The controversy over the opening of a second-trimester abortion clinic in Madison continued Thursday when 28 Republican senators sent letters of complaint to the Chief Executive Officer of UW Hospital.
According to Lisa Brunette, UW Hospital spokesperson, the plans for the opening of the abortion clinic have not been solidified.
There are two steps left before this can happen,"" she said. ""The hospital boards, which govern the university hospital and clinics, need to OK the plans. If that happens, the Madison Surgery Center, which is a separate organization with its own private boards, needs to vote on whether the plans will be approved.""
State Sen. Glenn Grothman, R-West Bend, who signed the letter and who according to Brunette has been at the forefront of the anti-clinic campaign, said second-trimester abortions are almost ""beyond belief.""
""It is over the top '¦ there are very few places that do these things, I don't know what in the world UW is doing getting involved in this,"" Grothman said. ""I think both Meriter and UW Hospital will be hurt by it.""
Brunette said it was the decision of the physicians at UW Hospital and Meriter Hospital who wanted to open the clinic in the first place.
""They believe there is a great need for the clinic in the community,"" she said.
Grothman said he sent out a press release which identified countries that do not allow second trimester abortions, including Germany and France.
Brunette confirmed the rarity of second trimester abortions, claiming less than 10 percent of abortion clinics cater to the second trimester.
According to Grothman, there were protests outside Madison Surgery Center Thursday and there will continue to be protests at Planned Parenthood locations in the future.
""Protesters there are going to start again Good Friday and continue for 40 days and 40 nights,"" he said. ""There are usually a lot of university students.""
CEO of UW Hospital Donna Katen-Bahensky could not be reached for comment.
