March 3, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The former Planned Parenthood director turned pro-life advocate, Abby Johnson, has challenged Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards to a public debate on whether Congress should continue to provide taxpayers’ dollars to the abortion giant.
Johnson issue the challenge in a letter to Richards sent Monday, and requested a “prompt response.”
Johnson, the author of the new book “Unplanned,” worked and volunteered for Planned Parenthood for eight years until October of 2009, when she witnessed a 13-week old baby in an ultrasound-guided abortion lose the fight for its life in the womb. She is now a leading pro-life advocate. Johnson joined forces with Live Action last month, becoming the pro-life group’s chief research strategist.
“[Taxpayer funding] has received a great deal of media coverage in recent days and weeks,“ Johnson wrote to Richards. “Given my experience with Planned Parenthood, I believe I can give the public a needed perspective – as a former insider who is now here to tell the truth about how Planned Parenthood operates.”
Johnson accused Planned Parenthood of deceiving the public by claiming that taxpayer money does not fund abortions. “You continue to repeatedly perpetuate these deceptions and the public deserves to know the truth,” said Johnson.
“For many years I was part of the deception that taxpayer funds don’t finance abortions at Planned Parenthood clinics, the deception that Planned Parenthood wants to reduce the number of abortions, and the deception that Planned Parenthood’s highest priority is women’s health and safety,” said Johnson.
Johnson cited Live Actions’ release of undercover footage revealing Planned Parenthood’s apparent willingness to aid and abet self-identified sex traffickers as well as the Kline court proceedings in Kansas during which Planned Parenthood was revealed to have failed to report numerous abortions on underage girls for investigation into possible child rape.
“The debate over whether or not Congress should continue to annually provide over $300 million in taxpayer money to Planned Parenthood is pivotal,” said Johnson.
“Your organization turned a profit of over $63 million according to…most recently available annual report, yet Planned Parenthood somehow continues to call itself a ‘non-profit,’” wrote Johnson. “The deceptions must stop.”