kwch.com/news/factfinder12/kwch-bh-news-confusion-over-similar-abortion-group-names-20130109,0,2432212.story
By Brian Heap
Factfinder 12 Investigators
3:53 PM CST, January 9, 2013
(WICHITA, Kan.)
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There's an interesting new twist in the battle over a planned Wichita abortion clinic.
It involves the potentially confusing use of a corporate name.
Two groups on opposing sides of the abortion issue have legal rights to names that appear quite similar.
Work is underway to make a building on East Kellogg an active abortion clinic again.
The non-profit group behind the effort is the Trust Women Foundation. It was formed by Julie Burkhart, a friend and longtime colleague of the late Dr. George Tiller.
According to the group's website, it's "a reproductive health and rights organization."
But search Trust Women Foundation on the state's name registry and you'll find it listed as a "for profit" business run by Troy Newman.
Newman is an anti-abortion activist and member of Operation Rescue.
State records show Newman registered the name on October 3, 2012. Because he took the name first, Burkhart's group had to register a slightly different name "Trust Women and Change the World Foundation".
FactFinder 12 spoke with Newman Wednesday. He wouldn't talk about his plans for the name. When asked if it was intended to create confusion, he gave a long pause and answered, "We legally and lawfully registered a corporate name. We trust women."
The Kansas Secretary of State's office says anyone can reserve and register an available name and the fact that two groups with opposing views would register such similar names is not something that would ordinarily come to anyone's attention.
So Newman has every right to use the name.
A spokesperson for Trust Women seemed unconcerned about the name issue. Kerry Townsend Jacob told FactFinder 12, "I'm not sure of his motives, but as far as I can tell, it's just more silliness on Troy Newman's part."
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