This news is just in: Late-term abortionist Martin Haskell has lost a bid to overturn an Ohio Health Department order to close his facility because it does not meet minimum requirements for licensure. Below is a release from Greater Cincinnati Right to Life, which has been working with Operation Rescue to expose wrongdoing at that facility and close it down.
“Today is a victory for the rule of law and for women and their babies who have been subjected to practices that endanger them,” said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. “We hope that Haskell will respect the law and shut down his illegal abortion business. If he doesn’t, we pan to continue to work within the laws of Ohio to bring his dangerous abortion practice to an end.”
Read background information from Operation Rescue
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Statement from Greater Cincinnati Right to Life:
August 15, 2014 (Cincinnati, OH): Today Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas Judge Jerry Metz heard arguments from lawyers for abortionist Martin Haskell and the Attorney General on Lebanon Road Surgery Center vs. State of Ohio Department of Health.
Ruling:
Judge Metz concurred with Magistrate Michael Bachman and upheld the Ohio Department of Health’s January 2014 order to close the Sharonville, Ohio Lebanon Road Surgery Center (aka Women’s Med Center), for failing to have a written transfer agreement with a local hospital or a variance, i.e., exception, to cover patient emergencies.
Judge Metz also did not extend the stay of execution he approved for the abortion facility during the appeal process. This stay expires in five days.
Upon today’s decision, the case will no longer be heard in the Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas, but Women’s Med Center attorneys may possibly appeal to the First Appellate District Court of Appeals.
Next Steps:
If the Women’s Med Center does not appeal to the First Appellate District Court of Appeals, the Women’s Med Center will be closed.
If the Women’s Med Center does appeal to the First Appellate District Court of Appeals within the next five days and obtains a stay of execution, it will seamlessly stay open. Or it could appeal to this court and seek and obtain a stay later.
“Judge Metz has now protected women’s health and safety by enforcing lawful medical safety requirements,” said Paula Westwood, Executive Director, Right to Life of Greater Cincinnati. “We are cautiously optimistic, as we do not know whether Martin Haskell will appeal to the next court.”
Tuesday, August 12th, NARAL filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Women’s Med Center against the Ohio Department of Health, disputing ODH variance requirements. The lawsuit came just days before today’s hearing, as is still pending.