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Planned Parenthood Client Speaks Amid Questions Over Director's "Change Of Heart"

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Sir
11/04/09

In reply to Planned Parenthood Client Speaks Amid Questions Over Director's "Change Of Heart"
She posted the following on her facebook page on October 6:
"Alright. Here's the deal. I've been doing the work of two full time people for two years. Then, after I have been working my whole big butt off for them and prioritizing that company over my family, my friends and pretty much everything else in my life, they have the nerve to tell me that my job performance is "slipping." WHAT???!!! That is crazy. Anyone that knows me knows how committed I was to that job. They obviously do not value me at all. So, I'm out and I feel really great about it." There are other posts alluding to her plans to quit and her frustration with the company. Smells like disgruntled employee mud-slinging to me.

It makes her story a little more cogent too... imagine dropping something that has been a big part of your life to date and feeling really hurt about it. She probably lost a few contacts and had been letting her friendships slide in favour of her work, and so when she had to let go, she needed to build a new social net. Her parents, we know, are pro-life, and she was a member of an episcopalian church... I imagine she grabbed onto the closest support she could, which happened to be a group of loud pro-lifers. If she wants to have their social support, she'll have to make some commitments and efforts for them. Hence the praying outside PP...

Of course, that's just my guess. But it seems to make sense. #abbyjohnson
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Pizza!Pizza!Pizza!
11/04/09

@Sir: You, Sir, are an ace investigator. And that makes a lot of sense. #abbyjohnson
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stina
11/04/09

In reply to Planned Parenthood Client Speaks Amid Questions Over Director's "Change Of Heart"
I am super, super involved with Planned Parenthood of Houston and Southeast Texas. I've chaired events for them, I have escorted clients during the 40 days of harrassment, I attend Lobby Day every other year, and I donate money monthly. I know a good number of the staff there, including the executive and administrative staff. NONE of her allegations ring true to me. I don't make it up to the Bryan clinic very often, but everyone I've ever worked with in the organization is passionately dedicated to women's health. Abortions make up a fraction of the healthcare services that are provided at PPHSET. The organization has recently gone through a massive capital campaign to fund the new central building in Houston, the "Party Like a Rockstar" fundraiser in August had over 400 attendees, and the annual Roe v. Wade luncheon in January is the largest luncheon in Houston, with over 1200 attendees annually. As with all not-for-profits, fundraising is always an issue, but PPHSET is doing pretty good, financially, and the allegations that she was pressured to schedule more abortions to make more money is absurd. #abbyjohnson
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Her Grace
11/05/09

@stina: Not only does your story sound true (unlike hers), I feel duty-bound to heart anyone with my best friend's name. #abbyjohnson
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sybann
11/04/09

In reply to Planned Parenthood Client Speaks Amid Questions Over Director's "Change Of Heart"
From the very begininning I suspected her motives were similar to the chicklet on JJ who was covering her nefarious behavior by accusing her employer of sexual improprieties.

This JUST stinks.

Anyone who's ever been to a PP knows they don't pressure you to do any one thing. #abbyjohnson
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lalaland13
11/04/09

In reply to Planned Parenthood Client Speaks Amid Questions Over Director's "Change Of Heart"
The more I read about this, including comments from you lovely Jezzies, it seems like a case of "If I fall you're going down with me." Was she embezzling money from PP? Was she stealing fetuses and dressing them up as dolls? What was she doing? And it totally burns me up that she's determined to take down PP for her mistakes.

I'm not saying this PP is perfect, but damn, bitch. I'm disappointed that "choice" can pivot on whether or not people call you on your shit.

I hope some intrepid reporter brings this lady down fast. Are performance reviews subject to FOI? I'm guessing not, since PP is not a government institution. Hmm. But they'll get her if there's anything to be gotten. I hope. I went to college in East Texas (although not TAMU) and people over there are probably crying for joy that Jesus has touched her heart so. Gag. #abbyjohnson
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cate3710
11/04/09

@lalaland13: "Was she stealing fetuses and dressing them up as dolls?"

And here I thought there was nothing weirder than dressing up babies as flowers and putting wigs on cats. Thanks for proving me wrong. #abbyjohnson
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Flackette Goes Retro
11/04/09

In reply to Planned Parenthood Client Speaks Amid Questions Over Director's "Change Of Heart"
If you work for a healthcare organization of any sort and illegally copy or distribute patient records, that's a big fat HIPAA violation. Last time I checked, there was a huge fine at the very least for doing that. Even if she hasn't released the info, copying it and taking records with her is at the very least mishandling confidential info and is NOT OKAY. I mean, if my dentist can't tell people what kind of fillings I have, you can sure as hell bet that a PP employee isn't supposed to play fast and loose with patients' records. #abbyjohnson
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RenoDakota
11/04/09

In reply to Planned Parenthood Client Speaks Amid Questions Over Director's "Change Of Heart"
I live in Chicago, and last spring the city had an event for kids at the Daley Center to celebrate the first day of baseball season. An anti-choice group gathered with 10 feet tall signs featuring photos of aborted fetuses. Let me remind you that this event was for kids. The kids were confused and upset and totally, completely grossed out. Their confusion probably arose because many of them were so young that they weren't aware that babies weren't delivered by a stork.

I was so upset because it seemed like it was their goal to deliberately terrorize children. The same thing happens in the Halloween hell houses churches put on, where they show a girl dying a bloody death during an abortion. It's a scare tactic - Reefer Madness for vaginas.

Their position is not based upon logic, reasoning, and it's seemingly not even based upon morality, either. Someone explain it to me, because I'm confused. And scared of ten-foot tall bloody fetuses out for revenge. When are the fundies making Fetus Madness? Because I feel like it might be the next step. #abbyjohnson
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Flackette Goes Retro
11/04/09

@RenoDakota: As a kid in the 80s/early 90s, I remember occasionally wandering upon a group of adults doing that and it never made any sense to me. First of all, I didn't even know what abortion was. I wasn't completely clear on how babies were born in the first place. When I got a little older and figured out what abortion was, I wondered why they would picket events that included kids (not the decision-makers here) and parents (who clearly did not abort the kids who they were there with). And when I was in high school and a substitute teacher showed a video featuring mutilated "baby" parts - I was just grossed out and felt weird. #abbyjohnson
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likepenguins
11/04/09

In reply to Planned Parenthood Client Speaks Amid Questions Over Director's "Change Of Heart"
I'm so confused about this, even outside of the reproductive rights issue. Every company I've ever joined has made me sign a contract, barring me from releasing conf. information about business practices, IP, software, etc. I can't imagine that PP doesn't do the same with their employees, so isn't this woman in violation of a legal contract? #abbyjohnson
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thepragmatist
11/04/09

In reply to Planned Parenthood Client Speaks Amid Questions Over Director's "Change Of Heart"
I would love to see this story made into an episode of House. "Is it pychological? Brain Tumor? Rare Hormone Disorder?? Blackmail???" #abbyjohnson
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HannahBethD
11/04/09

@thepragmatist: #abbyjohnson
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VirtuousVixen
11/04/09

@thepragmatist: Is it Lupus??? #abbyjohnson
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vulcanized
11/04/09

@VirtuousVixen: It's never lupus. Or vasculitis. #abbyjohnson
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whynotshesaid
11/04/09

In reply to Planned Parenthood Client Speaks Amid Questions Over Director's "Change Of Heart"
Whoever posted a photo of Ashley Todd yesterday was dead-on. There is so much more to this story, and I know that once it all comes out it will be nothing like this nonsense that has been presented to us. #abbyjohnson
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funnyface
11/04/09

In reply to Planned Parenthood Client Speaks Amid Questions Over Director's "Change Of Heart"
Is Planned Parenthood going to press some HIPAA violation charges against this woman? According to my husband, who is a physician, just threatening to release confidential patient information is a violation of HIPAA. #abbyjohnson
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stina
11/04/09

@funnyface: I'm, conveniently, a HIPAA lawyer in Texas that cares a lot about reproductive health law. Generally, there's no private cause of action against an individual for violation of HIPAA, which means that an individual can't sue for a HIPAA violation. The Department of Health and Human Services or the Justice Department could criminally prosecute or civilally fine her, but the clinic has no recourse under HIPAA. The last time I dealt with an allegation of a HIPAA violation from the Office of Civil Rights of DHHS, the complaint had been made a year before the letter was sent to the provider. Also, HIPAA generally applies to healthcare providers, healthcare clearinghouses and health plans. So if she did violate HIPAA, it's likely that through her, so did Planned Parenthood. There have been cases under California's medical information laws (which are sometimes more protective thatn HIPAA) where a bad employee's actions were imputed upon the employer. It's unlikely that Texas would go after her, and obviously PPHSET will work closely with all federal law enforcement and healthcare oversight agencies in this matter.

PPHSET could, though, go after her for theft of confidential information. It looks like they've already started down that road with the injunction, and I suspect that there are a few lawyers in Houston working on unravelling the rest of the story right now to plan their next step. #abbyjohnson
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funnyface
11/07/09

@stina: Awesome, thanks so much for the info! #abbyjohnson
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ice cream for breakfast
11/04/09

In reply to Planned Parenthood Client Speaks Amid Questions Over Director's "Change Of Heart"
i'm so grateful to be living in a country (canada) where the issue of abortion was settled years ago and where the threat of taking away reproductive rights does not resurrect. But at the same time, after reading about dr. tiller's death, I found myself wishing that i could have been there to protest against the anti-choice crazies.
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dj_chick
11/04/09

@ivana.m.jankovic: The issue WAS settled years ago during Roe v. Wade. Some of the nutjobs need to crack a history book and figure that shit out, is all. #abbyjohnson
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Pizza!Pizza!Pizza!
11/04/09

@ivana.m.jankovic: Don't forget, though – while Canadian women can legally get an abortion at any point in their pregnancy, finding a doctor who will do it is another story, and sometimes actually requires traveling to the US. You've still got poor women stuck because of geography and money (in provinces where it isn't covered). Things are good, but can always get better! #abbyjohnson
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JoStockton
11/04/09

@ivana.m.jankovic: Actually, the legislation here is much less black and white than the legislation in the states, which says when you can perform what and for what reasons. This is not legally encoded in Canada, and is instead covered by the medical ethics board, and many doctors use the threshold of viability as their line for performing abortions that are not required because of fetal indications.

The fact is that, unless we revisit the Morgentaler ruling and have a specific timeframe in which elective abortions can be performed enshrined in law, we could be looking at medical technology cutting our reproductive choice off at the knees...

Of course, the nice thing is that, when it's left up to the doctors to determine, the doctors that perform the procedure are usually concerned with the woman as the patient, not the fetus.

But don't fool yourself into thinking that Canada's abortion laws are perfect.

And, as Pizza!Pizza!Pizza! pointed out, access to providers is a huge issue. And Canadian medical schools don't exactly make training in this procedure easy to come by. My boyfriend has to proactively go out and obtain this training through observing at a clinic in his time off because THE SCHOOLS DON'T TEACH IT! THEY BARELY DISCUSS IT!

Because this issue seems less polarized, there isn't the same kind of organization in pro-choice circles here, and that frustrates me... and, let me tell you, there are anti-choice crazies up here too... A month ago, there was an international day of action in anti choice circles, and this Canadian city was over-run with protesters at the women and children's hospital.

anyway. sorry... /rant #abbyjohnson
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JoStockton
11/04/09

@JoStockton: Oh, and, also, PEI flat out refuses to have them performed in their province. This decision violates the Canada Health Act, and the federal government fines them yearly for this violation, but, rather than capitulate and give women in the province this right as stated in the Health Act, they just keep right on paying that fine and denying those rights.

Okay, NOW /rant. #abbyjohnson
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Ipomoea
11/04/09

@JoStockton: I imagine Gilbert Blythe would not stand for that shit. #abbyjohnson
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Hana Maru
11/04/09

@dj_chick: It's not settled law, though. It's a Supreme Court decision that hinges on the right to privacy, not the right to reproductive freedom, or gender equality. There are numerous restrictions, especially at the state level. I wish it were settled law; I don't think the Dems and Repubs want to change that though. If they did, they couldn't use the threat of no more repro rights/continued baby killing to scare us into voting for them every four years. #abbyjohnson
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KittyKittyCat
11/04/09

In reply to Planned Parenthood Client Speaks Amid Questions Over Director's "Change Of Heart"
As I mentioned in the first post, I volunteered at this PP for almost my entire 4 years of undergrad in College Station. She confirms what I stated in my comment on the first post (a doctor from Houston only comes in once a week) and I would like to add that this PP often encourages women who can afford it and want surgical abortions to go to Houston to have one to avoid the fallout outside.

I wasn't acquainted with Abby, because most of my work was outside of the clinic escorting people and providing cover from the crazies outside. I was not easily intimidated, and had no problem going toe to toe with those people.

My friend who still volunteers there occasionally is in shock. She cannot believe someone who was so dedicated to this cause has done such a 180. I hope the real truth comes out soon.

Thanks so much to the person who wrote in. I hope that there are still brave women volunteering outside who were able to shield you from the hatred that persists outside the tall fence surrounding that clinic.
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Edited by KittyKittyCat at 11/04/09 12:58 PM KittyKittyCat was starred KittyKittyCat was unstarred

banana_grabber
11/04/09

In reply to Planned Parenthood Client Speaks Amid Questions Over Director's "Change Of Heart"
I think this story reeks of suspicious stuff, but, to be fair, in the previous article posted by Jezebel on this, it said that she became anti-abortion after seeing an abortion procedure performed on ultrasound, which is different than actually seeing an ultrasound of a fetus or of a uterus after a medical abortion. Unless I'm understanding this incorrectly, seeing an abortion performed on ultrasound would certainly be different than simply seeing an ultrasound of the other two cases I mentioned. I think there's enough of a mess here to criticize (and I am really glad this Jezebel reader wrote in, because I found her story quite interesting in light of this), without needing to misinterpret what she is saying (unless, like I said, I'm misunderstanding that). #abbyjohnson
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EndangeredRed
11/04/09

@banana_grabber: Hm, yeah I think you are right. I hope someone promotes your comment. #abbyjohnson
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hellosunshine
11/04/09

@EndangeredRed: Not afraid to be servicey! #abbyjohnson
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hellosunshine
11/04/09

@EndangeredRed: Not afraid to be servicey! #abbyjohnson
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EndangeredRed
11/04/09

@hellosunshine: Why thank you, Tier 1 superstar! #abbyjohnson
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Hippopotame begs you to promote her comments.
11/04/09

@banana_grabber: But who does an ultrasound during an abortion? In fact, I think that would be nearly impossible, at least during a surgical one. The ultrasound would have to be vaginal at least up through 6 weeks and maybe even 8 weeks, so how exactly can you have an ultrasound wand and the implements for the abortion in there at the same time? Also, the ultrasound requires a lot of pressure to be applied and the wand has to be moved around quite a bit, so this whole thing seems odd to me. Maybe, just maybe, it was an ultrasound of an in-progress chemical abortion? Like the patient came back in to make sure all the tissue was out and it wasn't yet? #abbyjohnson
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TheGuvnah
11/04/09

@Hippopotame wants a star, dagnabbit!!!: I am not a doctor or nurse, but I have worked in repro rights policy for years and have never heard of an ultrasound being done DURING an abortion.

so thank you. #abbyjohnson
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badmutha
11/04/09

In reply to Planned Parenthood Client Speaks Amid Questions Over Director's "Change Of Heart"
I have thought about this a little more since yesterday, and I really think some money changed hands. Not enough to live on for years, but enough to make it OK for this woman to betray her employer. She was w/ PP for 8 years, not a short amount of time. #abbyjohnson
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DontFearTheReaper
11/04/09

@badmutha: It's either that or she got blackmailed with something. I said before on this site and I'll say it again, These wads of fuck will not stop until they regain control of women. They want to return this country back to some imaginery time where teh wimens and negroes knew their place. #abbyjohnson
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mollywadzeckallen
11/04/09

In reply to Planned Parenthood Client Speaks Amid Questions Over Director's "Change Of Heart"
someone with whom I am very close worked under this woman. she was basically her mentor. I dont have the energy to type it all out but....this entire thing is so fucked up. the truth will come out. through the courts, through the lawsuits against her, through her own employees EVERYTHING, the truth will come out. how sad that she was so burned from knowing that she was goign to get fired that she is trying to take down the organization and make up all these lies.
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KittyKittyCat
11/04/09

@mollywadzeckallen: I really hope this gets out. I've heard similar stories from a friend that still works there, and I have faith that the truth will come out. She is getting too much national attention for it not to. #abbyjohnson
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History Major
11/04/09

@mollywadzeckallen: I was hoping it wasn't a criminal element to this. Sigh this is gonna get really deep. She is definitely going to get all the exposure she wants and more. #abbyjohnson
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alula
11/04/09

@History Major: Ugh, I can't help feeling that even if the ugly truth does come out, she's still going to be made into a martyr for the cause. I normally try to ascribe to a "take the high road" approach, but in this case, I hope PP is really stringent and loud about dismantling and refuting these allegations. #abbyjohnson
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Pizza!Pizza!Pizza!
11/04/09

@alula: You're probably right. People tend to remember what made a splash, not the details and facts that followed. #abbyjohnson
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