Operation Rescue (Operation Save America)
Operation Save America (formerly
Operation Rescue National) is a
fundamentalist [SUP]
[1][/SUP] [SUP]
[2][/SUP]
Christian conservative organization based in
Dallas,
Texas, that opposes human
induced abortion and
its legality, non-Christian religions, and homosexuality.
On May 31, 2009,
Tiller was assassinated in his church.
Scott Roeder of Merriam, KS was convicted of first degree murder in the shooting. Operation Rescue denounced Tiller's murder in numerous statements, describing it as "cowardly"[SUP]
[28][/SUP][SUP]
[29][/SUP] and "antithetical to what we believe"[SUP]
[30][/SUP] The group also noted that Roeder had "never been a member, contributor, or volunteer with Operation Rescue."[SUP]
[31][/SUP] Roeder responded to Newman's charges by declaring, "Well, my gosh. I've got probably a thousand dollars worth of receipts, at least, from the money I've donated to him."[SUP]
[32][/SUP]
The phone number for Operation Rescue's senior policy advisor,
Cheryl Sullenger, was found on the dashboard of Scott Roeder's car.[SUP]
[33][/SUP] At first Sullenger, who was convicted for conspiring to blow up a California abortion clinic in 1988, denied any contact with him, saying that her phone number is freely available online. Then, she revised her statements, indicating that she informed
Scott Roeder of where Dr Tiller would be at specific times:
"He would call and say, 'When does court start? When’s the next hearing?'" Sullenger said. "I was polite enough to give him the information. I had no reason not to. Who knew? Who knew, you know what I mean?"[SUP]
[34][/SUP]