On March 19, Governor Tom Wolf issued his “life-sustaining businesses” list, which, in part, prohibited all elective surgical procedures by hospitals as well as ambulatory surgical facilities:

Planned Parenthood is considered an ambulatory surgical facility in Pennsylvania. Their affiliated PAC spent a record $2.5 million in 2018 to help re-elect Governor Tom Wolf, a former Planned Parenthood volunteer.

Despite Governor Wolf’s order to cease all elective surgical procedures, he gave Planned Parenthood, the state’s largest abortion business, special treatment by allowing their elective abortion operation to continue during the COVID-19 crisis.

On April 27, Governor Wolf lifted the ban on elective surgeries.

40 days.

From March 19 thru April 27, Governor Tom Wolf declared the largest abortion chain in Pennsylvania a “life-sustaining business.” Here’s some of the results from this action:

1,714*

1,714 – Estimated Abortions by Planned Parenthood in Pennsylvania during this crisis (March 19 – April 27). 
* Based on past average reporting data sent to the PA Department of Health.

$745,590*

$745,590 – Estimated revenue from these abortions.
* Low estimate based on the charge of $435 per chemical abortion (some PA locations charge $500) or surgical abortion before 12 weeks.

The absurdity of this exemption goes beyond abortion, too. On March 24th, Planned Parenthood in PA pleaded for private donations of personal protective equipment (PPE) for performing elective abortions.

Two days later (March 26), Governor Wolf made this declaration:

“We need more beds. We need more ventilators. More personal protective equipment. And so much more. And we need it as soon as possible because the virus is here.” (emphasis added)

On April 1st, he reiterated the need for certain PPE. “Right now there’s a shortage of masks.”

In a global pandemic that shut down the state and nation in order to concentrate all resources to fighting COVID-19 and stopping its spread, Governor Wolf permitted Planned Parenthood to risk further spread of the coronavirus and to take resources away from fighting the pandemic all to perform elective abortions.

In the midst of these past 40 days, nearly 10,000 Pennsylvanians signed an open letter to Governor Wolf asking him to stop Planned Parenthood from performing elective abortions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“If we are concerned with stopping the spread of the coronavirus, the prohibition of elective surgical procedures should not come with exemptions,” states the letter.

To date, Governor Wolf has made no reply. 

To read or sign the open letter, visit pafamily.org/openletter