Abortion petitioners in South Dakota have sunk to a new low as evidence reveals they are violating several state laws in order to put their radicalized abortion amendment on the ballot in November.
We already knew the pro-abortion group “Dakotans for Health” engaged in manipulation tactics to persuade and intimidate South Dakota citizens into signing their petition. Life Defense Fund published video evidence and personal testimonies that petitioners were lying to passers-by, telling them that they would be signing a “food tax bill,” when in reality they were signing the abortion petition.
If that wasn’t enough to land the group in hot water, this should be: In a letter to Rick Weiland, the sponsor of the proposed constitutional amendment, South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley stated that his office received video and photographic evidence that individuals are signing the abortion petition more than once – a direct violation of South Dakota codified law 2-1-6, which “makes it a criminal offense for a person who knows that they have already signed a constitutional amendment to sign another petition for the same constitutional amendment.”
Proponents of the constitutional amendment have also been accused of lying to signees, telling them the amendment will only make abortion legal during the first trimester, which the Attorney General’s letter noted is categorically false. Not only does it allow abortions in the second and third trimester, it also rids the industry of any and all safety measures in the first trimester – making abortions that much more unsafe for women.
The proposed constitutional amendment is radically anti-life and specifies that in the first trimester, no safety measures could be established by the legislature – no protections for the mother, no health standards, no requirement to tell parents if their 14-year-old daughter is undergoing an abortion – no safety standards whatsoever.
In the second trimester, the amendment would allow the legislature to “regulate” abortion, but only pertaining to the mother’s health – no legal measures could protect the life of the baby.
The amendment only gets worse from there. In the third trimester, the language appears to allow the protection of unborn life, but when you look closer, there’s a massive loophole: an abortion is legally justified any time a doctor believes an abortion is needed to “protect the mother’s health.” Here’s the kicker: that decision is made by an abortionist. Thus, all an abortionist needs to do is claim their patient faces a potential health risk by continuing to carry the baby, and he can legally provide an abortion with no repercussions, and no oversight.
Abortion petitioners are engaging in deceptive tactics to persuade well-meaning citizens that they are doing the right thing, even using terms like “pro-life” and “pro-family” to support their radical abortion amendment. Providing inaccurate or misleading evidence is a direct violation of SD 2-1-1.1, as the Attorney General noted, and petitioners should be held accountable for every single violation.
“Pro-life citizens, pastors and politicians must fight for life by informing every South Dakotan about the truth of this radical amendment petition and encourage people not to sign it,” Representative Jon Hansen commented. “Simply put, we need an unstoppable force of volunteers, funds and momentum if we’re going to protect women in our state. We cannot let South Dakota follow Ohio’s footsteps.”
If you’re ready to join the fight and protect mothers and babies in South Dakota, we urge you to reach out to us or Life Defense fund. We need boots on the ground who are willing to donate, volunteer, pass out flyers, and spread the word in churches and communities around South Dakota. Join the fight today:
Family Voice
Office@familyheritagealliance.org
(605) 718-5433
Life Defense Fund
www.lifedefensefund.com
(605) 951-5582
