Maryland considers banning interstate abortions in light of case of N.J. doctor

[The Straight Story]

Maryland considers banning interstate abortions in light of case of N.J. doctor

BALTIMORE, Md. — Maryland lawmakers will consider legislation to ban the sort of interstate abortions performed last year by a New Jersey doctor whose license has since been suspended.

Dr. Steven Brigham operated an abortion clinic in Elkton. New Jersey regulators suspended his license after finding that he was starting late-term abortions in that state, then ferrying patients to Maryland to complete the procedures in an apparent bid to skirt New Jersey's more restrictive abortion laws.

Delegate Michael Smigiel, R-Cecil, has introduced three bills intended to prevent anything similar from happening in the future. One would mandate that an abortion begun in Maryland must be concluded in the state except during an emergency.

Smigiel's law office is half a block away from Brigham's clinic, and he said he was shocked to learn what was going on there.

...


Smigiel's other bills would require that abortions be reported to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and mandate that patients who suffer complications be transported by ambulance.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/01/maryland_considers_banning_int.html

[Odin2005]

1. "Dept. of health and MENTAL HYGENE"?!? What century are these fucks living in?

[madinmaryland]

11. Maryland is one of the bluest states in the Nation. We have a couple of small

Alabama Enclaves in the state, but that is about it.

[msanthrope]

2. The doctor in question had medical licenses revoked in NY, PA, FL, and now NJ.

Women deserve better doctors than this asshole---

"While it's common for late-term abortions to be performed over two days, documents show that Brigham didn't even tell his patients they'd be going to his clinic in Elkton, Md., about 60 miles away. He simply led a caravan of vehicles, instructing patients or their relatives to follow him, documents show.


Documents filed in Maryland suggest that Brigham and his staff frequently performed late-term abortions. A search of the Elkton clinic revealed a freezer with 35 late-term fetuses inside, including one believed to have been aborted at 36 weeks. Police who searched Brigham's offices in Voorhees found only two medical records related to those fetuses, documents show.
SNIP

A medical student who observed Brigham's work at the Elkton clinic told investigators that she saw him perform about 50 abortions there between January and August, and that the majority involved women in their second or third trimesters.
SNIP

In 1993, he botched two late-term abortions in New York, and his license was revoked for gross negligence. According to public records, a 20-year-old patient had to undergo an emergency hysterectomy, and the other patient had her colon removed.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/09/nj_abortion_doctor_had_license.html

[Liberal_in_LA]

3. what the hell? Women can drive whereever they want and get an abortion

what are they going to do? Establish state border patrols?

[dsc]

4. no and if you read the OP you would know that

what they are trying to avoid is having an abortion start in NJ and end in MD. That seems a very reasonable thing for them to do.

[Liberal_in_LA]

7. I read that. Assumed more than that. Sorry.

[dsc]

9. they appear to be targetting a really bad actor here

He seems like a real piece of work.

[DCKit]

5. A lot of people couldn't afford to get out of New Orleans to save their own lives.

I'm not trying to be snarky, but some just don't have the resources.

Wealthy girls/women from either party will always have abortion as an option.

[HockeyMom]

6. New York passed abortion rights in 1970

3 years before Roe. New Jersey didn't. I remember those days. NJ officials were constantly complaining about their women taking the PATH trains and going into NY to get abortions. They couldn't stop it back then.

It's nothing new.

[Warren DeMontague]

8. The delicate dears have to be protected from making their own decisions.

...don't they? :shrug:

[msanthrope]

10. Well, if I sign up for an abortion in NJ, I should be told that I will have to then drive

and hour away to have it completed--before I pay you.


While it's common for late-term abortions to be performed over two days, documents show that Brigham didn't even tell his patients they'd be going to his clinic in Elkton, Md., about 60 miles away. He simply led a caravan of vehicles, instructing patients or their relatives to follow him, documents show.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/09/nj_abortion_doctor_had_license.html

Women deserve better than this asshole.

[Warren DeMontague]

12. You'll get no argument from me there. Women deserve nothing less than full self-autonomy

regagrding their reproductive systems. Period.

[CC]

13. There was more than that he did abortions

started in one state and finished in another. It came out when he started one in Jersey, something went wrong so he loaded his patient in a car and brought the poor woman (in pain) here to finish. Things were even worse so he called a cab, put the poor woman in it and sent it to the local hospital 2 minutes away. He had punctured her uterus. He did not bother to go to the hospital with her, send her records or tell anyone what happened. That is what started the investigation. I'm not sure anyone knew what he was doing at his supposed clinic since the landlord had no clue and the building wasn't set up to hold a clinic. Well maybe who ever licensed him/it. They are looking into that part.

This place is so red the stupid is ingrained but there are those of us fighting them. If anyone had known about the clinic the talibornagain and the tea potty crowd would of been picketing, harassing and threatening the clinic. Hell we only got the clan out or underground a decade ago. (IMHO they are now disguised as the Tea Party Patriots.)

Our Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is a kick ass place doing a whole hell of a lot of good for those that need or use it including offering mental health services whose payments is based on your income so some get it free. Teen, no insurance or bad insurance the clinic will give you yearly gyn exams and free birth control. Condoms also available for free and as many as you want. In the waiting room and both male and female bathrooms for the easily embarrassed. Prenatal care to the uninsured and low income too plus they will help you apply for every resource they can find. They have both a doctor and midwife and the midwife is one of the nicest, caring people you'd ever want to meet. She also gives the best, most honest and direct STD, AIDS and Hepatitis talk to anyone that uses the clinic I've ever heard. I have been known to drag teen age boys there to hear it. Then there is the Drug and Alcohol Addiction services they offer. That is just one side of what they do. There is a whole other side that covers water testing, checking food places etc.
So while the name Department of Health and Mental Hygiene might sound antiquated to some it is not. Every time they talk budget cuts I fear we will lose one of our most precious resources that is badly needed. Cecil County can be backwards, small minded and full of flat out assholes but there are a lot of us working really hard under the radar to dragged it kicking and screaming into the 19th century please don't knock one of the things we got to the 21st century.

I do really wish Smegma, I mean Smigiel (Pipkin too) would disappear. They are a waste of air and resources. Course 2 other counties help keep them in office.