Wichita, KS – Abortionist LeRoy Carhart appeared on a local Wichita television news program and stated that he intends to open up an abortion clinic, not in Wichita, but within 25 miles of Wichita by December 1, 2009.

Carhart also said that he did not think he would offer late-term abortions because of the difficulty and expense in traveling to Wichita for late-term patients.

“That never hindered George Tiller from operating the largest late-term abortion clinic in the world. If there is one thing we have learned about LeRoy Carhart over the years, it is that the things he says will happen rarely do,” said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. “We doubt that he will ever open up an abortion clinic in Kansas, and if he does, it will be as a fall-back plan in the likely event that he would lose his medical license in Nebraska.”

Operation Rescue and three other pro-life groups have submitted to the Nebraska Attorney General’s office and the Department of Health and Human Services affidavits from four former Carhart employees telling of horrific, dirty practices, unlicensed workers performing medical tasks that it is illegal for them to do, and other violations. Carhart could face license revocation and even criminal charges.

“This latest claim is the third or fourth different story that Carhart has floated about continuing abortions in Kansas,” said Newman. “He has said he would reopen Tiller’s clinic, which didn’t happen. He said he would build a new clinic, which isn’t happening. He boasted that he would specialize in post-viability abortions, now he says he won’t. He has no credibility.

“In addition, Carhart is under investigation in his home state and has financial problems, as evidenced by his lay-off of half his Nebraska abortion staff. Now he expects us to believe he is going to expand his failing abortion business? Nobody’s that gullible.”

In August, Wesley Medical Center announced, in response to an Operation Rescue petition, that it would not allow Carhart hospital privileges nor would it make a transfer agreement with him should he attempt to open an abortion clinic in Wichita. This could be one reason Carhart has backed off his previous plans for a late-term abortion clinic in Kansas.

“Carhart may think that he can better evade law enforcement in Kansas than he can in Nebraska. However, it may surprise him to learn that Kansans are finished with the corruption that protected abortionists here for so long,” said Newman. “If on some remote chance Carhart does open an abortion clinic near Wichita, you can expect that Operation Rescue will be there to expose his slovenly and illegal practices.”