Running Massachusetts’ largest abortion business apparently wasn’t all it was cracked up to be for former state Rep. Marty Walz, who abruptly resigned last week after less than two years on the job.
Walz, who gave up her seat in the state House of Representatives in order to take the Planned Parenthood gig, resigned “effective immediately” in a phone call to the organization’s board last Wednesday. Her sudden departure followed a constitutional smackdown by the U.S. Supreme Court, which unanimously ruled in June that a law she wrote and sponsored as a state legislator barring pro-life activists from coming within 35 feet of an abortion facility entrance was a violation of the First Amendment right to free speech.
By creating a so-called “buffer zone” around abortion facilities, the justices said, Walz and her pro-abortion allies took the “extreme step of closing a substantial portion of a traditional public forum to all speakers.” Ruled the justices: “The Commonwealth may not do that consistent with the First Amendment.”
Both Walz and Planned Parenthood have been tight-lipped about the reasons behind her resignation. Walz immediately deleted her Planned Parenthood-affiliated Twitter account, leaving many of her followers asking in vain for an explanation.
Guys, what happened with Marty Walz from PPLM?! I literally got an email from her yesterday about Lobby Day next week. What is going on?!
— Amy Deveau (@amydeveau) January 29, 2015
Strange. @PPAdvocacyMA CEO @BackBayMarty (formerly @marty_pplm) resigns days before #SHLobbyDay. Wish there was more info available. �� #RJ
— Jackie Geilfuss (@OrangeJackius) February 1, 2015
Walz is said to be in “active dialogue” with other organizations as she searches for a way to replace her $250,000 Planned Parenthood salary. Meanwhile, longtime pro-abortion activist and board member Nonnie Burnes will take Walz’s place as interim CEO of Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts until a successor can be found.