California Family Minute

February 2, 2012

Ninth Circuit Court Overturns District Court on Prop 8 Trial Tapes

by Ron Prentice,
Chief Executive Officer

This morning the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a 24-page decision reversing Federal District Court Chief Judge James Ware’s ruling to release the Perry v. Brown trial recordings for public viewing. Appellate Judge Stephen Reinhardt found Judge Ware’s rationale to be both “implausible and illogical,” and further pointed to former Chief Judge Vaughn Walker’s “solemn” pledge to keep the recordings under seal.

Andy Pugno, general counsel for the Proposition Legal Defense Fund, remarked “an appellate court will commonly defer to the ruling of a lower court, thus a reversal is a rare occurrence. However, Judge Reinhardt refers to the lower court’s ruling as an ‘abuse of discretion,’ and adds that allowing Ware’s decision to stand would risk the integrity of the judiciary.”

We are thankful to the Ninth Circuit panel of judges for its thorough invalidation of the district court’s order, and we await the decision by the same three-judge panel regarding the constitutionality of Proposition 8. 

The one billion dollar annual budget of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America is taking a small hit to its pocketbook, but a major hit to its image. The Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure organization announced yesterday that it will not commit any funds to Planned Parenthood in 2012. Public reports show that Komen contributed nearly $600,000 to Planned Parenthood in 2010, for mammogram services. Komen states that its policies do not allow funding to organizations under investigation by local, state, or federal authorities, and there is currently a congressional inquiry to determine whether Planned Parenthood has used federal grants to fund abortions.

Ironically, studies conducted by the National Cancer Institute show a higher incidence of breast cancer in women who have undergone abortions. Perhaps Komen finally recognizes that it can no longer have ties to the most well-known provider of abortions in the U.S.

Some California legislators are not happy with the Komen move. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima) says he has worn his pink tie for the last time in support of Race for the Cure, and Representative Jackie Speier (D-San Mateo) will no longer support the organization.

For an unfriendly but documented summary of Planned Parenthood, visit Life Decisions International’s website.