As Anti-Choice Zealots Gather, Nebraska AG Lends Them Support

EDITOR'S NOTE: Radical anti-abortion forces are expected to gather this weekend outside the clinic of Dr. LeRoy Carhart of Bellevue, Nebraska. Carhart is one of few doctors, following the murder of George Tiller, M.D., who still performs late-term abortions. Operation Rescue West, together with three other groups, has requested an investigation of Carhart's clinic, a request accepted by Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning, who has called Carhart "a sick individual."

The expected refocusing of radical anti-choice protests from Wichita, Kan., to suburban Omaha, Neb., following the murder of Dr. George Tiller has found a disturbing ally in a top state elected official.

Twelve days after Tiller was gunned down at his church by militant anti-abortion activist Scott Roeder, Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning reportedly told KETV, reacting to news that Tiller's friend and colleague, Leroy Carhart, M.D. intends to begin providing late-term abortions in his Bellevue, Neb., clinic, stated:

"I'm disgusted and I'm saddened, and I hate it that he's here in Nebraska and I hate it that he's in America," Bruning said. "I mean, this guy is one sick individual."

The stunning remark evoked a firestorm of controversy on the KETV Omaha television station Web page, summarized by this comment from "tomh":

I find it shocking that any reputable public official would express such hatred for a law-abiding individual. To be sure some people do not like abortion. However, there are times when a woman, perhpaps [sic] to save her own life, has to undergo such a procedure. What makes this situation even worse is that as the state's Attorney General he should not be encourageing [sic] the types of activity that we witnessed at the church in Wichita or the museum in Washington.

The progressive political blog, NewNebraska.net, demanded Bruning retract the statement and issue an apology.  According to the site's managing editor, Kyle Michaelis, neither has been forthcoming.