WASHINGTON (CN) - A group of anti-abortion doctors are challenging efforts by the Obama administration to counter the misrepresentations advanced by organized opponents of healthcare reform.
In an ironic twist on the organized campaign by opponents of healthcare to dominate public forums on the topic, the Association of Americans Physicians and Surgeons is now complaining about the Obama administration's efforts to shed light on their campaign tactics. The anti-abortion group says the goverment is violating its rights by asking the public to report statements against the proposal, and rebutting those statements through a "Reality Check" Web site.
The plaintiffs claim, among other things, that the reform package would provide public funding for abortions and would put "death panels" in place to deny care for the elderly and infirm -- a claim that is not supported by the actual wording of the bill.
In its federal complaint, the anti-abortion doctors' group and the Coalition for Urban Renewal and Education claim the administration is trying to suppress their exercise of their First Amendment rights.
They allege that the effort began in early August, when the White House sent an email blast to President Barack Obama's supporters, telling them the sheer magnitude of "misinformation and rumors" being circulated about the proposed reforms made them difficult to track and address, and asking that they forward examples to an email address, [email protected], according to the complaint.
The plaintiffs are represented by Lawrence Joseph.
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