Abortion

Alabama Co-Sponsor of Forced Ultrasound Bill Denies Selling Equipment to Abortion Clinics, But Providers Tell a Different Story

A senator pushing for mandatory ultrasounds in Alabama claims his company wouldn't benefit financially.  But is he telling the truth?

Alabama State Senator Greg Reed says that his ultrasound company, Preferred Medical Systems, would in no way financially benefit if a mandatory ultrasound law passes in the state.  After all, he argues, his company doesn’t do business with abortion providers.

Tell that to the abortion provider he tried to sell equipment to a few months earlier.

Via The TimesDaily:

Reed, vice president of Preferred Medical Systems, told the TimesDaily he supports the bill because it would help “a mother to understand that a live baby is inside her body.”

He also said the company, which sells ultrasound equipment, would not financially benefit if the bill became law. It is the company’s policy not to do business with abortion providers, Reed said.

But, Diane Derzis, who operates abortion clinics in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee, said the company was willing to do business with her later last year.

“They’re lying, they’re absolutely lying,” Derzis said.

A copy of price quotes show that the Cordova, Tenn.-based company was offering Derzis several pieces of equipment used as demonstration models for between about $12,000 to $15,000.

Reed stood by his statement Friday, saying the company doesn’t always know immediately when it is an abortion clinic that’s seeking price information.

“Abortion clinics, we are not interested in doing business with them, but we do not know that when they call and ask for information,” Reed said.

When asked about the discrepancy, Reed explains that an employee was allegedly fired “for cause” around the same time as the quote occurred, suggesting that might be the reason he or she was let go.