Tuesday November 9, 2010
North Dakota Abortionists Caught with Expired Licenses
By Matt Anderson
FARGO, ND, November 9, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Two doctors from North Dakota’s only abortion facility may have been practicing medicine for several months without licenses, according to a recent report from Operation Rescue.
Dr. Lori Lynn Thorndike’s and Dr. Miriam McCreary’s licenses expired June 30 and have not yet been renewed. Both doctors have worked for the Red River Women’s Clinic in Fargo, which describes itself on its website as having “high professional standards and concern for the safety, comfort, physical and emotional welfare of our patients.”
According to a press release from Operation Rescue, both doctors live out of state but travel to North Dakota in order to perform abortions. Though both doctors have current licenses in other states, neither has renewed their license in North Dakota; it is not clear whether either has performed an abortion since their licenses expired.
However, on November 5 a staff member of Operation Rescue called the Red River clinic posing as a patient wanting to set up an appointment for an abortion. The staff member specifically asked to see Dr. Thorndike.
Initially, the OR staff member was put on hold by the receptionist as she went to see “what days we have available.” However, when the receptionist returned she quickly dismissed the OR employee by saying that an “emergency situation” had arisen at the clinic with a staff member and she had “to go and take care of this.” Before the receptionist got off the phone, though, she made it clear that because they hadn’t gone over any 24-hour consent information, “according to state law, we don’t have an appointment set-up here.”
The North Dakota Board of Medical Examiners keeps a website listing the license status of all medical practitioners in the state. According to OR, the website had removed Thorndike’s page on Monday. However, LifeSiteNews found that both Thorndike’s and McCreary’s information was on the website as of Tuesday, and both were still listed as “In-active – expired.”
According to a local news website, The Forum, the local police had launched an investigation of Thorndike’s expired license but wouldn’t say whether they had determined that Thorndike had performed any abortions since the license expired. Fargo Police Sgt. Mark Lykken told the Forum that the office had received close to 30 calls expressing concern over the Red River Women’s Clinic.
According to the Forum, “Tammi Kromenaker, director of the Red River Women’s Clinic, would not disclose whether Thorndike performed abortions at the clinic after her license expired. Thorndike practices at the clinic six times a year and is not scheduled to return this year, Kromenaker said.”
Though Thorndike is under investigation, Operation Rescue has pointed out that no mention has been made of McCreary. OR said, “There seems to be no attempt to follow up on the possibility that she (McCreary) may have performed illegal abortions over the last four months.” LifeSiteNews attempted to contact the NDBME about McCreary, but has not received a response by press time.
While performing abortions without a license can be considered a Class B Felony in North Dakota, the expiration of the licenses appears to be being handled as a mere “administrative” mistake. Kromenaker said, “This is a paperwork matter and not a reflection of her (Thorndike’s) abilities or competency as a physician.” Birch Burdick, the Cass County state’s attorney, seemed to echo this statement when asked about Thorndike by relating a story in which nurses had been caught practicing without licenses. In that situation, Burdick simply sent the nurses a warning letter.
The North Dakota Board of Medical Examiners is scheduled to meet November 19th and is likely to discuss Thorndike’s and McCreary’s cases then.
Contact information:
Duane Houdek
North Dakota Board of Medical Examiners
(701) 328-6500
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