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District Attorney of the city of Philadelphia R. Seth Williams “My comprehension of the English language can’t adequately describe the barbaric nature of Dr. Gosnell. . . Pennsylvania is not a third-world country, . . . There were several oversight agencies that stumbled upon and should have shut down Kermit Gosnell long ago.” Bags and bottles of aborted fetuses “were scattered throughout the building . . . There were jars, lining shelves, with severed feet that he kept for no medical purpose.”[34]

Outgoing Governor Ed Rendell (D-PA) criticized Department of Health officials saying; “I was flabbergasted to learn that the Department of Health did not think their authority to protect public health extended to clinics offering abortion services”.[35]

Incoming Governor Tom Corbett (R-PA) was disappointed that Pennsylvania Department of Health officials had done such a poor job of inspecting abortion facilities, saying through a spokesperson that he was; “appalled at the inaction on the part of the Health Department and the Department of State.”[36]

Mayor Michael Nutter (D-Philadelphia) said; “I think it’s quite clear that, if these allegations are true, we’ve had a monster living in our midst” while vowing to watch the city’s remaining abortion clinics more closely.[37]
Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden (D-Delaware) promised a wide-ranging investigations into the abortions Gosnell performed in Delaware saying; “I’m disturbed by the allegations that were handed up by the grand jury in Philadelphia”.[38]

Vicki Saporta, speaking for the National Abortion Federation, an association of abortion providers, pointed out that Gosnell had been denied membership in the association because his facility did not meet appropriate standards of care, and commented, “Unfortunately, some women don’t know where to turn. You sometimes have substandard providers preying on low-income women who don’t know that they do have other (safe) options.”[39] Saporta also said, “What we saw didn’t meet our standards, but they’d cleaned the place up and hired an RN for our visit. We only saw first-trimester procedures.” [27]

Dayle Steinberg, of Planned Parenthood Southeastern Pennsylvania, condemned Gosnell, saying, “We would condemn any physician who does not follow the law or endangers anyone’s health...All women should have access to high-quality care when they are vulnerable and facing difficult decisions.”[40]

Former Governor Tom Ridge (Republican) has refused to comment on the matter. It was his administration that ended regular inspections of abortion clinics—a policy that continued until the Gosnell incident. The grand jury report stated that according to officials inspections would be “putting a barrier up to women” seeking abortions. “Warnings—from patients and their attorneys, a doctor at a Philadelphia hospital, women’s health groups, pro-choice groups, and even an employee of the Philadelphia Department of Public Health—failed to prompt state and local authorities to investigate or take action against the clinic.