By Marie Tasy
It was only a matter of time. New Jersey is one of just nine states with no limits on abortion thanks to our abortion-obsessed Governor and Democratic leaders in the legislature. Now we’re learning that plans are underway for a new all-trimester abortion clinic, called the Luminosa Wellness Collective, set to open in Hudson County next summer.
Ironically, the home page of Luminosa’s website claims they are, “A Light in the Dark.” A light for whom? Certainly not the full-term babies who are weeks, days or moments away from being born only to have their lives cruelly and painfully ripped away from them. And what about the Mothers who will learn too late the type of physical and emotional torture they will go through to have a late term abortion?
The clinic’s website describes its mission as “reproductive justice” and “trauma-informed care.” Yet its services include abortions through all trimesters, making it one of the most extreme examples of the abortion industry’s relentless expansion. Even national media sources have noted that New Jersey currently has no providers who perform abortions past 28 weeks, making this facility a first of its kind and a flashpoint for debate in this November’s race for Governor.
According to nj.com, Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli outlined his position during a recent debate with his Democrat opponent Mikie Sherrill stating that he was pro-choice, but believed there should be limits. “What I don’t support is celebrating abortion the very way the current administration does,” Ciattarelli said. “What I don’t support is making New Jersey the abortion capital of the country, inviting other people, people from other states to come to New Jersey and have their abortions performed. I don’t support that, let alone using taxpayer dollars to do that. I also support something my opponent does not, parental notification.”
Democrat candidate Mikie Sherrill’s position on abortion is well-documented.
Among other pro-abortion policies, she has said that she will push for a constitutional amendment to enshrine abortion in the state consitution, which even some pro-abortion supporters said they oppose. She has also vowed to continue using taxpayer money to fund Planned Parenthood. Her record in Congress has earned her support from some of the most extreme pro-abortion groups. She is a sponsor of H.R 12, the Women’s Health Protection Act, which is the federal version of the misnamed NJ Reproductive Freedom Act, allowing taxpayer funded abortions with no limits.
Most notably, Sherrill voted against H.R. 26, The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act on January 11, 2023, making it clear that she not only supports abortions up to birth, but doesn’t even support protecting a child that is born alive. It doesn’t get more extreme than that.
Although funding for this all-trimester clinic is expected to come from grants and donations, it is not hard to imagine that a Sherrill administration will use taxpayer money to support its operation.
The New Jersey Governor is one of the most powerful in the nation. They get to appoint all Cabinet officials that make up the State Government. Licensing of this clinic will require approval from the state Department of Health, an agency whose leadership answers directly to the governor.
A recent Marist poll has shown that NJ voters overwhelmingly oppose late-term abortion. They believe there should be clear limits, especially when an unborn child can feel pain, survive outside the womb, and is mere weeks from birth. Yet the current laws of this state, and now, this new clinic, defy that moral consensus.
New Jersey faces a pivotal moment. Will we continue down the path of allowing late-term abortions—right up to the moment of birth, or will our citizens draw a line, standing for both compassion and common sense?
This November 4th, the choice is ours. The future of New Jersey, and the lives of countless moms and babies, hang in the balance.
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Marie Tasy is the Executive Director of New Jersey Right to Life.
