PHILADELPHIA — The Pennsylvania Health Department has shut down a new Philadelphia abortion facility after discovering that it is affiliated with a notorious abortionist that has been banned from doing business in the Commonwealth.

Integrity Family Health has been ordered closed effective November 29th after it was discovered that the location was launched by abortionist Steven Brigham, who runs a multi-site abortion scheme under the name of American Women’s Services. The new facility had been granted a permit earlier this year, but failed to cite on its application that it was connected with Brigham.

Following numerous health and safety violations, Brigham surrendered his license in Pennsylvania in 1992, and in 2004, he was barred from owning or operating any abortion facilities in the Commonwealth. His Erie, Allentown, State College and Pittsburgh locations have all been closed.

Brigham has been in legal troubles in several states, and was arrested in 2010 for operating a “secret” late-term abortion facility in Maryland after an 18-year-old girl who was hospitalized following a botched abortion called the police.

Investigators found 35 late-term babies in Brigham’s chest freezer, and the following year, a Grand Jury leveled five counts of first-degree murder, five counts of second-degree murder and one count of conspiracy to commit murder against the abortionist. The pro-life effort Campaign to Stop Stericycle also independently investigated the matter and found that the nation’s largest medical waste company, Stericycle, had serviced Brigham’s “secret” facility until it was raided by police.

As all charges were later dropped by the Maryland district attorney’s office, Brigham continued operations at his 15 other facilities located in four different states, including New Jersey and Virginia—and now, Pennsylvania—even though he had been banned from the Commonwealth.

However, after a woman visited the abortion facility Philadelphia Women’s Center and complained of her experience at Integrity Family Services, it was discovered that the site belonged to Brigham’s multi-facility operation, American Women’s Services.

“Here we have someone who had his medical license revoked in several states, and was told never to operate again in Pennsylvania, allegedly opening a facility in Philadelphia,” Jen Boulanger, communications director at Philadelphia Women’s Center, told the Philadelphia Inquirer. “This, despite the massive amount of time and money Pennsylvania has spent enacting some of the most stringent abortion regulations in the country.”

The facility then contacted the Pennsylvania Department of Health, who in turn investigated the matter. On Monday, officials issued an order that all abortions cease and desist at the location.

“You are hereby notified that the Pennsylvania Department of Health … is issuing an order against Integrity Family Health d/b/a Integrity Family Planning … pursuant to the Abortion Control Act,” it stated. “As a result of Integrity’s failure to disclose, on its application for registration as a Class A ambulatory surgical facility performing medical and surgical abortions, a current affiliation and/or business association with Steven Brigham, the Department has determined that Integrity is in serious violation of the ACA [Abortion Control Act] and the HCFA [Health Care Facilities Act].”

“We commend [Pennsylvania] Governor Corbett and his staff for taking this matter so seriously and investigating it so thoroughly,” Michael Ciccocioppo, executive director of the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation, told reporters. “Even though officials say Brigham was not personally performing abortions at the facility, this action is good news for women and their preborn babies across the Commonwealth.”

There remain nearly 20 abortion facilities in Pennsylvania—four in Philadelphia alone—but according to Life Dynamics, the number of locations in the nation continues to decrease.

“There used to be over 2,000 abortion clinics in America. Today, there are 682,” the organization’s site, which lists the remaining abortion facilities in the nation, outlines. “Clearly, the pro-lifers are winning this battle.”

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