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Rachel Maddow last night covered the unholy alliance between George Tiller's accused murderer Scott Roeder and the anti-abortion extremists Operation Rescue. Cheryl Sullenger is described as the senior policy adviser for Operation Rescue out of Wichita. Sullenger's name and phone number were found on Roeder's car dash, and records show multiple phone calls between them in recent months. Considering Sullenger's own terrorist history more than a few eyebrows were raised. Heather has the video and more detail in her post, Maddow's devastating expose: Tiller's assassin tied to Operation Rescue.

Maddow's segment featured several video clips of Sullenger, without sound. Those now seem to have been pulled from YouTube but I thought it might be interesting to hear the woman in her own words. In the clip above Sullenger is railing against Nola Foulston, Sedgwick County (Kansas) District Attorney for, according to Sullenger, "abusing the power of the DA’s office by wrongly dismissing 30 criminal charges of illegal abortions against her friend, George Tiller, even though two independent judges determined that there was probable cause to believe that Tiller violated the law". Sullenger wanted to replace her with a more sympathetic to the cause rightwing republican. Dr Tiller would go on trial in March 2009 for misdemeanor charges laid by the state Attorney-General stemming from procedures he performed, alleging he hadn't secured the proper second professional opinions necessary. It turned out he had, and the jury took less than an hour to aquit. Assistant Attorney General Barry Disney's case was tenuous at best, and lacked credible evidence.

The verdict was a blow to the pro-life community in Kansas, but especially enraged the extremist groups who looked on in the courtroom in disbelief.

Operation Rescue president Troy Newman takes notes Monday in Sedgwick County District Court, the first day of George Tiller's jury trial in Wichita. (edit: Cheryl Sullenger is sitting to his right.)

And of their sworn enemy Sedgwick County DA Nola Foulston, this was her yesterday.

Sedgwick County District Attorney Nola Foulston announces charges against Scott Roeder during a news conference in front of the Sedgwick County Court House in Wichita, Kan.

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Rachel Maddow last night featured a devastating report on Scott Roeder's overlooked connections to Operation Rescue and his multiple phone conversations with the organization's Cheryl Sullenger in the months leading up to the murder of Dr. George Tiller. She also explored the fact that Roeder had been violating federal laws protecting abortion clinics for some time, and yet authorities had failed to act.

McClatchy has more on the Operation Rescue connection in its report, Operation Rescue adviser helped Tiller suspect track doctor's court dates:

At the time of Roeder’s arrest Sunday afternoon along Interstate 35 in Johnson County, a television station captured the vehicle on video. There on the dashboard was a note that read “Cheryl” and “Op Rescue” with a phone number.

Cheryl Sullenger, senior policy adviser for Operation Rescue out of Wichita, said Tuesday that she has spoken to Roeder in the past, but she said he would initiate the contact. She said she hasn’t had any recent contact with him.

Sullenger served about two years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiring to bomb an abortion clinic in California in 1988. She has since renounced violent action.

She said Roeder’s interest was in court hearings involving Tiller.

“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?”

Morevoer, as Maddow reported in even more detail, the federal government had the power to stop the terrorism and threats of violence to abortion clinics under the FACE, or Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act. Dr. Tiller's death could have been avoided had the government simply enforced the laws they had on the books. Amy Goodman made the same point in a guest blog on Air America's site, Amy Goodman: Dr. George Tiller Didn’t Have To Die. From the article:

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