Why is an unlicensed abortion facility still open in Broward?

Why is an unlicensed abortion facility still open in Broward?

By Tom Walker

Despite losing its license on March 27, the Fort Lauderdale Women’s Center remains open and has committed at least 38 abortions since that date, according to Broward Right to Life, which maintains a daily presence outside the facility.

Tom Walker, a Broward Right to Life director who offers prolife options to women who visit the facility, said he has been unable to learn why the abortion business remains open, even after losing its license and despite the fact that the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) lists the facility as closed.

“We reported them to AHCA by telephone on April 3 and submitted formal complaints on April 4 for each of the days beginning March 27, detailing the number of abortions each day and identifying Dr. Harvey C. Roth as the abortionist,” Walker said.

“We have tried to notify other agencies, and have had conversations with the Attorney General’s office, the State Attorney’s Office, Department of Professional Regulation, and the Department of Health but keeping getting referred back to AHCA.”

On April 5, Rhonda Shapiro, an AHCA Health Facility Evaluator, came to the abortion business located at 2001 W. Oakland Park Blvd. Walker said he spoke with Shapiro in person, informing her that the facility was still in business with clients inside.

“Shapiro observed a surgical abortion victim being helped to her car and spoke with a medical abortion victim departing,” Walker said.

“It’s been two weeks since the state revoked the license of this abortion business in Broward, but it remains in operation and AHCA knows it,” said Walker.

“My question is why no action and no answers from AHCA—and why state attorney Michael Satz, whose office I’ve notified, is taking no action to protect patients and uphold the law.”

The license revocation stems from the 2015 drug arrest of the facility’s owner, Dr. James Pendergraft, who has had his own medical license suspended. The Florida abortionist pled guilty last fall on multiple drug charges and was sentenced to five year’s probation. (See cases listed under “Pendergaft” here.)

At the time he and a female accomplice were arrested, local law enforcement discovered surgical instruments and illegal narcotics in Pendergraft’s vehicle. “We got a guy and a girl early in the week that was a traveling abortionist,” Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright announced. “He traveled around the state of South Carolina without a medical license, with drugs and with medical tools, performing in-home abortions. So basically, we got an illegal baby killer.”

Today, the man Sheriff Wright called an “illegal baby killer” appears to be, once more, flouting the law and killing babies—but this time he is doing it right under the noses of state authorities who have, so far, failed to act.