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Kansas Gov. Appoints Anti-Abortion Lawyer to Medical Board

Posted by: Linda Carbonell on July 7, 2011.

07-07-2011 by Linda S. Carbonell

Richard Macias

In that predictable manner of anti-abortionists, Troy Newman of Operation Rescue insists that any objection to Gov. Sam Brownback’s choice for the medical licensing board is just sour grapes because “They’re going to complain about anybody unless they’re part of their pro-abortion clique.”

Julie Burkhart, of the abortion-rights PAC Trust Women, may have some personal reasons for objecting to the appointment of attorney Richard Macias of Wichita to the State Board of Healing Arts which regulates individual doctors, reviews misconduct allegations against doctors and has the power to fine or suspend doctors. Macias defended protesters who were sued by two abortion clinics for tactics limiting and blocking access. One clinic was run by the late Dr. George Tiller, Burkhart’s former employer who was gunned down in his church in 2009. Burkhart believes that if Brownback loads up the board with anti-abortionists, it can be used to harass abortion providers.

Kansas is now embroiled in a Federal lawsuit concerning its new rules for abortion providers that far exceed the regulations for other out-patient surgical facilities.

Macias insists that his personal opinions about abortion will have no impact on his work on the Board, saying “I think if people give me a chance, I think they’ll see I do a pretty good job on most issues.” Still, it is curious that Brownback waited weeks to announce that he had made the appointment, waited until the new abortion regulations had been issued and mailed to the clinics leaving them with only ten days to comply or be shut down. This is Brownback’s first appointment to the board, which includes 15 appointed members for staggered four-year terms.

The Board has been at the center of the abortion fight in Kansas before, when Kathleen Sebelius, currently the Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, was Governor. State lawmakers adopted resolutions critical of the Board’s handling of regulating doctors in 2008, especially abortion providers, over multiple cases. The executive director resigned and the lege pushed in new legislation increasing oversight of the Board. Brownback’s spokeswoman, Sherriene Jones-Sontag said, “Mr. Macias is a well-qualified and very respected attorney who will continue the reforms need at the Board of Healing Arts.” Well, the Republicans have already made it clear what kind of reforms they want.