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Media Statement
Utah Judge Stone Oversteps in Delaying Law Triggered by SCOTUS Abortion Ruling SALT LAKE CITY--July 11, 2022--The Utah Eagle Forum today declared Third District Judge Andrew Stone’s temporary blockage of SB174, Utah's pro- life trigger law, as legislating from the bench without a single mention of the rights of the unborn babies. Responding to the knee jerk lawsuit by Planned Parenthood, Stone sided with them using the same reasoning as the Supreme Court of the United States did in “Roe v. Wade”, only this time he used the Utah Constitution for his unconstitutional bias opinion instead of the US Constitution. “This is an obvious example of legislating from the bench, in violation of the Utah constitution,” states Gayle Ruzicka, President of the Utah Eagle Forum. “We expected such desperate action from Planned Parenthood seeking to overcome the will of the people and rights of the unborn. But we are shocked and disappointed in this rock-hard liberal judgment and are prepared to continue fighting for full implementation of SB174, which is current law in Utah.” Ruzicka continues, “In our Republican form of government, the people elect legislators to make laws reflecting the will of the people. In this case Judge Stone and Planned Parenthood seek to overrule the people’s vote and subjugate the law to force their agenda. That’s not the way our free government works.” The Forum believes Roe v. Wade was always an unconstitutional ruling by the Supreme Court. The right to abortion does not exist in the Constitution. The Forum affirms that we now have a Supreme Court majority that rules according to correct constitutional and moral principles. In a triumphant day for unborn babies and their mothers, the 2022 SCOTUS ruling affirmed that each state can now decide what laws will govern abortion in their state. About the Utah Eagle Forum The Utah Eagle Forum has been a leader in the pro-life, pro-family movement and is part of the National Eagle Forum founded by Phyllis Schlafly in 1972. The Forum’s mission is to enable conservative and pro-family men and women to participate in the process of self-government and public policymaking so that America will continue to be a land of individual liberty, with respect for the nuclear family, public and private virtue, and private enterprise. For fifty years, Eagle Forum’s network of state organizations has led the charge to mobilize the grassroots to defend the founding principles of the United States. Since 1989, Utah Eagle Forum has been led by Gayle Ruzicka, who has committed her time as President to the defeat of Roe V. Wade SALT LAKE CITY--June 24, 2022--The Utah Eagle Forum today announced a triumphant day for unborn babies and their mothers. An affirming day for the Constitution and a victory for the United States of America, Roe v. Wade, which required that abortion on demand be legal in all 50 states, has been overturned by the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS). Each state can now decide what laws will govern abortion in their state. With the SCOTUS ruling, Utah Eagle Forum is appreciative that Utah has a well vetted pro-life law that is ready to go into effect. The Forum is especially grateful to Senator Dan McCay, the sponsor of this law that prohibits an abortion at any stage of a pregnancy, except under certain circumstances. The House Sponsor of the Utah law is Karianne Lisonbee. Gayle Ruzicka, President of the Utah Chapter of the Eagle Forum stated, “I remember the shock and the pain, almost 50 years ago, when seven Supreme Court Justices voted in support of Roe v. Wade, making abortion on demand legal in all 50 states. Since that time, 63 million babies have lost their lives because of abortion. I am grateful that I have lived long enough to see the end of Roe.” The Forum believes Roe v. Wade was always an unconstitutional ruling by the Supreme Court. The right to abortion does not exist in the Constitution. The Forum affirms that we now have a Supreme Court majority that rules according to correct constitutional and moral principles. Ruzika further states, “Our celebration includes creating support systems for mothers by connecting them with organizations and resources that can provide care and training for both the mother and her baby. These resources can provide a good start and opportunities for a successful future.” On Saturday July 2nd at 2pm, the Forum will join other Utah pro-life groups in a “Celebration of Life” event to commemorate the end of Roe v. Wade and a new era of life for Utah’s unborn babies. This celebration will take place at the Utah State Capitol. About the Utah Eagle Forum The Utah Eagle Forum has been a leader in the pro-life, pro-family movement and is part of the National Eagle Forum founded by Phyllis Schlafly in 1972. The Forum’s mission is to enable conservative and pro-family men and women to participate in the process of self-government and public policy-making so that America will continue to be a land of individual liberty, with respect for the nuclear family, public and private virtue, and private enterprise. For fifty years, Eagle Forum’s network of state organizations has led the charge to mobilize the grassroots to defend the founding principles of the United States. Since 1989, Utah Eagle Forum has been lead by Gayle Ruzicka, who has committed her time as President to the defeat of Roe V. Wade. For more information or questions please contact David Kyle, 801-615-1532 & Rana Williams, 801-688-2755  Here are links to local and national news on the bill passing: https://apnews.com/7b4c43686ed0955f116489cb28e89c0a https://www.deseret.com/utah/2020/2/28/21157622/utah-abortion-ultrasound-bill-fuels-heated-debate-in-house-committee  https://www.ksl.com/article/46723581/utah-abortion-prohibition-bill-clears-first-senate-vote https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news/abortion-ban-passes-utah-senate-reading-after-debate https://www.newsweek.com/utah-senate-passes-elective-abortion-ban-would-punish-performing-procedure-15-years-prison-1489812   One of the most important pro-life bills of this legislative session, SB 174 "Abortion Prohibition Amendments" will prohibit a doctor from performing an abortion with limited exceptions. The bill states: "the intentional termination or attempted termination of human pregnancy after implantion of a fertilized ovum through a medical procedure carried out by a physician or through a substance used under the direction of a physician;"
https://le.utah.gov/~2020/bills/static/sb0174.html This bill - sponsored by Sen. Dan McCay - would go into effect when Roe v. Wade is overturned. Most importantly, it protects babies from all elective abortions, regardless of gestational age. We need your help! This bill will be met with opposition and resistance and we need to show support and solidarity to stop the atrocity of abortion. Please contact the members of the Utah Senate and urge them to vote FOR SB 174.  NATIONAL EAGLE FORUM CAPITOL HILL REPORT
August 19, 2019 This past July, recipients of the Department of Health and Human Services’ Title X grants had to implement several institutional changes to qualify for funds. These changes target abortion providers, like Planned Parenthood, who have manipulated the Title X federal funding stream into supplementing their “reproductive health services” for too long. The changes, announced in February 2019, are meant to restore the integrity of the Title X programming, which is the only federal grant program providing low-income individuals with access to comprehensive family planning and preventative health services. Specifically, some of the provisions include:
In response, Planned Parenthood announced that it would be forgoing Title X. The organization brought in more than $1.6 million in revenue and received $563.8 million in government funding for the year ending on June 30, 2018. On top of that, Planned Parenthood is still receiving government money in the form of Medicaid reimbursements, which accounts for the majority of its government funding. Planned Parenthood will have no problem continuing their abortion services to millions of women. In reference to HHS’s rule change, Planned Parenthood President Alexis McGill Johnson said: "Imagine if you show up as a patient to a health center and the doctor's only ability is to refer you to prenatal care, and you may have already decided that you want to have an abortion," McGill Johnson said. "Federal regulations will ban that doctor from actually giving you advice and referring you to abortion." For them, abortion is a necessary piece of medical care. They even have a section on their Planned Parenthood Action website dedicated to defending and implying their use of Title X funds for abortion procedures: “By giving women more control over if and when they have children, Title X allows women to have more control over their lives, including their health, careers, and economic security.” Unfortunately, Americans have also funded abortion globally. In 1984, President Reagan took a step to prohibit this through his Mexico City Policy, which prevents global health organizations that receive U.S. federal funding from providing abortion services. Unfortunately, the policy is not law and has been rescinded by both the Clinton and Obama administrations. President Bushand President Trump both reinstated the policy at the beginning of their Presidential terms. Although HHS’s Title X rule change and President Trump’s implementation of the Mexico City Policy are good measures, the policies are too easily swayed by Presidential opinion and action. If a Democrat administration were in power, both policies would most likely be reversed. The American people need Congress to enact a permanent ban on the federal funding of abortion to prevent this catch-22. In the meantime, Eagle Forum will continue to support policies preventing government-funded abortion.  Written by Ryan Neuhaus, August 13, 2019. Originally published in the Washington Examiner
Recently, a coalition of 75 organizations including Planned Parenthood, National LGBTQ Task Force, the ACLU, and the National Abortion Federation released a 116-page blueprint outlining a policy agenda aimed at advancing policies for women and children in the name of “sexual and reproductive health care, rights, and justice.” However, after reading over the policies, one quickly realizes that they would substantially harm American families without bringing forth "rights" or "justice." Parental rights, for example, are targeted for elimination. The coalition deemed parental consent for an abortion as detrimental to the empowerment of “girls and youth assigned female.” If the true goal of the coalition is to help empower young women, shouldn’t they encourage young women to look to their mothers, their families, or at least an experienced adult such as a judge for guidance in potentially intense and emotional times? After all, considering that adult engagement is required for getting your ears pierced or taking an aspirin at school, surely making a life-ending decision such as abortion is worth a conversation with someone who isn’t going to profit from it. Cutting out mothers seems like the most glaring oversight of all. “Of all familial relationships, the mother–daughter one is most likely to remain important for both parties, even when major life changes occur,” write the authors of a study led by Kathryn Bojczyk of Florida State University. “Multiple theoretical perspectives recognize the mother–daughter bond as lifelong, intimate, and developmentally important.” Distancing a mother’s guidance regarding the health and well-being of their children is terrible policy. Research conducted by Paula Goodwin of Purdue University and Osman Galal of UCLA has shown that traditional family structures have positioned women to directly impact the overall health and well-being of their families. If the true intent of pro-abortion activists were to provide healthcare to women, while respecting and valuing women, taking mothers out of the decision-making process alongside their children would be viewed as irresponsible, as it devalues motherhood and endangers adolescent women. Good policy would uphold parental and adult engagement laws, as mothers and fathers are at the heart of a child’s education and healthcare. And parents will be the ones helping pick up the pieces when things go wrong. Judicial bypass laws also at least ensure that someone with the child’s interest in mind is looking at the needs of all. Perhaps the abortion lobby’s desire to cut out parents has to do with the fact that they want unrestricted access to minors to make an abortion sale. The substantive work of Dr. Michael New has shown conclusively that when a state passes a law ensuring that parents are involved in the decision, the overall statewide rate of abortion decreases by an estimated 13.6%. Abortion has harmed millions of women across the United States. Often portrayed as a safe medical practice, abortion has been found to scar the lining of the uterus, damage the cervix and other internal organs, lead to eating disorders, depression, suicidal thoughts, and even death. Complications from botched surgeries have resulted in hysterectomies, ending girls' chances ever to have children of their own later in life. The overriding problem with the healthcare proposal coming from abortion advocates is a fundamental disagreement over what constitutes healthcare. Pregnancy is not a disease cured by abortion. Pushing an agenda that distills all women’s interests down to the presence or absence of abortion ignores needs for economic advancement, access to education, or a level playing field in the law. A blueprint for healthcare that values and strengthens the lives of mothers and children is a good idea. It won’t be achieved if we cut the ties between adults and children. The real question is who can be better trusted to help a child make an abortion decision, the people who have devoted their lives to a child, or the people whose goal is to make a sale? Ryan Neuhaus is Students for Life of America’s Florida Regional Coordinator. Gayle Ruzicka, President of Utah Eagle Forum Speaking At Abortion Free Utah Press Announcement6/22/2019  Transcript: My name is Gayle Ruzicka. I Am President of Utah Eagle Forum and also, along with so many people you see here today, a founder of this organization. The day that we got Roe v. Wade, I determined that I would never stop fighting to overturn Roe v. Wade. I want to share with you some of the things that have happened over the years as we've worked towards this goal. Back in 1991, I had just moved in the state two years before that, we passed a bill. I want to tell you about that bill because we worked hard. We spent two years traveling around the state, organizing and planning to make this happen. This bill was a bill that said that life begins at implantation of a fertilized egg. We went on from there, in this bill, to talk about the rights of the unborn. In this bill, it said the policy of the legislature in Utah, under the Utah Constitution, which recognizes that liberty and life, founded on inherent and inalienable rights, are entitled to protection of the law and due process, and that the unborn children have an inherent and inalienable right that are entitled to protection by the State of Utah, that the State of Utah has a compelling interest in the protection of human life, including that of unborn children. It goes on again and talks more about the Utah Constitution and the protection of the unborn, giving unborn children the very same rights as children that are born. As people, as all of us in the State of Utah, that is what we need to work for. That bill passed. It was signed by the governor and passed. And you know what? It went all the way to the Supreme Court. It got cert. That is important. Very few bills ever make it all the way to the Supreme Court. This one got there. On the way, we had a lot of mishaps and people playing games with it and trying to stop it from passing, I mean, getting all the way there. But it went there. It made it. But when it got there, sad to say, one of the judges, one of the justices had retired Byron White. We needed his vote to overturn Roe, so it was struck down. But that doesn't mean we give up. That was 1991 and I have not given up one day since then. I have worked, every year, to see that something ... we try to get something passed. We have passed lots of bills over the years and we have worked our way toward that very thing of going back to the gold standard, the standard that says life begins at conception, the standard that says the unborn child has a constitutional right to life just like you do, like all of us do, And we're going to do that. We're going to keep going and we are going to do that. That is our goal. I think everybody in this room who loves those unborn babies would agree with that, that those little babies have that right. I want you to know that I will not stop fighting, and I'm sure all of you in this room feel the same way, or you wouldn't be here today. We will not stop until we pass that same bill again, and this time, make sure it's upheld. Thank you. https://www.abortionfreeutah.org  Thursday, May 30th, 2019 - Governor Gary Herbert hosted legislators and local elected officials for a dinner and a private showing of the movie Unplanned sponsored by the Utah Pro-life Coalition. Utah Eagle Forum and pro-life supporters from the coalition were also invited to attend the movie. Before the movie, Governor Herbert addressed legislators, here are a few highlights of his remarks: Life, liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness is part of our Declaration. It's pretty hard to pursue life, liberty, and happiness if you are not allowed to grow and develop. That's what happens with the unborn child, and so that's the concern that we all have…What can we do to promote life and the pursuit of happiness? Not only for those who are born, but for the unborn..." We would like to thank the Governor for his support and the elected leaders who came to see this important movie. It is our goal to end taxpayer funded abortions as we work toward our ultimate goal to end all abortions. If you would like to get notified of future events, please signup for our email list. We would like to thank Representative Cheryl Acton for all her hard work and courageous action in defending life. She has had multiple Interviews (on and off camera) all day because of the injunction filed today to stop the enactment of HB136. She sent the following press release to the media:  Press ReleaseRepresentative Cheryl Acton
Though I cannot say that I welcomed a lawsuit against HB136, I did expect one because the ACLU and Planned Parenthood use the threat and cost of litigation to intimidate states into maintaining the status quo on abortion, regardless of the sentiments of the people of those states. Planned Parenthood makes a lot of money on the abortion of babies, and HB136 threatens that revenue stream. Both organizations capitalize on lawsuits in their fundraising efforts, so they cannot be said to be unbiased on the issue. HB136 was passed by elective representatives expressing the will of the people of Utah. That is the proper way for laws to be passed, according to our state and federal Constitutions. I ran HB136, limiting elective abortion to 18 weeks, for four primary reasons: 1) The physical, psychological, and future fertility health of women, because abortion's risks to women increase exponentially with gestation. The increased rate of suicide and mental health issues, as well as future fertility issues, are especially well documented. 2) Fetal pain perception, which increases over gestation with all circuitry in place by 18 weeks. We can now observe that fetuses do feel pain by monitoring fetal pulse, blood flow, and stress hormones. We also have a real-time window into the womb through advances in ultrasound technology. 3) The abortion procedure used in second trimester abortion shocks the conscience. The abortionist dismembers a living baby in the womb then re-assembles the body on a tray to ensure that all parts were removed. In Utah, we have laws against dismembering a human corpse, but it is lawful to dismember a living unborn child. Interestingly, this procedure was not used in 1973, when Roe v Wade was handed down. 4) Most countries, including most Western European countries, limit abortion to the first trimester, or 12-13 weeks. HB136 preserves a woman's right to choose abortion for any reason at all until 18 weeks, and allows an array of exceptions after 18 weeks (longer than one NFL football season), including one new exception. (Those exceptions are rape, incest, life of the mother, permanent impairment of the mother, fatal fetal defect, and severe fetal brain abnormality.) Utah should be leading out on this issue, because the vast majority of Utahns oppose abortion, especially in the second trimester. (According to a Gallup poll conducted in May 2018, 72% of people nationally oppose second trimester abortion.) With the nation's highest birthrate, Utah should be the safest place in the nation for all people, especially children, born and unborn. It is my hope that abortion law will be returned to the states, where it resided prior to Roe, so that the people of each state may decide the issue in the normal legislative process. ###  Message from Gayle Ruzicka: This weekend Unplanned stunned the movie industry, it took in $6 million over the weekend, doubling expectations from the 1,059 theaters it appeared in. It will appear in about 1,700 for the coming weekend. I have seen Unplanned twice. Once with the Governor and Glenn Beck and both times with Utah legislators. We must support this movie. Please take your friends and family and go see Unplanned. Don't take your teenagers until you have first seen it, then you decide if it is for them. We must defund Planned Parenthood. After you see this show you will want to work with us to do that. Our tax dollars are going to fund Planned Parenthood. I call it blood money. Why should we be forced to fund something that violates our conscience and for many of us is against our religion. Please see Unplanned and then help us fight the battle. Click here to get your tickets: https://www.showtimes.com/movies/unplanned-138415/movie-times/utah/ Watch the movie trailer below: About the Movie UnplannedUnplanned is the inspiring true story of one woman’s journey of transformation.
All Abby Johnson ever wanted to do was help women. As one of the youngest Planned Parenthood clinic directors in the nation, she was involved in upwards of 22,000 abortions and counseled countless women about their reproductive choices. Her passion surrounding a woman’s right to choose even led her to become a spokesperson for Planned Parenthood, fighting to enact legislation for the cause she so deeply believed in. Until the day she saw something that changed everything, a baby fighting for its life. This led Abby Johnson to join her former enemies at 40 Days For Life and become one of the most ardent pro-life speakers in America. Abby was a woman who was deeply involved in Planned Parenthood until God showed her the truth about this evil organization. She left Planned Parenthood and now speaks out on behalf of life. |
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