Nation Digest: Antiabortion Group Operation Rescue Cites 'Financial Crisis'

ABORTION

Antiabortion Group Cites 'Financial Crisis'

Operation Rescue has told its supporters it is facing a "major financial crisis" and is very close to shutting down unless emergency help arrives soon.

Troy Newman, the antiabortion group's president, blamed the economic downturn for its money woes in a desperate plea e-mailed Monday night to donors. But the Wichita-based organization has also been under attack from both fringe antiabortion militants and abortion rights supporters since the May 31 shooting death of George Tiller.

Newman said in an interview that the group has four paid employees left, compared with nine a year ago. The group typically has an annual budget of $600,000, but donations this year have been down 30 to 40 percent. Newman, who earns $60,000 a year, said he hasn't been paid in two months.

The killing of Tiller, a Wichita abortion provider, has also been a public relations nightmare for the group -- despite its condemnation of the slaying -- since the name and phone number of an Operation Rescue official was found in the car of the man charged in the killing.

Newman said in the interview that the decline in the group's donations actually began last year, and he insisted that there was no correlation between the drop and Tiller's shooting.

Other groups in the abortion fray have not reported a similar decline in contributions.

-- Associated Press

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