Ethics Newsline®

“It reminds me of the McCarthy era. We’re blackballed. They’ve defunded us, and even that isn’t enough. It’s unbelievable.”

– Sterling Scruggs, a former official with the United Nations Population Fund, criticizing the U.S. government for allegedly pursuing an anti-abortion crusade by cutting off funding and pressuring other agencies and outside groups to sever relations with the fund. Scruggs and others say the government’s campaign is endangering the welfare of women and children by cutting off maternity kits, prenatal care, and information about family planning and preventing pregnancy in the first place. While the Bush administration insists that the UN agency ends up providing funds for forced abortions, the UN — and a 2002 State Department report — reject that contention. (“U.S. Is Accused of Trying to Isolate U.N. Agency,” New York Times, June 21)