continue to fight against higher taxes, against Obamacare and for the rights of the unborn.

The ACU’s philosophy in its scorecard system is to track . . .

a wide range of issues before state legislatures to determine which issues and votes serve as a clear litmus test separating those representatives who defend liberty and liberal members who have turned their backs on our founding principles — constitutionally limited government, individual liberty, free markets, a strong national defense and traditional values. The votes selected for our Virginia Legislative Ratings were chosen to create a clear ideological distinction among those casting them.

The Defenders of Liberty Award winners are:

Delegates Rob Bell, Ben Cline, Scott Garrett, Todd Gilbert (TFF Legislator of the Year Award winner), and Margaret Ransone; and Senators Tom Garrett, Jr., Mark Obenshain and Ralph Smith.

ACU Conservative Award winners are Delegates Richard Anderson, Richard Bell, Kathy Byron, Mark Cole, Barbara Comstock, John Cox, Mark Dudenhefer, Matt Fariss, Peter Farrell, Greg Habeeb, Chris Head, Tim Hugo, Sal Iaquinto, Steve Landes, Jim LeMunyon, Scott Lingamfelter, Bob Marshall, Jimmie Massie, Jackson Miller, Randy Minchew, Israel O’Quinn, Brenda Pogge, David Ramadan, Roxann Robinson, Nick Rush, Beverly Sherwood, Lee Ware, Jr., Michael Webert, Tony Wilt, and Tommy Wright, Jr.; and Senators Richard Black, Steve Newman, Richard Stuart, Bryce Reeves, Steve Martin, Bill Stanley, Jr., and Ryan McDougle.

The highest scoring Democrats were Delegates Johnny Joannou and Joe Joe Johnson at 73 and 64 percent, respectively. The both  topped some Republicans, such as Delegate Chris Jones, who scored only 60 percent. Delegate Jones wasn’t alone. Speaker Bill Howell only managed to match Delegate Joannou. Senate Republicans saw similar slippages. For example, Senators Jeff McWaters and Frank Ruff, who had scored at least 80 in the first two scorecards, dropped to the low 60s. Majority Leader Tommy Norment and Senator Harry Blevins, who retired recently in mid-term, scored 60 and 57 percent, respectively. Senator John Watkins rated a dismal 48 percent.

Last year, more than 70 Republicans from both chambers scored 80 percent or higher. This year, only 45 did.

The members who earned the True Liberal of Old Dominion Awards are Delegates Delores McQuinn and Roslyn Tyler; and Senators Kenneth Alexander, Janet Howell and Linda Puller.

Thank you to everyone that came out last night to speak against the proposed abortion facility in Fairfax City! Just to keep you all updated about it, as of last night’s meeting we were told by the Mayor that they (NOVA Women’s Health) had rescinded their application at this time. There were close to 40 folks there last night, all pro-life, to speak and many still did, including me. The city council graciously listened to all who wanted to speak. We must remain vigilant, as we expect the abortion facility to re-apply soon! Please like the Virginia Society for Human Life FB page for more updates!

First, it was a Hampton Roads abortion center that announced it was closing. Now this. Good news and good news. Momentum is on the pro-life side. But as Olivia wrote, we must stay vigilant and continue to make the case — legally, morally, logically and medically.

Sad, but true. H/T To the Family Policy Network.

He’s pretty proud of his actions, too, and has the nerve to tell the woman how uncomplicated the entire procedure is while at the same time telling her about the pack he’ll give her in case the dead baby comes out while she bides her time between appointments at the nearby hotel. He even tells her that if she needs help, to call him — not 911. In fact, that’s exactly why he’s being investigated right now — a real patient died and he was nowhere to be found.

But his nonchalant destruction of human life isn’t enough. He doubles the horror by wreaking havoc on his “patient’s” mind, telling her, among many things, that abortion is no big deal; that while having a baby provides mental disturbances, aborting one will make her stronger. The only woman to have had an abortion who developed any subsequent depression, he incredibly claims, is a woman who, after her abortion, went home, saw her one-year-old, and became sad because she didn’t abort her, too. 

This should not only disturb any woman considering abortion, but anyone who thinks having one is no big deal. It should wake up those who are lukewarm to the issue. Carhart, and there are several more across the country, is every bit as heinous as Kermit Gosnell, the late-term abortionist on trial now in Philadelphia.

Leroy Carhart: Every bit as dangerous as Kermit Gosnell.

One center, located in Dover, apparently remains open but has temporarily suspended surgical abortions while the one in Wilmington has closed so it can reorganize, re-staff and clean — it has come under increasing scrutiny and three employees have quit or been fired since dangerous conditions there were exposed. It’s also the place where an infamous attack on a pro-life grandmother took place earlier this year (see video).

One of the employees thought to be fired is abortionist Eric Schaff whose record includes a reprimand and fine for falsifying medical records. He also botched four abortions between February 8 and March 13, all of which led to the affected women receiving hospital emergency room, life-saving treatments (read more and see video here). According to Operation Rescue’s Cheryl Sullenger:

Schaff is an outspoken advocate of abortion who feels “empowered” by doing them.

Right now, Delaware does not do routine inspections of abortion centers. Incredibly, an official told a television reporter they “don’t have the manpower for routine inspections.” Really? For only two facilities? More incredibly, in the vacuum, the state has ceded inspections to . . . you guessed it . . . Planned Parenthood. Delaware television station WPVI investigated the situation and former employees of the Wilmington abortion center went on camera to describe “Gosnell-like conditions” (see video). Now, there are more investigations and legal actions pending. Quite frankly, there is a lot to look into and this post only scratches the surface. What is known is every bit as disgusting as the Gosnell case.

As grisly as it all is, at least there is a shutdown of surgical abortions in one of the 50 states. Although the duration of the suspension is undetermined, we can take heart that it is the first state in 40 years to, for at least a time, officially end surgical abortions. A small victory, but any victory leads to saved lives. Saved lives lead to people realizing abortion is not a viable answer to any problem or fear. The more people who come to understand that, the quicker abortion will end.

Leave it to The Young Cons, fast becoming one of my favorite, and most pithy of cultural and political commentators (see Part 1 of this post), to fully convey the Left’s philosophy on this matter and unveil its hypocrisy. Below is one of its recent tweets:

If trees could give birth, maybe we’d have consensus on abortion.

Welcome to 3801 Lancaster, such a warm, caring compassionate “women’s healthcare facility.”

See? Even our logo on the side of our state-of-the-art-facility shows we’re family friendly.

Please, have a seat while we get Dr. Gosnell.

Here are some reading materials for you and some paperwork to fill out. Then we’ll keep you on file. 

You can rest assured you will get the finest treatment here.

It makes you wonder: Exactly who is waging a “war on women”?

From the minds of the young comes exceptional perspective.