This is just an outrage.
The Justice Department is demanding the records of dozens of women who have had abortions in 6 hospitals to make sure they were medically necessary. Apparently a bunch of government lawyers in Washington feel that their medical opinion is superior to these women's doctors. The really tragic things are:
These records could be made public, even thought their names will be deleted, there is still identifying information.
The doctors in question are the doctors suing the government over the partial birth abortion ban. so this seems to be a retaliation of sorts.
The judge in question has said that unless they provide the records, he will lift the ban currently in place on the "partial birth abortion" law and allow the government to enforce it.
The Justice Department also said, "individuals no longer possess a reasonable expectation that their histories will remain completely confidential."
And let's not forget who is in charge of the Justice Department and will be pouring over the documents in question: our favorite bastard seraphim, Attorney General John Ashcroft.
Posted by bluprnt at February 12, 2004 06:12 PM