During a protester training at the Texas state capital last week, anti-choice activist Karen Garnett told trainees that her Catholic group has “a sophisticated spreadsheet” that they use to track women, doctors, and employees at clinics. NARAL Pro-Choice Texas executive director Heather Busby calls these tactics “stalking:

“Texas women are now not only forced to travel hundreds of miles to even access a safe and legal Texas clinic, but once they reach a clinic they must also confront the very real threat posed by these anti-abortion activists,” said Busby. “The anti-abortion harassment tactics outlined in this disturbing training lead women to seek dangerous alternatives.”

Having the sidewalk “lined with protestors,” said Garnett in the audio recording, turns potential clients away from abortion clinics: “they don’t want to drive in because they see our presence there.”

In the recording, organizers can be heard discussing their attempts to identify doctors who provide abortion. Similar activities have preceded the murders of abortion providers, who often experience severe harassment and intimidation by activists.

A 40 Days For Life leader named Eileen Romano can also be heard praising her god that poor women in Beaumont, Texas lack transportation to reach an abortion clinic now that a state law has forced many of them to close. Closing arguments are scheduled for tomorrow morning in a federal suit against that law.

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