Leading pro-life groups applauded the news LifeNews first reported today that a congressional subcommittee will investigate the alleged financial impropriety and potential coverup of criminal activities at Planned Parenthood abortion clinics.
In a September 15 letter LifeNews.com obtained, Rep. Cliff Stearns, a Florida Republican who is the chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Investigations, writes to Cecile Richards, the president of Planned Parenthood. The letter requests any information related to improper billing related to federally-funded programs, proof that federal funds are not being improperly used to pay for abortions by PPFA or its affiliates, audits by state agencies of any Planned Parenthood affiliate, and documentation of how many affiliates currently receive Title X family planning funding.
Planned Parenthood has come under heavy criticism in recent years for covering up cases of statutory rape by failing to report abortions on done unborn children of teen girls who have been victimized to authorities and by aiding and assisting alleged sex traffickers in obtaining abortions and other “services” for the women and girls they victimize. As such, as the Stearns letter asks for information related to those concerns.
Live Action is the pro-life organization most responsible for bringing to light the problems of covering up alleged cases of sexual abuse and Lila Rose’s videos capturing Planned Parenthood employees aiding and abetting sex traffickers and covering up child rape and abuse were the catalysts in Congress calling for this investigation, she told LifeNews in response.
“We applaud Congress’s first concrete steps to investigate Planned Parenthood, the biggest abortion business in the nation,” Rose said. “Last February, the Live Action team released undercover videos showing seven Planned Parenthood clinics aiding and abetting the sex trafficking of children. In the wake of the videos, the House of Representatives voted to defund the abortion giant of the over $360 million they receive in federal funds. This step by Rep. Stearns (R-FL) to further investigate Planned Parenthood’s abusive and lawless activities is essential to protecting victims of abuse, our young girls, and our unborn brothers and sisters.”
Rose continued: “Over the past four years, the Live Action team has been conducting national undercover investigations of abortion giant Planned Parenthood. Our undercover footage has documented the widespread cover-up of child sexual abuse in 10 different states, the aiding and abetting of child sex trafficking, willingness to commit race-based abortions, and the coercion and manipulation of women. Despite these and other crimes against women and children, Planned Parenthood continues to receive over $360 million in taxpayer subsidies each year. Americans stand with Rep. Stearns’s step to hold Planned Parenthood accountable for their on-going abusive activity that endangers women, the victims of abuse and young girls.”
Concerned Women for America president Penny Nance also reacted to the news of the investigation and said that, given Planned Parenthood’s sordid history of getting caught repeatedly on camera helping sex traffickers and covering up child abuse, that it’s about time Congress investigates and that all taxpayer funds should be withheld from PP during the investigation.
“It’s about time Congress initiates an investigation into Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion chain,” she told LifeNews. “The abortion giant gets $350 million a year from taxpayers and should be subject to the same rules and regulations as any other government contractor. Concerned Women for America finds it hard to believe that the American people want to subsidize an organization that has been caught on tape aiding and abetting sex traffickers, covering up child rape and abuse, and even happily accepting donations to abort black babies.”
“During Congress’ investigation, all taxpayer funds should be withheld from Planned Parenthood until Congress issues its findings on the organization,” Nance said.
Marjorie Dannenfelser, the president of the Susan B. Anthony List, also released a statement applauding Stearns for his decision to focus on the abortion giant.
“This is a critical step in holding accountable an organization that has been exposed as a billion dollar business centered on abortion and an unapologetic partner of those who wish to exploit young girls. We strongly believe that as Congress and the American people learn more about Planned Parenthood, they will see the urgency in defunding them immediately of the hundreds of millions of tax dollars they receive every year,” she said.
Democrats have responded to the announcement of the upcoming investigation by defending the abortion business and claiming the allegations are false.
