Matthew Clark

Matthew Clark Matthew Clark is Associate Counsel for Government Affairs and Media Advocacy with the ACLJ in the Washington, D.C. headquarters. Prior to rejoining the ACLJ, he served as a Judicial Law Clerk for the Honorable Walter S. Felton, Jr., Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals of Virginia. http://aclj.org/matthew-clark Pastor Saeed’s Senator Urges The State Department to “Make Every Effort” to Secure His Freedom Recently, Senator James Risch (ID) urged Under-Secretary of State Wendy Sherman to “make every effort you possibly can to secure” the freedom of American Pastor Saeed Abedini, his constituent. The exchange above occurred in a hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee earlier this week.  The State Department again pledged its ongoing efforts to secure his freedom. Under-Secretary Sherman’s words are an important reminder of the impact we can all have in securing Pastor Saeed’s freedom.  She stated: <blockquote> When we keep asking, we at least put a spotlight on the treatment that is being given to prisoners and hopefully lessen the horrible situation under which they are held.  But we will not stop for Mr. Abedini [and other Americans imprisoned in Iran] until they can be returned to their families. </blockquote> Senator Risch reiterated this crucial point, stating, “By spotlighting this, that does a tremendous amount of good in the world court of public opinion.” This is exactly right.  Over half a million people from all over the world have spotlighted the plight of this 33-year-old U.S. citizen by signing a petition for his freedom at <a href="http://savesaeed.org" target="_blank">SaveSaeed.org</a>.  More than 50,000 have written letters to Pastor Saeed.  We know that the world outcry effectively urged Iran to <a href="http://aclj.org/iran/public-outcry-over-saeed-case-making-difference" target="_self">release Pastor Saeed from solitary confinement</a> early.  The spotlight is on Iran.  The world is watching, and it his having a tremendous impact. Please continue to pray and share his story. Thu, 16 May 2013 20:17:00 GMT http://aclj.org/iran/pastor-saeeds-senator-urges-state-department-secure-freedom More IRS Offices Than Single Cincinnati Office Sent Inquiry Demands to Targeted Tea Party Groups The IRS in issuing its so-called apology for intentionally targeting conservative groups for onerous and unconstitutional inquiries said that the targeting was limited to “low-level” IRS agents in a <a href="http://bigstory.ap.org/article/irs-apologizes-targeting-conservative-groups" target="_blank">single Cincinnati office</a>. However, this does not square with the facts.  The ACLJ represented 27 of these targeted conservative groups.  Our targeted clients have received inquiry demand letters from IRS offices coast to coast. Below are a few of the letters targeted conservative groups received from the infamous Cincinnati IRS office, two IRS offices in California, and the main IRS headquarters in Washington, DC.  These letters range from 2010 to three targeted inquiry letters received in 2012, well after senior IRS officials were aware of the illegal targeting. <ul> <li><a href="http://media.aclj.org/pdf/irs-letter-from-el-monte-ca.pdf" target="_blank">IRS Letter from El Monte, CA office</a></li> <li><a href="http://media.aclj.org/pdf/irs-letter-from-washington-dc-office.pdf" target="_blank">IRS Letter from Washington, DC office</a></li> <li><a href="http://media.aclj.org/pdf/irs-letter-from-laguna-niguel-office-ca.pdf" target="_blank">IRS Letter from Laguna Niguel, CA office</a></li> <li><a href="http://media.aclj.org/pdf/irs-letter-from-cincinnati-oh.pdf" target="_blank">IRS Letter from Cincinnati, OH office</a></li> </ul> Many of these letters demanded unconstitutionally intrusive information from conservative groups, including donor lists, member resumes, and more.  <a href="http://c0391070.cdn2.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/pdf/irs-questions-aclj-tea-party-clients.pdf" target="_blank">Here are some examples of actual questions our clients received from the IRS.</a> We have also documented how this intentional, admittedly inappropriate targeting of conservative groups is still <a href="http://aclj.org/free-speech-2/irs-intentional-targeting-conservative-groups-ongoing-despite-apology" target="_self">ongoing to this day</a>.  We have <a href="http://aclj.org/free-speech-2/aclj-demands-irs-approve-tax-exempt-status-for-10-tea-party-groups-calling-irs-targeting-scheme-dishonest-and-notoriously-disgraceful" target="_self">sent a letter to the IRS</a> demanding that it immediately cease this abuse of power and grant the tax-exempt status of 10 of our clients whose tax-exempt status is still held up in this targeted inquiry process. Mon, 13 May 2013 22:48:00 GMT http://aclj.org/free-speech-2/multiple-irs-offices-cincinnati-sent-inquiry-demands-targeted-tea-party-groups IRS Intentional Targeting of Conservative Groups is Ongoing Despite “Apology” Despite a <a href="http://aclj.org/free-speech-2/irs-admits-targeting-conservative-groups-apologizes" target="_self">so-called apology</a> by the IRS for targeting Tea Party and other conservative groups during an election season, this rampant IRS abuse is still ongoing. On Friday, the IRS admitted to intentionally targeting groups with “Tea Party” and “patriot” in their names but claimed that this targeting was limited to a small group of “low level” staffers in one single Cincinnati office and that no senior IRS official was aware. However, it has now been <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/05/12/irs-knew-tea-party-targeted-in-2011/" target="_blank">revealed</a> that the head of the IRS division which targeted conservative groups, Lois Lerner, knew of the illegal targeting by at least June 29, 2011 and that there were discussions with chief counsel about this issue on August 4, 2011. Yet with these senior IRS officials aware that conservative groups were being intentionally and illegally targeted for further onerous review, this unconstitutional abuse of government power remains ongoing to this day. The ACLJ has represented 27 of these targeted groups.  IRS demands for additional information from these targeted groups continued well after senior IRS officials knew of the scheme.  To this day, at least ten of the intentionally targeted groups we represent, and ostensibly numerous others, remain in an ongoing heightened state of IRS inquiry and review.  Their tax-exempt application has not been approved. The IRS “apologized,” but nothing changed.  None of these targeted groups has ever received a communication from the IRS withdrawing the now admittedly improper, targeted inquiry.  The IRS cannot “apologize” on the one hand and continue to withhold tax-exempt status from these targeted conservative groups on the other. Moreover, not only were they improperly singled out, but the intentional targeting of these conservative groups for further review during an election season had a significant chilling affect on their ability to fulfill their mission. The IRS notes on its <a href="http://www.irs.gov/Charities-&-Non-Profits/Charitable-Organizations/Contributions-to-Organization-with-IRS-Application-Pending" target="_blank">website</a> that while an organization’s 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status is pending, “contributors to the organization do not have advance assurance of deductibility because the organization’s exemption is pending.”  In other words, legally, anyone who contributed to conservative organizations while their 501(c)(3) applications are being held up by these targeted inquires has no assurance that their donation would in fact be tax-deductible.  For 501(c)(4) applicants, the long delays led to uncertainty and the wide-range targeting of conservative groups led to the wrongful implication that these groups somehow deserved to be investigated, limiting the effectiveness of their message and purpose. Not only did this targeting of conservative groups limit the effectiveness of their fundraising ability and thus their mission, it also limited the organizations themselves.  At least two of our clients found the targeted inquiry process initiated by the IRS to be so burdensome that they withdrew their application for tax-exempt status.  The IRS admits that at least <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323744604578474983310370360.html" target="_blank">25 groups singled out for further review</a> have withdrawn their application for tax-exempt status. It is also now clear that the IRS targeting went well beyond just organizations with “Tea Party” or “patriot” in the name but extended to a <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/05/12/irs-targeted-groups-that-criticized-the-government-ig-report-says/" target="_blank">whole range of conservative groups</a> in which “statements in the case file criticize how the country is being run.”  This was a systematic targeting of conservative groups during a contentious election cycle. The IRS’s assertion that this intentional targeting of conservative (and nothing but conservative) groups was in no way politically motivated, is outrageous in and of itself.  The IRS targeted conservative groups, and it targeted them because they “<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/05/12/irs-targeted-groups-that-criticized-the-government-ig-report-says/" target="_blank">criticize how the country is being run</a>,” specifically related to <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/05/11/irs-tea-party-investigation-timeline/2153007/" target="_blank">spending, government debt and taxes</a>.  You can’t intentionally target conservative groups for being conservative and call it anything but politically motivated. Further, somewhat lost in the discussion of who the IRS was targeting is the equally disturbing fact of what they were seeking from these organizations.  The IRS targeted conservative groups and <a href="http://c0391070.cdn2.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/pdf/irs-questions-aclj-tea-party-clients.pdf" target="_blank">demanded that they turn over</a> donor lists, “indirect” communications with elected officials, resumes of board members, and much more.  The requests were clearly unconstitutional and <a href="http://bigstory.ap.org/article/irs-apologizes-targeting-conservative-groups" target="_blank">admittedly in direct violation of IRS policy</a>. The IRS’s targeting of conservative groups during a contentious election is a draconian abuse of government power and smacks of McCarthyism.  The investigation into this matter should delve wide and far.  But the first step must be by the IRS.  It must stop the ongoing abuse.  It must stop targeting these groups, immediately withdraw the targeted inquiries, and approve their long-pending tax-exempt status. Mon, 13 May 2013 20:38:00 GMT http://aclj.org/free-speech-2/irs-intentional-targeting-conservative-groups-ongoing-despite-apology 362 Infants Born Alive as Result of Botched Abortions Died in Last Decade Recently, Planned Parenthood was caught advocating post birth abortion – infanticide.  Their lobbyist testified before a state legislature that if a baby was born alive as the result of a botched abortion, Planned Parenthood believed the decision whether to provide that baby struggling for life on the abortion clinic table lifesaving support, “<a href="http://aclj.org/planned-parenthood/planned-parenthood-stunning-honesty-post-birth-abortions" target="_self">should be between the patient and the health care provider</a>.”  In response to public outrage, <a href="http://aclj.org/planned-parenthood/planned-parenthood-reeling-after-infanticide-support-exposed" target="_self">Planned Parenthood removed</a> its opposition from a bill that would require abortionists to provide lifesaving care to the newborn baby.  Planned Parenthood says that these “<a href="http://aclj.org/planned-parenthood/planned-parenthood-reeling-after-infanticide-support-exposed" target="_self">extremely unlikely and highly unusual medical circumstances</a>” just don’t happen. <a href="http://aclj.org/planned-parenthood/abortion-industry-seeks-profit-gosnell-infanticide" target="_self">Abortionist Kermit Gosnell</a> stands trial for the gruesome murder of at least four babies born alive as the result of botched abortions.  Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry still respond that the situation of a baby born alive as a result of a botched abortion just doesn’t happen. An <a href="http://www.liveaction.org/inhuman/" target="_blank">undercover sting</a> has exposed several abortionists who openly admit they would let a baby die if a live birth were to occur in spite of the attempted abortion.  The abortion industry says that this situation just doesn’t happen. So that begs the question, how many babies are born alive as a result of botched abortions?  How many are left to die or killed? While much of the devastating truth may never be known, what we are able to know is startling.  According to the ACLJ’s research and statistics recorded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 362 babies born alive following a botched abortion have died in the last decade. While the circumstances surrounding their deaths and whether their lives could have been spared with proper medical attention are mostly unknown, what is known is that an attempted abortion is the only cause of death listed for these newborns and that they were born alive before dying. Buried among the myriad of data points recorded by the CDC in its collection of mortality statistics is the cause of death recorded under ICD-10 code P96.4.  The International Classification of Diseases (ICD) 10th revision produced by the World Heath Organization lists <a href="http://apps.who.int/classifications/icd10/browse/2010/en#/P96.4" target="_blank">ICD-10 code P96.4</a> as “Termination of pregnancy, affecting fetus and newborn” and specifically excludes that which affects the mother. In the U.S., the CDC records this data in their <a href="http://wonder.cdc.gov/ucd-icd10.html" target="_blank">WONDER database</a>.  This official recordation only includes mortality data for <a href="http://wonder.cdc.gov/wonder/help/cmf.html#Compressed%20Mortality%20File:%C2%A0Infant%20Mortality" target="_blank">live births</a> as reported to the CDC.  A query in the <a href="http://wonder.cdc.gov/ucd-icd10.html" target="_blank">CDC WONDER database</a> for mortality statistics under ICD-10 code P96.4 (which is labeled “Termination of pregnancy, newborn” in the CDC database), reveals that 362 infant deaths (i.e. first born alive) as a result of an attempted abortion have been reported in the most recently available 10-year period, 2001-2010. <img src="http://9afb0ee4c2ca3737b892-e804076442d956681ee1e5a58d07b27b.r59.cf2.rackcdn.com/cdc-stats-1.jpg" border="0" height="210" width="460" /> The query criteria is below (no direct link to the query is available, but it may be accessed by re-entering the criteria <a href="http://wonder.cdc.gov/ucd-icd10.html" target="_blank">here</a>): <img src="http://9afb0ee4c2ca3737b892-e804076442d956681ee1e5a58d07b27b.r59.cf2.rackcdn.com/cdc-stats-2.jpg" border="0" height="214" width="460" /> In other words, deaths assigned this code, as recorded by the CDC, are for a “termination of pregnancy,” i.e. abortion, that leads to the death of a “newborn,” i.e. a baby who had been born alive.  Since the intention of an abortion procedure (regardless of the reason why the procedure was initiated) is to terminate the life of a baby in utero, then these live-birth statistics refer to abortions that were, by definition, botched. We directly contacted the CDC and received the following email response from CDC Statistician Kenneth Kochanek confirming our understanding of this data: <blockquote> ICD-10 code P96.4 Termination of pregnancy, newborn This code implies a medical termination of the pregnancy. When “termination of pregnancy” or “abortion” is the only reported cause of an infant death, the death is coded to P96.4. </blockquote> Thus, according to data reported to the CDC, 362 infant deaths resulted from attempted (and subsequently botched) abortions, where the baby was first born alive and then died. Our analysis is further supported by data from Canada that shows in the last reported ten years, “<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/marc-thiessen-defending-infanticide/2013/04/08/36e44294-a061-11e2-9c03-6952ff305f35_story.html" target="_blank">491 babies were left to die after they were born alive during abortions</a>.”  A look at how these statistics are recorded by Canada’s official recording agency (also using ICD-10 code P96.4), explained <a href="http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/491-babies-born-alive-after-failed-abortions-left-to-die-in-canada-statscan" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://www.lifesitenews.com/blog/probing-the-stats-on-those-491-babies-born-alive-after-abortion/" target="_blank">here</a>, further confirms the data recorded by the CDC.  In Britain it is <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2301374/In-Florida-Legislature-Planned-Parenthood-lobbyist-defends-doctor-assisted-infanticide-babies-born-alive-botched-abortions.html" target="_blank">reported</a> that 50 babies are born alive as the result of botched abortions each year.  Additionally, an “<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/marc-thiessen-defending-infanticide/2013/04/08/36e44294-a061-11e2-9c03-6952ff305f35_story.html" target="_blank">estimated 44,000 abortion survivors</a>” are living in the United States today. These eye-opening statistics shed new light on an industry’s claim that this situation just doesn’t happen. Moreover, these 362 reported deaths likely do not include even a fraction of the population of newborn infants who die at the hands of abortionists after getting their first breath of air.  Abortionists like Gosnell and those exposed in the recent undercover videos certainly aren’t reporting those deaths as such to the CDC. The fact is babies do survive abortion; but the cruel reality is how long they survive is left in the hands of the abortionists who sought to end their lives in the first place, and often with little to no oversight. These newborn infants, born alive, struggling for life on the abortion clinic table, deserve the same legal protections as you and I. So, too, do the hundreds of thousands of unborn babies who literally never see the light of day. Tue, 07 May 2013 17:34:00 GMT http://aclj.org/planned-parenthood/362-infants-born-alive-result-botched-abortions-died-decade Who Would Describe Christians in the Military as “Monsters who Terrorize”? Thousands of the brave men and women of our military who fight to defend the freedoms we hold dear find strength and renewal in their Christian faith.  Yet, some would seek to remove their religious freedom, their freedom to freely practice their Christian faith from the military. Dangerously, one of the most ardent opponents of religious freedom – and in particular Christians – in the military is now apparently the <a href="http://aclj.org/free-speech-2/military-media-leaders-embracing-anti-christian-extremist" target="_self">Pentagon’s newest advisor</a> on religious freedom and tolerance in our armed forces. Below are the terms he used in a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-l-weinstein/fundamentalist-christian-_b_3072651.html" target="_blank">recent post</a> to describe Christians in the military, who he <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-l-weinstein/fundamentalist-christian-_b_3072651.html" target="_blank">says</a> “terrorize their fellow Americans by forcing their weaponized and twisted version of Christianity upon their helpless subordinates in our nation's armed forces.” <ul> <li>“monsters”</li> <li>“bloody monsters”</li> <li>“monsters”</li> <li>“gangs of fundamentalist Christian monsters”</li> <li>“monsters who terrorize”</li> <li>“weaponized and twisted version of Christianity”</li> <li>“monstrosities”</li> <li>“pitiable unconstitutional carpetbaggers”</li> <li>“bigots”</li> <li>“stuck pigs”</li> <li>“senseless and cowardly squalling of human monsters”</li> <li>“evil”</li> <li>“fundamentalist Christian creatures and their spiritual heirs”</li> <li>“bandits”</li> <li>“stenchful substances”</li> <li>“their ruinous unity is the bane of human existence and progress”</li> <li>“horrific hatred”</li> <li>“blinding bigotry”</li> <li>“hate groups”</li> <li>“world class cowards”</li> <li>“extremist”</li> <li>“virulently homophobic”</li> <li>“Monsters”</li> <li>“hatemongers”</li> <li>“extremist”</li> <li>"pathologically anti-gay”</li> <li>“Islamophobic”</li> <li>“rabidly intolerant agitators”</li> <li>“die-hard enemies of the United States Constitution”</li> <li>“Monsters, one and all”</li> <li>“those who would usher in a blood-drenched, draconian era of persecutions, nationalistic militarism, and superstitious theocracy”</li> <li>“tragedies”</li> <li>“fundamentalist Christian monsters of human degradation, marginalization, humiliation and tyranny”</li> <li>“putrid theology”</li> <li>“reign of theocratic terror”</li> <li>“oppression”</li> <li>“monstrously savage”</li> <li>“hideous monsters”</li> <li>“racism”</li> <li>“bigotry”</li> <li>“prejudice”</li> </ul> And those who support Christians in the military and defend their religious freedom, he says “directly threaten[] the national security of our beautiful nation.” No that was not Mahmoud Ahmadinejad or Mohamed Morsi.  This is how anti-Christian extremist Mikey Weinstein, head of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, describes Christians in the military. Weinstein, who has a <a href="http://aclj.org/free-speech-2/military-media-leaders-embracing-anti-christian-extremist" target="_self">long history</a> of utterly offensive anti-Christian rhetoric, is the last person the Pentagon should be taking advice from in setting policy affecting the rights of our men and women in the military to express their faith. Join the ACLJ in sending a message to President Obama and Secretary of Defense Hagel, that this type of attack on the faith of our brave men and women in uniform should not be tolerated.  Take a stand to defend the religious freedom of those who are sacrificing everything to defend our freedoms.  <a href="http://aclj.org/free-speech-2/protect-religious-freedom-in-military" target="_self">Sign the petition to defend religious liberty in the military.</a> Thu, 02 May 2013 22:04:00 GMT http://aclj.org/free-speech-2/describe-christians-military-monsters-who-terrorize Abortion Industry Seeks to Profit from Gosnell Infanticide The abortion industry is actively seeking to profit from the horrific infanticide abortionist Kermit Gosnell committed and the public outrage his case has caused. Gosnell stands accused of murdering babies born alive after botched abortions in unspeakable ways and allowing <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2013/04/10/philadelphia-abortion-clinic-horror-column/2072577/">100 illegal late-term abortions</a> to be committed in his clinic.  Yet the abortion industry, <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/US/abortion-doctor-kermit-gosnell-condemned-pro-abortion-rights/story?id=18958384#.UXlRU4Lzhu_">Planned Parenthood</a>, <a href="http://www.prochoiceamerica.org/media/press-releases/2013/pr04162013-gosnell.html">NARAL Pro-Choice America</a>, and the <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/US/abortion-doctor-kermit-gosnell-condemned-pro-abortion-rights/story?id=18958384&page=2#.UXlJ0YLzhu8">National Abortion Federation</a> are out to make a profit from this tragedy. In each of their statements giving lip-service condemnation to Gosnell, the abortion industry and its <a href="http://takingnote.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/15/kermit-gosnell-and-reproductive-care/">ardent supporters in the mainstream media</a> took the opportunity (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yeA_kHHLow">never let a crisis go to waste</a>, right?) to call for more abortion, for less medical regulation on abortion, and for taxpayer funded abortion. <a href="http://www.prochoiceamerica.org/media/press-releases/2013/pr04162013-gosnell.html">NARAL</a> put it this way: <blockquote> This [Gosnell’s case] is why we work every day to protect the constitutional rights of women to access legal and safe abortion care regardless of income [i.e. paid for by tax dollars] and geography [i.e. more abortion clinics]. . . . When states go to extreme lengths to restrict abortion [i.e. limits on late-term abortions and health standard requirements], unscrupulous providers like Gosnell are often a woman's last resort. </blockquote> Essentially, if our tax dollars directly funded abortion (more so than they already do), if late term abortions were legal, and if there were relaxed medical standards for abortion clinics, the atrocities Gosnell committed wouldn’t have happened. No.  They just wouldn’t have been caught.  What he did would have been perfectly legal and paid for by our tax dollars. <a href="http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/04/22/Planned-Parenthood-and-NARAL-On-Gosnell-Abortion-Clinics-Need-Fewer-Restrictions" target="_blank">Planned Parenthood’s president Cecile Richards</a>, said it more directly: <blockquote> My fear is that if the House of Representatives is successful and they put Planned Parenthood completely out of business, which is their goal, we are going to see more stories like this, because we are going to see women who will be desperate to terminate a pregnancy, and they will go anywhere to do it. </blockquote> Planned Parenthood is saying, if don’t give them your tax dollars, the Gosnells of the world will run rampant.  They are attempting to profit from Gosnell’s atrocities. Make no mistake; if Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry got what it is asking for in response to Gosnell’s actions, it would literally profit.  More federal funding and less safety requirements for abortion clinics equals one thing: more money for the abortion industry - more money for the largest abortion provider in America, Planned Parenthood - more money for abortionists. So while the rest of the nation looks on aghast as the <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/why-the-gosnell-trial-shocks/2013/04/13/82afcfb4-a3e9-11e2-82bc-511538ae90a4_story.html" target="_blank">horror of abortion is exposed</a>, Planned Parenthood <a href="http://www.lifenews.com/2013/04/17/planned-parenthood-hosts-sold-out-fundraiser-near-gosnell-trial/" target="_blank">holds a sold-out fundraiser</a> for its abortion business <a href="https://maps.google.com/maps?client=firefox-a&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&gl=us&daddr=National+Constitution+Center,+525+Arch+St,+Philadelphia,+PA+19106&saddr=3801+Lancaster+Ave,+Philadelphia,+PA+19104&panel=1&f=d&fb=1&dirflg=d&geocode=Kc821lxUxsaJMe4_wY-8Q9Wk%3BIXLfIqgsyEjm&ei=nVV5UapU6sbRAeOEgaAP&ved=0CD8Q-A8wAA" target="_blank">just down the street</a> from Gosnell’s “House of Horrors” where it admitted it <a target="_blank" href="http://www.lifenews.com/2013/04/21/planned-parenthood-knew-of-kermit-gosnells-abortion-horrors/">knew</a> Gosnell was running an atrocious clinic and said nothing. Planned Parenthood to this day <a href="http://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/issues/abortion-access/federal-and-state-bans-and-restrictions-on-abortion/" target="_blank">opposes</a> laws that make much of what Gosnell did illegal.  It still opposes the Federal Partial Birth Abortion Ban.  Planned Parenthood opposes what it calls “<a href="http://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/issues/abortion-access/federal-and-state-bans-and-restrictions-on-abortion/" target="_blank">onerous and unnecessary regulations on abortion providers</a>” – i.e. medical health requirements aimed at preventing the barbaric acts and unsanitary conditions of abortion clinics like Gosnell’s.  In other words, Planned Parenthood not only opposes the laws that made much of what Gosnell did illegal but it also opposes health regulations that could have shut Gosnell’s clinic down long ago. <a href="http://aclj.org/planned-parenthood/taxpayer-abortion-mill" target="_self">Planned Parenthood</a> receives nearly half it’s billion-dollar annual budget from our tax dollars, and they are using Gosnell’s atrocities to demand more.  Planned Parenthood is profiting off of our tax dollars, profiting off of hundreds of thousands of abortion, and seeking to increase their profit off of this horrendous case. It is time our tax dollars stop funding Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry.  <a href="http://aclj.org/planned-parenthood/stopping-abortion-ending-planned-parenthood-taxpayer-funds" target="_self">Sign the petition to defund Planned Parenthood today.</a> Thu, 25 Apr 2013 20:12:00 GMT http://aclj.org/planned-parenthood/abortion-industry-seeks-profit-gosnell-infanticide “Pro-Choice” Radicals: Gosnell Infanticide Mere “Malpractice” Over the weekend ACLJ Executive Director Jordan Sekulow and I <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/why-the-gosnell-trial-shocks/2013/04/13/82afcfb4-a3e9-11e2-82bc-511538ae90a4_story.html" target="_blank">wrote a column for the Washington Post</a> on how the horrors of the Gosnell post-birth abortion trial is exposing the illogic of abortion. In response, the overwhelming consensus of “pro-choice” readers (aside from the irony of claiming the Washington Post now has a pro-life bias) was that Gosnell’s trial is about “medical malpractice,” not abortion and murder. Abortionist Kermit Gosnell is charged with capital murder for the horrific slaying of seven newborn infants in his abortion clinic.  That’s right; he is on trial for infanticide, yet the radical Left says this is merely a case of “malpractice.” One radical leftist <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/why-the-gosnell-trial-shocks/2013/04/13/82afcfb4-a3e9-11e2-82bc-511538ae90a4_story.html" target="_blank">summed it up</a> this way:  “The issue has nothing to do with abortion. It is malpractice as several comments have pointed out.” That’s not pro-choice or even pro-abortion; that’s pro-infanticide.  To them the real travesty of the Gosnell case is that he botched the abortion such that the baby was born-alive. This is the pro-abortion agenda.  Their mantra continues to be abortion, on demand, even after birth, and without apology.  It’s sick. The horrors of the Gosnell trial and the “pro-choice” extremists’ response is exposing abortion for what it is.  As we explained in our <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/why-the-gosnell-trial-shocks/2013/04/13/82afcfb4-a3e9-11e2-82bc-511538ae90a4_story.html" target="_blank">column</a>: <blockquote> In what can only be described as a “house of horrors,” abortion provider Kermit Gosnell stands trial in Philadelphia, charged with the grotesque murder of at least seven infants, allegedly born alive after botched abortions only to be brutally killed moments later. As this nearly month-long trial continues, it paints the stark and unmistakably abhorrent reality of abortion. While the national mainstream media has been all but silent about this trial, the headlines coming from local media coverage have been morbidly graphic. Babies born alive and then allegedly killed in truly barbaric ways. The details emerging from this trial are too graphic for us to even put into words, yet our society allows this same unspeakable torture of another human being to occur just so long as the baby is still inside the womb. The Gosnell trial in conjunction with a Planned Parenthood lobbyist’s recent admission that the abortion giant has no issue with this life-ending practice is lifting the veil of secrecy from an industry long shrouded from public scrutiny. </blockquote> <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/why-the-gosnell-trial-shocks/2013/04/13/82afcfb4-a3e9-11e2-82bc-511538ae90a4_story.html" target="_blank">Continue reading and share this article that has pro-abortion radicals so riled up.</a> Sun, 14 Apr 2013 17:31:00 GMT http://aclj.org/planned-parenthood/pro-choice-radicals-gosnell-infanticide-mere-malpractice U.S. Can't Win Peace by Funding Terrorists Despite objections by members of Congress and the American people, President Obama is headed down a dangerous road by providing sequester-era stimulus for radical, anti-American foreign governments. . . . We are told we don't have enough money for White House tours and are cutting our military, yet we are sending hundreds of millions of our tax dollars to radical regimes overseas. This funding poses a significant threat to national security and stability in the Middle East. It is also an injustice to the millions of hardworking American taxpayers who continue to suffer financially in the anemic economic recovery. . . . <a href="http://washingtonexaminer.com/u.s.-cant-win-peace-by-funding-terrorists/article/2526924" target="_blank">Continue reading this article, by ACLJ attorney Matthew Clark, on Washington Examiner.</a> Fri, 12 Apr 2013 15:15:53 GMT http://aclj.org/radical-islam/us-cant-win-peace-funding-terrorists Thousands Send a Message: Pastor Saeed is Not Forgotten While Pastor Saeed Abedini continues to be refused medical care (after transporting him to a hospital for a few hours, Iranian authorities claimed there was no doctor available <a href="http://aclj.org/iran/american-pastor-saeed-denied-medical-care-not-forgotten" target="_self">and sent him back to Evin</a> Prison yesterday), he has not been forgotten by throngs of supporters around the world. In just 24 hours after launching our campaign urging people around the world to write letters directly to Pastor Saeed, well over 15,000 people have already submitted their <a href="http://savesaeed.org/" target="_blank">letters at SaveSaeed.org</a>.  This latest public advocacy campaign is quickly becoming one of the largest letter writing efforts for an imprisoned Christian. The idea is simple: encourage Pastor Saeed and let the Iranian authorities know that the world is watching, waiting for it to release this persecuted pastor. We know these letter writing campaigns can have a tremendous effect.  As Maryam and Marziyeh, two women who were imprisoned in Evin for their Christian faith, <a href="http://aclj.org/RadioPlayer/letting-pastor-saeed-know-he-not-forgotten/Player" target="_self">told Jordan Sekulow</a> on our daily radio program today and explained in their new book <a href="http://captiveiniran.com/" target="_blank">Captive in Iran</a>, these letters really do make a difference. If you have not already done so, send Pastor Saeed a letter of encouragement for his birthday.  On May 7th, he will be 33 years old, but unfortunately he may be forced to celebrate that special day in prison - in Iran - apart from his wife and kids. The process is simple; write a short letter using our online form letting Pastor Saeed know you are thinking and praying for him.  We have also provided you suggested language that you can send: <blockquote> Pastor Saeed, I want to send you a message of hope, to let you know that I am thinking of you, praying for you, and standing with the millions of others around the world who are advocating for your immediate release.  No one should be imprisoned for their religious beliefs.  Your grace and courage are an inspiration to me and many others.  God bless you. Sincerely, [Your Name] </blockquote> It is that easy, and we will take care of sending the letters to Pastor Saeed. As tens of thousands of people send Pastor Saeed these letter (and we are receiving more letters every minute), the pressure increases on Iran.  Let Pastor Saeed know he is not forgotten.  Write him a letter today, and share this critical tool with your friends.  <a href="http://savesaeed.org/" target="_blank">Go to SaveSaeed.org and click on the “Write Saeed a letter” tab.</a> Tue, 09 Apr 2013 19:23:00 GMT http://aclj.org/iran/thousands-send-message-pastor-saeed-not-forgotten Planned Parenthood Reeling After Infanticide Support Exposed Even pro-choice legislators were disgusted after Planned Parenthood <a href="http://aclj.org/planned-parenthood/planned-parenthood-stunning-honesty-post-birth-abortions" target="_self">argued last week</a> against a state law that would require abortionists to ensure that a baby who is born alive after a botched abortion receives lifesaving medical care. Florida Representative Mike Clelland, a Democrat, stated, “I've been pro-choice my whole life, and I can't think of a more sensible bill in this regard.” In disbelief, he asked the Planned Parenthood lobbyist, “Does Planned Parenthood have an objection to a doctor being obligated to provide advanced life support in an abortion clinic setting to a child born alive?  I mean, I guess you do or you wouldn't be here, right?”  This pro-choice legislator continued, “What objection could you possibly have to obligate a doctor to transport a child born alive to a hospital where it seems to me they would be most likely to be able to survive?” You can watch our video compilation of the outrageous exchange <a href="http://aclj.org/planned-parenthood/planned-parenthood-stunning-honesty-post-birth-abortions" target="_self">here</a>. Planned Parenthood <a href="http://www.ppaction.org/site/PageServer?pagename=fl_fappa_website_news&utm_content=FAPPA&utm_campaign=ppact" target="_blank">began backpedaling</a> following the hearing, claiming that this situation represents a “vague set of extremely unlikely and highly unusual medical circumstances.”  Yet, right now there is an ongoing trial in Philadelphia of an abortionist, <a href="http://www.lifenews.com/2013/03/29/gosnell-attorney-goes-into-hysterics-to-defends-the-abortion-doc/" target="_blank">Kermit Gosnell</a>, who is charged with 7 counts of first degree murder for committing precisely this, post-birth abortion of newborn infants after botched abortions. “Of course Planned Parenthood would provide appropriate care to both the woman and the infant,” Planned Parenthood now <a href="http://www.ppaction.org/site/PageServer?pagename=fl_fappa_website_news&utm_content=FAPPA&utm_campaign=ppact" target="_blank">says</a>.  Really?  That’s not what your lobbyist said. If this is really your position then why does Planned Parenthood oppose a bill that simply requires that newborn infants receive medical care even when they are born after a botched abortion?  They vehemently and publicly apposed this measure … that is until today. In a stunning reversal Planned Parenthood has now announced that they “<a href="http://www.ppaction.org/site/PageServer?pagename=fl_fappa_website_news&utm_content=FAPPA&utm_campaign=ppact" target="_blank">withdraw our opposition</a>” to the bill. They were exposed.  Their true agenda was brought before the American people, and they had no choice but to publicly reverse their position. Their hundreds of millions of our tax dollars are at stake, and Planned Parenthood is reeling. One day they support infanticide; a week later they don’t?  Their reprehensible position was exposed, forcing them back on their heels.  But don’t think for one minute that they won’t oppose similar legislation in other states.  They have been opposing <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2007/07/obama-abortion-/" target="_blank">similar legislation</a> in other states around the nation for year.  They <a href="http://supreme.lp.findlaw.com/supreme_court/docket/2006/november/05-1382-gonzales-v-planned-parenthood.html" target="_blank">opposed</a> the federal partial-birth abortion ban.  The abortion mill hasn’t met a restriction, any restriction, on abortion they could support.  Period. Do they deserve our tax dollars? Here are the <a href="http://aclj.org/media-abortion-distortion-plays-abortion-industry-deception" target="_self">facts</a>: <ul> <li>Planned Parenthood performs 333,000 abortions a year, making it the largest abortion provider in America.</li> <li>A majority of their clinic income comes from committing abortion.</li> <li>They give out over 1.4 million abortion pills – subsidized by our tax dollars.</li> <li>They spend millions of dollars lobbying for more of our tax dollars and against any restriction on abortion.</li> <li>They are facing charges of perpetrating hundreds of millions of dollars of fraudulent overbilling of taxpayers in courts all across the nation.</li> <li>They have been exposed helping minors hide abortions from their parents.</li> <li>They support sex selective abortions.</li> <li>Last week they publicly supported infanticide.</li> </ul> Planned Parenthood’s façade has been removed and their true purpose exposed: abortion, any and all abortion, on demand without apology. They have lost the public trust and certainty don’t deserved the public’s money.  <a href="http://aclj.org/planned-parenthood/stopping-abortion-ending-planned-parenthood-taxpayer-funds" target="_self">Sign the petition to defund Planned Parenthood.</a> Thu, 04 Apr 2013 22:33:18 GMT http://aclj.org/planned-parenthood/planned-parenthood-reeling-after-infanticide-support-exposed Planned Parenthood’s Stunning Honesty About Post-Birth Abortions In a stunning moment of honesty for an organization that is usually so careful to cloak its abortion practice with other more benign services, Planned Parenthood publicly supported allowing a baby born alive after a botched abortion to be killed. A lobbyist for Planned Parenthood affiliates in Florida testified last week against legislation aimed at protecting the life of an infant born alive after an attempted abortion. Here is the actual testimony of Planned Parenthood lobbyist Alisa LaPolt Snow to Florida legislators, as reported by the <a href="http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/video-planned-parenthood-official-argues-right-post-birth-abortion_712198.html" target="_blank">Weekly Standard</a>: <blockquote> "[I]t is just really hard for me to even ask you this question because I’m almost in disbelief," said Rep. Jim Boyd. "If a baby is born on a table as a result of a botched abortion, what would Planned Parenthood want to have happen to that child that is struggling for life?” "We believe that any decision that's made should be left up to the woman, her family, and the physician," said Planned Parenthood lobbyist Snow. . . . Rep. Jose Oliva followed up, asking the Planned Parenthood official, "You stated that a baby born alive on a table as a result of a botched abortion that that decision should be left to the doctor and the family. Is that what you’re saying?” Again, Snow replied, “That decision should be between the patient and the health care provider.” </blockquote> She unmistakably repeats her answer several times.  The official position of Planned Parenthood is that life of a baby born alive after a botched abortion, struggling for life on the abortion clinic table, should be legally in the hands of the doctor, the mother, and her family – despite the fact that the baby has now been born.  Then, after these repeated assertions, she appears to suddenly realize what she has been openly advocating. She was asked one final time be Representative Oliva, “I think that at that point the patient would be the child struggling on the table, wouldn’t you agree?”  The Planned Parenthood lobbyist suddenly changed her answer, "That’s a very good question. I really don’t know how to answer that.” Disgusting and despicable. There is no other way to describe it.  A human being grasping for life deserves all the protection of the law.  There is no other possible answer. Yet, Planned Parenthood has no problem with, and in fact opposes a law aimed to prevent, infanticide.  Of course this comes from the same group that called President Obama, who <a href="http://www.lifenews.com/2012/08/23/new-audio-surfaces-of-obama-defending-infanticide-in-illinois/" target="_blank">opposed similar legislation</a> when he was in the Illinois state house, their “<a href="http://aclj.org/planned-parenthood/president-obama-planned-parenthood-champion-abortion" target="_self">champion</a>.” Even more disturbing, the Planned Parenthood lobbyist later admitted when asked about how Planned Parenthood clinics handle a baby born alive after a botched abortion, “We don’t know how prevalent this situation is.” As this is an organization which receives nearly <a href="http://aclj.org/planned-parenthood/taxpayer-abortion-mill" target="_self">half its annual budget</a> from taxpayers, this is a question that deserves an answer. Of course Planned Parenthood is usually very careful, and <a href="http://aclj.org/media-abortion-distortion-plays-abortion-industry-deception" target="_self">unfortunately effective</a>, in cloaking its abortion mill business in other terms.  The fact of the matter is that Planned Parenthood is the largest abortion provider in America. Planned Parenthood would have you believe that none of your tax dollars (half their budget) in any way help, support, fund or prop up their abortion business. If you found out that the local baseball team received half of its funding from tax dollars, but that those dollars only went to fund “non-baseball” related services such as food (concessions), clothing (fan gear), information and counseling services (program guides and ushers), and building services (the stadium and parking lot), wouldn’t you find that a bit disingenuous? Obviously, any time you provide significant funds to an organization with a singular, overwhelming focus (<a href="http://aclj.org/media-abortion-distortion-plays-abortion-industry-deception" target="_self">a majority of Planned Parenthood’s clinic income comes from abortion</a>) you are propping up that organization and their primary function. The sad irony in this situation is that our tax dollars could very well be paying this Planned Parenthood <a href="http://aclj.org/planned-parenthood/why-does-planned-parenthood-need-nearly-half-billion-tax-dollars" target="_self">lobbyist’s salary</a> to advocate against laws protecting children from infanticide. Planned Parenthood doesn’t deserve a dime of our tax dollars, and this is just one more piece of disturbing evidence that brings this point home. <a href="http://aclj.org/planned-parenthood/stopping-abortion-ending-planned-parenthood-taxpayer-funds" target="_self">Sign the petition to defund Planned Parenthood’s abortion business today.</a> Mon, 01 Apr 2013 19:19:00 GMT http://aclj.org/planned-parenthood/planned-parenthood-stunning-honesty-post-birth-abortions The Road to Peace Cannot be Paved by Funding Terrorists The Obama Administration has embarked down a dangerous road of “<a href="http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/03/26/rewarding-hate-intolerance-and-broken-promises-with-taxpayer-dollars/" target="_blank">sequester-era stimulus for radical foreign governments</a>.”  The Administration is sending a <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/03/25/administration-moves-500m-in-palestinian-aid-as-agencies-scramble-to-delay-1823258958/" target="_blank">half a billion dollars</a> to the terrorist-led Palestinian Authority, <a href="http://aclj.org/radical-islam/aid-muslim-brotherhood-egypt-were-slowing-down" target="_self">$250 million</a> to Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood led government, and shipments of some of our most powerful and sophisticated <a href="http://aclj.org/middle-east-turmoil/fighter-jets-muslim-brotherhood" target="_self">weaponry of war</a> to that same anti-Israel Egyptian government. All of this taxpayer funding of radical regimes has been over the strong objections of Congress and the American people. Now, the Obama Administration is asking Congress to approve an additional <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/03/25/administration-moves-500m-in-palestinian-aid-as-agencies-scramble-to-delay-1823258958/" target="_blank">$200 million</a> in funding for the terrorist-led Palestinian Authority. At a time when budget cuts are critically necessary, where are our priorities as a nation?  Why are we sending billions upon billions of our tax dollars to radical regimes - regimes which pose a significant threat to stability in the Middle East and continually spew hate and call for the destruction of our ally Israel? Not only do these funds dangerously prop up a Palestinian unity government with the vile terrorist group Hamas, which has continually lobbed rockets at Israeli civilians, a portion of those funds are directed toward Palestinian “<a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/03/25/administration-moves-500m-in-palestinian-aid-as-agencies-scramble-to-delay-1823258958/" target="_blank">law enforcement</a>.”  This type of funding has been repeatedly criticized as the “<a href="http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Op-EdContributors/Article.aspx?id=185979" target="_blank">US training Israel’s enemies</a>.” As ACLJ Chief Counsel Jay Sekulow wrote on <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/03/26/rewarding-hate-intolerance-and-broken-promises-with-taxpayer-dollars/" target="_blank">FoxNews.com</a>, “It is difficult to overstate the absurdity of these gifts. . . . The pattern of American foreign aid now becoming clear:  We borrow billions from China to subsidize and even prop up regimes that defy us at every turn.” If there is one thing that history has taught us, it’s that we can never hope to achieve any real peace by funding the sworn enemies of our allies and those who wish our destruction. The road to peace cannot be paved by funding terrorists. This message must be made loud and clear to our leaders in Congress and in the White House: Stop funding the Muslim Brotherhood; stop funding jihad.  <a href="http://aclj.org/radical-islam/sequester-muslim-brotherhood" target="_self">Sign the petition to sequester radical regimes today.</a> Wed, 27 Mar 2013 20:21:00 GMT http://aclj.org/war-on-terror/road-to-peace-cannot-paved-funding-terrorists For this President, Support for Israel is Breaking News I, along with I am sure many others, just received a breaking news alert from the Wall Street Journal on President Obama’s trip to Israel.  The headline: “Obama: Israel has a Right to Defend Itself.” Nothing could be a clearer example of the sad state of affairs of this Administration’s <a href="http://aclj.org/israel/iran-calls-israel-cancerous-tumor-obama" target="_self">abysmal record on Israel</a> than this.  It is breaking news that the President of the United States has acknowledged that our greatest ally in the Middle East has the <a href="http://aclj.org/israel/israel-right-self-defense-legal-brief" target="_self">right to defend itself</a>. From the <a href="http://aclj.org/israel/protect-israel-defeating-chuck-hagel-nomination-secretary-defense" target="_self">anti-Israel Hagel</a> nomination to <a href="http://aclj.org/israel/obama-must-defend-israel-not-caution-our-most-important-ally" target="_self">cautioning</a> Israel on how it deals with Iran’s nuclear program, President Obama’s “support” for Israel has been lackluster at best and has <a href="http://aclj.org/israel/did-president-obama-promise-the-palestinian-authority-statehood" target="_self">emboldened Israel's sworn enemies</a> to action. In five years as President, this is the first trip by President Obama to Israel.  His absence from Israel while at the same time making his trip to radical Egypt one of the first key moments of his Presidency has certainly not gone unnoticed by the Israeli people and those who would have them destroyed. The President has made his priorities clear over the past five years, and one trip to Israel and a press conference doesn’t change that fact. The American people expect more than mere words Mr. President. Wed, 20 Mar 2013 21:14:54 GMT http://aclj.org/israel/president-support-israel-breaking-news Members of Congress Condemn State Department’s “Deafening and Almost Cowardly Silence” At Friday’s <a href="http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/29990861" target="_blank">congressional hearing</a> Members of Congress scolded the State Department for its unwillingness to appear and testify on behalf of imprisoned U.S. citizen, Pastor Saeed Abedini.  Each of the members of the bipartisan Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission expressed concern about the State Department’s lack of involvement. Chairman Frank Wolf (R-VA) derided the State Department’s utter lack of engagement and refusal to appear before the Commission.  Congressman Trent Franks (R-AZ) stated that the State Department should be “utterly ashamed” of its “deafening and almost cowardly silence” about this U.S. citizen.  Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) reiterated, Thank you Dr. Sekulow for reminding us that the State Department is ‘AWOL.’”  Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) said, “I hope, I don’t know, but I hope that there are efforts being taken” by the State Department.  “I think you should know about” them. At the conclusion of the hearing Chairman Wolf reported that Secretary of State John Kerry’s office told him during the hearing that Secretary Kerry would be calling the Congressman later that day or over the weekend. As of this morning, Congressman Wolf’s office reported that Secretary Kerry still has yet to call the Congressman. Following that hearing, the State Department <a href="http://www.religionnews.com/2013/03/15/critics-say-state-department-is-awol-on-irans-religious-freedom/" target="_blank">told the media</a>, “We believe we are doing everything we can publicly and privately.” Unfortunately, this statement from the State Department is patently and undeniably false.  The State Department refused to send anyone to the Congressional hearing to stand up for Pastor Saeed.  When the U.S. delegation at the United Nations had the opportunity to present a statement about the state of human rights in Iran, in response to a U.N. report that actually mentioned Pastor Saeed’s plight, the U.S. State Department was silent about Pastor Saeed’s case.  As Congressman Franks <a href="http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/29990861" target="_blank">noted</a> at the hearing, the State Department has yet to respond to a bipartisan letter from more than 80 Senators and Representatives urging its engagement for Pastor Saeed – a letter that was sent more than a month ago. The Obama Administration – the White House, the State Department, and Secretary Kerry – has not once made a proactive statement demanding Pastor Saeed’s freedom.  Every statement to date from this Administration has been reactive, merely as a response to media inquiries. The State Department’s failure to take adequate action publicly and proactively, clearly falling far short of “everything we can,” does not give confidence that they are doing more privately to advance Pastor Saeed’s cause and to bring him home to his wife and children safely. It has been Congress that has <a href="http://aclj.org/iran/congress-makes-strong-bipartisan-call-pastor-saeed-release" target="_self">taken the lead</a> publicly on behalf of the United States government, not the State Department. In addition to the numerous bipartisan letters and statements, the Commission has provided an invaluable opportunity to elevate Pastor Saeed’s case within our own government. We are especially grateful to Chairman Wolf, and Representatives Franks, Smith, Bonamici, Robert Aderholt (R-AL), and Raúl Labrador (R-ID) for participating in Friday’s hearing and for being a tremendous voice for religious liberty around the world. It is also important to note that two other Members of Congress sent in statements to be made a part of the official record of the Commission hearing: House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA), who is not a member of the Commission, and Representative Randy Forbes (R-VA), Chairman of the Congressional Prayer Caucus. Majority Leader Cantor’s statement: <blockquote> "I want to thank the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission for holding this important hearing and for shining a light on Iran's brutal repression of its own people.  I also want to express my sympathies to Naghmeh Abedini, the wife of Pastor Saeed Abedini, who languishes today inside Iran's notorious Evin Prison for the crime of practicing Christianity.   Many Americans understand that Iran's pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability poses a threat to its neighbors and to the United States.  And many others know that Iran is the world's most active state sponsor of terrorism, and provides lethal support to Hizballah, HAMAS, and other radical terrorist groups Less appreciated is the grave and continuing threat the brutal regime in Tehran poses to its own people.  Iran's clerical regime relies on surveillance, intimidation, repression, and violence to punish and control political dissent.  But the gross human rights abuses in Iran are not confined to those who publicly challenge the authoritarian nature of the regime or dare to express their personal political views.  The regime commits atrocities against those whose only crime is that they seek to exercise their inherent right to practice their own religion.  Christians, Jews, Baha'i, and Muslim minorities alike have been targeted by Iran's radical Shiite government for doing little more than praying to their own god. Our thoughts and prayers are with Pastor Saeed and all of Iran's prisoners of conscience, and we call today for their immediate release." </blockquote> Congressman Forbes’ Statement: <blockquote> Mr. Chairman, religious freedom is a basic fundamental human right and one of the core principles upon which this great nation was founded.  I am deeply dismayed that one of our own citizens, Saeed Abedini, has had this fundamental right so roundly violated.  I applaud the Commission for highlighting Pastor Saeed’s case today and condemn the Iranian Regime’s wrongful detainment and imprisonment of him.  I call on my colleagues in the U.S. government and the international community to stand together for Pastor Saeed’s immediate and unconditional release and exoneration.  I specifically request that the President and the Secretary of State fully engage in the effort to free Pastor Saeed, and I urge all Americans to use this opportunity to remember the countless others who are persecuted for their faith around the world. </blockquote> Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) even <a href="https://twitter.com/RoyBlunt/status/312721533602779136" target="_blank">tweeted</a>, “Pres Obama & the State Dept can - and must - do more to bring about immediate release of #PastorSaeed. cc @ACLJ.”  It is time for the State Department to end its near silence on Pastor Saeed’s case and fully engage this issue publicly and privately.  For a U.S. citizen abused and suffering from internal bleeding, time is of the essence. Mon, 18 Mar 2013 22:25:00 GMT http://aclj.org/iran/members-congress-condemn-state-department-deafening-almost-cowardly-silence Pastor Saeed’s Wife: Iran Doesn’t “Know Who They’re Dealing With” Pastor Saeed’s wife, Naghmeh, spoke with CBN News and Fox News in interviews that aired this past week, sharing her personal story. She shared about the struggle she and her two young children have faced here in the U.S. as her husband, Pastor Saeed, languishes in an Iranian prison because of his Christian faith. In the video above she shares how she first came to know and fall in love with Saeed, about the passion for Christ he exuded, and the struggle her family faces during this trying time. When <a href="http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/March/Saeeds-Wife-Iran-Doesnt-Know-Who-Theyre-Dealing-With/">asked by CBN News</a> about Iran’s attempt for force Pastor Saeed to renounce his faith, she responded, “They don't know who they're dealing with. It almost made me smile. He would never renounce his faith.” In addition to her personal story, she was able to share her frustration about the initial lack of response she has received from the U.S. government. Pointedly, <a href="http://aclj.org/iran/pastor-saeed-story-on-fox-news">Fox News</a> directly asked her about her personal phone conversation with President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry, to which she honestly answered that she had not received a call from either. She also shared how their children miss their daddy and cry for his return. You can watch the Fox News report below. <center><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/zg3k2Jz9lgU" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="236" width="420"></iframe></center> Please share these impactful interviews with Pastor Saeed’s wife.  Help us reach 500,000 signatures for Pastor Saeed’s release by <a href="http://aclj.org/iran/save-american-pastor-from-iranian-prison-sentence">signing the petiton to #SaveSaeed today</a>. Mon, 11 Mar 2013 18:39:08 GMT http://aclj.org/iran/pastor-saeed-wife-iran-doesnt-know-who-theyre-dealing Saeed’s Orphanage in Iran, the Hidden Casualty of his Wrongful Imprisonment Not only is an American family without their husband and father, Iranian orphans are also being negatively impacted by the unlawful imprisonment of Pastor Saeed Abedini. Pastor Saeed was arrested on one of his many trips in recent years to Iran where he was working to establish an orphanage (pictured above) to help children in need. Now, because Saeed is wrongfully imprisoned, this orphanage can’t open. The dozen children this orphanage was intended to house and care for are left without a home. The sad irony is that Saeed actually had the permission of the Iranian government to establish this orphanage in Iran. He had been working directly with the Iranians ensure that his worked complied with Iranian law and was authorized. The purpose of this particular trip was to gain approval for the last board member for the orphanage. Many children in Iran, as in all parts of the world, experience the devastation of being left without family to care for them. Pastor Saeed’s passion was to ensure that children in his native country had the care they desperately need. That has now been put in jeopardy by Saeed’s wrongful conviction and imprisonment. <img src="http://images.aclj.org/saeed_group_image.jpg" alt="Orphans affected by Saeed's wrongful imprisonment" align="middle" height="240" width="320" /> These children deserve better. Saeed deserves better. <a href="http://aclj.org/iran/save-american-pastor-from-iranian-prison-sentence">Sign the petition to Save Saeed</a> and <a href="http://savesaeed.org">share it through SaveSaeed.org</a>. Fri, 08 Mar 2013 20:19:13 GMT http://aclj.org/iran/saeed-orphanage-iran-hidden-casualty-his-wrongful-imprisonment Secretary of State Kerry Admits “No Guarantee” U.S. Arms Won’t go to Jihadists As Jay Sekulow, ACLJ Chief Counsel, wrote for <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/03/04/secretary-kerry-now-is-not-time-to-give-money-to-egypt-muslim-brotherhood/" target="_blank">FoxNews.com</a> yesterday, Secretary of State John Kerry’s decision to award radical Muslim Brotherhood-led Egypt a quarter of a billion dollars in new aid on the backs of American taxpayers is “<a href="http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/03/04/secretary-kerry-now-is-not-time-to-give-money-to-egypt-muslim-brotherhood/" target="_blank">exactly the wrong move</a>.” Now, Secretary Kerry is blatantly admitting the flawed reasoning behind the decisions to fund and arm radical regimes.  While in Saudi Arabia, Secretary Kerry admitted that there was “<a href="http://cnsnews.com/news/article/kerry-no-guarantee-weapons-us-allies-won-t-go-jihadists" target="_blank">no guarantee</a>” that weapons we provide to Islamic nations won’t fall into the hands of jihadists. Not only is this alarming in light of his decision to provide new funding for Egypt, but it is even more disconcerting because the Obama Administration is <a href="http://aclj.org/war-on-terror/arming-enemy-violates-basic-moral-law-foreign-policy" target="_self">escalating</a> their gift of <a href="http://aclj.org/middle-east-turmoil/fighter-jets-muslim-brotherhood" target="_self">sophisticated tanks and F-16 fighter jets to Egypt</a>. The unfortunate reality is Secretary Kerry is exactly right; when we give advanced weapons to radical Islamic regimes, there is “no guarantee” that they won’t in fact be used against our allies. In fact, there is a strong likelihood that these weapons will be used by our enemies against our allies.  Egypt’s radical president Mohammed Morsi has repeatedly decried Israel, our strongest ally in the Middle East, as “criminal Zionists,” “occupiers of the land of Palestine,” “blood-suckers,” “warmongers,” and “<a href="http://aclj.org/middle-east-turmoil/egypt-morsi-called-boycott-products-made-american-enemies-accept-arms" target="_self">descendants of apes and pigs</a>.” The threat posed by a U.S. armed and funded Muslim Brotherhood is real and spells disaster for the Middle East, our allies, and American interests. As <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/03/04/secretary-kerry-now-is-not-time-to-give-money-to-egypt-muslim-brotherhood/" target="_blank">Jay Sekulow reiterated</a>: <blockquote> Every new F-16 or tank delivered to Egypt is another weapon that can be used to consolidate the Muslim Brotherhood’s grip on power.  Every new dollar of economic aid buys the Brotherhood more time.  For Mohammed Morsi, this aid represents far more than a marginal increase in military and economic strength, it also represents an American seal of approval and a stamp of legitimacy on his repressive regime.  Every F-16 is a propaganda victory for the Morsi regime. . . . As Egypt still struggles to determine its destiny, if we put our thumb on the scales at all, we must not do so in favor of jihadists.  The Muslim Brotherhood needs our weapons and our money.  We do not need the Muslim Brotherhood. </blockquote> We must stop sending our tax dollars to radical nations.  We must stop arming Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood.  At a time when we are making needed budget cuts to stop and out of control deficit, we shouldn’t be increasing funding for radical nations. <a target="_self" href="http://aclj.org/radical-islam/sequester-muslim-brotherhood?referringUser=7607174">Sign the Petition to Sequester the Muslim Brotherhood.</a> Tue, 05 Mar 2013 20:25:00 GMT http://aclj.org/war-on-terror/secretary-state-kerry-admits-no-guarantee-us-arms-jihadists Iran’s Continuous Blatant Violation of Pastor Saeed’s Fundamental Human Rights Iran has repeatedly and continually abused the most basic human rights of Pastor Saeed Abedini, a U.S. citizen.  For more than 160 days, Pastor Saeed has now been incarcerated in one of Iran’s most abusive and deadly prisons merely because of his religious beliefs – a blatant violation of numerous international treaties to which Iran has willingly bound itself and in violation of Iran’s own constitution. However, this is not the only violation of his human rights by any means.  Iran’s deliberate and systematic violation of Saeed’s rights is almost unbelievable.  No one should suffer this cruel fate for their religious beliefs. Among other human rights treaties, Iran has willingly signed to be bound by the <a href="http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml" target="_blank">Universal Declaration of Human Rights</a>, the <a href="http://www.ccprcentre.org/iccpr-and-hr-committee/international-covenant-on-civil-and-political-rights-iccpr/" target="_blank">International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights</a>, and <a href="http://www.oic-oci.org/english/article/human.htm" target="_blank">Cairo Declaration of Human Rights in Islam</a>.  Iran is in willful and blatant violation of each of these treaties and even its own <a href="http://www.iranchamber.com/government/laws/constitution_ch03.php" target="_blank">constitution</a>. Here are just a few of the numerous ways that Iran is egregiously violating international law and its own constitution to torment this pastor. Iran: <ul> <li>Arrested Saeed without informing him of the charges against him in violation of Article 32 of the Iranian Constitution.</li> <li>Denied access to his attorney until mere hours before his trial, making it impossible to prepare an adequate defense, in violation of his right to due process guaranteed by Article 10 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.</li> <li>Forced Saeed to undergo a sham trial before one of Iran’s infamous “hanging judges” disregarding his right to a fair trial guaranteed by Article 10 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.</li> <li>Repeatedly beating and torturing Saeed in prison in violation of Article 38 of the Iranian Constitution, Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and Article 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.</li> <li>Threatened Saeed with death for exercising his faith in violation of Article 23 of the Iranian Constitution.</li> <li>Battered with psychological torture in violation of Article 20 of the Cairo Declaration of Human Rights in Islam.</li> <li>Denied access to medical care made necessary by the physical abuse he has sustained in violation of Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.</li> <li>Prevented Saeed, along with his attorney, from attending the second day of his trial in violation of his right to a public trial in Article 165 of the Iranian Constitution, as well as Article 10 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.</li> <li>Sentenced to eight years in Evin Prison for exercising his Christian faith, a practice which is not illegal according to Iranian law and is protected by numerous international covenants to which Iran is a signatory. Articles 13, 14, and 23 of the Iranian Constitution guarantee Saeed’s right to practice his religion of choice as do Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.</li> </ul> <a href="http://www.iranchamber.com/government/laws/constitution_ch03.php" target="_blank">Article 23</a> of Iran’s own constitution provides that “investigation of individual’s beliefs is forbidden, and no one may be molested or taken to task simply for holding a certain belief.”  What began as an illegal investigation into Saeed’s beliefs has become more than 160 days of being “molested . . . simply for holding a certain belief.” Iran’s gross, willful, and egregious violation of Pastor Saeed’s human rights is an outrage.  It should incense every individual of good will around the globe.  This atrocity must not be allowed to continue unchallenged. As we continue to urge the United Nations and nations around the world to engage Pastor Saeed’s case, stand up for the basic human right of religious freedom, and urge Iran to release Pastor Saeed, please stand with us.  <a href="http://savesaeed.org/" target="_blank">Join over 400,000 people around the globe in signing the petition for his freedom at SaveSaeed.org.</a>  Please continue to pray and share Saeed’s story as together we fight for his freedom. Tue, 05 Mar 2013 17:21:50 GMT http://aclj.org/iran/iran-continuous-blatant-violation-pastor-saeed-fundamental-human-rights Ex-Inmate of Evin Prison Speaks of Torture Saeed Faces <a href="http://marinanemat.com">Marina Nemat</a> spent two years in Evin Prison in Iran for speaking out against the Islamic Republic.  She suffered intense torture by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. She joined Jay Sekulow Live! to discuss with Jordan Sekulow some of the abusive conditions faced by prisoners in Evin, prisoners like Pastor Saeed.  She has <a href="http://marinanemat.com/books.html">written two books</a> detailing the inhumane conditions she suffered in this brutal and deadly prison.  She explained, “It’s very rare, extremely rare, that somebody goes to Evin and is not beaten up.” Listen as she describes the torturous conditions she faced and that Pastor Saeed faces today because of his Christian faith. <a href="http://cb77065856ad98547a59-759f611b127203e9f2a0021aa1b7da05.r65.cf2.rackcdn.com/022613-nemat-jordan-sekulow-interview.mp3">Listen now.</a> <object data="http://c0427193.cdn2.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/player_mp3_maxi.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="20" width="200"><param value="http://c0427193.cdn2.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/player_mp3_maxi.swf" name="movie" /><param value="transparent" name="wmode" /><param value="mp3=http://cb77065856ad98547a59-759f611b127203e9f2a0021aa1b7da05.r65.cf2.rackcdn.com/022613-nemat-jordan-sekulow-interview.mp3&bgcolor1=7c7c7c&bgcolor2=333333&textcolor=FFFFFF&buttoncolor=FFFFFF&buttonovercolor=FFFF00&showvolume=1&height=20&width=200&showloading=autohide&buttonwidth=26&volume=100&showslider=1&sliderheight=10&sliderwidth=20&sliderovercolor=eeee00&volumeheight=6&volumewidth=30&loadingcolor=FFFF00" name="FlashVars" /></object> Take action to help #SaveSaeed from these deadly conditions.  <a href="http://aclj.org/iran/save-american-pastor-from-iranian-prison-sentence">Sign the petition for his freedom today.</a> Thu, 28 Feb 2013 18:08:51 GMT http://aclj.org/iran/ex-inmate-evin-prison-speaks-torture-saeed-faces Argo Takes Home Oscar, Yet American Hostage Still in Iran Sunday night Argo took home the Oscar for best motion picture, but it’s impossible not to be reminded of another American hostage still trapped in Iran, Pastor Saeed Abedini. Argo portrays the daring escape of several of the American hostages taken by Iran in 1979.  Hollywood and entertainment news are a buzz this week with talk of Iran and the American hostages. What shouldn’t be lost in all the attention garnered by this movie is that there is a real life American hostage currently trapped in Iran.  Pastor Saeed – a U.S. citizen – is now serving an eight-year sentence in Iran for his religious beliefs – a hostage in Iran’s war on Christians and other religious minorities. Despite the fact that Iran has signed numerous treaties and international obligations, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, <a href="http://aclj.org/legal-argument-why-iran-obligated-free-pastor-saeed" target="_self">and even its own constitution protects freedom of religion</a>, Iran still abuses and imprisons this pastor for his faith. Unlike in 1979, it is a lot easier for individuals to take a stand and make a difference in the life of an American hostage in Iran.  Already nearly 345,000 people have taken a stand for Pastor Saeed by signing a <a href="http://savesaeed.org/" target="_blank">petition to the United Nations for his freedom at SaveSaeed.org</a>.  Thousands more have shared his story on Twitter through the hashtag <a href="https://twitter.com/search/realtime?q=%23SaveSaeed&src=typd" target="_blank">#SaveSaeed</a>, and it is making a difference. A few months ago, Pastor Saeed was almost unknown.  Today, the U.S. State Department, White House, and numerous <a href="http://aclj.org/iran/free-saeed-roundup-american-government-responses" target="_self">American political leaders</a> have stood up calling for his release.  In addition, a number of Christian and Country music artists have taken action on Pastor Saeed’s behalf.  You can watch their videos at <a href="http://savesaeed.org/" target="_blank">SaveSaeed.org</a>. The Academy Awards’ Oscar for Argo earlier this week highlighted the oppressive and dangerous conditions in Iran, still seen today.  Ben Affleck, in his acceptance speech for the Oscar, called attention to people “<a href="http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/affleck-grants-wish-ex-ambassador-thanks-canada-acceptance-speech_703216.html" target="_blank">in Iran living in terrible circumstances right now</a>.”  One of those people is Pastor Saeed. He faces daily <a href="http://aclj.org/iran/pastor-saeed-writes-psychological-warfare-physical-violence-death-threats-iranian-prison" target="_self">psychological and physical abuse and torture</a> at the hands of his Iranian captors all because he is a Christian in the radical Islamic Republic of Iran. As the United Nations Human Rights Council prepares to meet early next month, stand up for the persecuted pastor.  Demand his freedom.  <a href="http://savesaeed.org/" target="_blank">Sign the petition at SaveSaeed.org.</a> Tue, 26 Feb 2013 15:46:00 GMT http://aclj.org/iran/argo-takes-home-oscar-american-hostage-iran