Planned Parenthood lawyers up, gets two week extension from House panel
Read backstory here.
From Legal Times this afternoon:
Planned Parenthood has retained lawyers from Hogan Lovells as it prepares to respond to a sweeping new inquiry into how the organization and its affiliates use federal money….
[Congressman Cliff] Stearns’ [House Energy & Commerce] subcommittee is one of the most active congressional panels for conducting investigations, and corporations and organizations that are in the subcommittee’s crosshairs often look to outside help….
Working on the matter for Planned Parenthood are Hogan Lovells partner E. Desmond Hogan and of counsel Reid Stuntz. Both lawyers have experience in congressional investigations, and Stuntz is a former chief counsel on the oversight subcommittee under then-Chairman John Dingell (D-MI), according to his firm profile.
The situation is unique for PP. Although it has been drawn into other Capitol Hill inquiries in the past, it has never before been a target and Stearns’ letter makes clear that it is. “This is the first time someone has said, ‘I’m going to investigate the organization,’ ” said Roger Evans, the director of public policy litigation for the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, in a phone interview today.
Stearns initially asked PP to turn over documents by Sept. 29, but Evans said he and the subcommittee have agreed on a two-week extension. The subcommittee is asking for copies of audits from as early as 1991, related documents about funding and information about how Planned Parenthood detects possible criminal conduct such as sex trafficking.
This may be the first time PP has been investigated by Congress but certainly not the first time PP has been investigated – and found guilty. In fact, the House’s investigation is way overdue.
[HT: LifeNews.com]
This is what we have been patiently awaiting ever since the continuing resolution that included funding for PP was passed against our wishes. A couple more weeks won’t matter–they can run but they can’t hide. The day has finally arrived (long overdue) that may spell the beginning of the end for public funding of Planned Parenthood.
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Your collective ‘we’ isn’t a total ‘we’. The rest of ‘we’ haven’t been waiting for it.
‘our wishes’? Well yours and some others sure, but not everyones as evidenced by the actions taken by the peoples’ representatives to continue the funding of PP.
PP has no need to either run or hide.
That’s a huge ‘may’.
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Bankrupt states are defunding programs far more important than PP. I mean, Illinois is turning suicidal girls out of group homes into the streets.
PP’s going to have to play their violins really compellingly to hang onto their funding.
The federal teat is retreating into a brass bra.
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Reality, donate as much of your money to kill other peoples babies for them. Just don’t ask me too.
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And when will I get a choice about financially supporting the things I disagree with truthseeker?
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Yes rasqual. As I said on another thread, the greater the divide between rich and poor, the more problems there are which emerge in society.
PP’s won’t need violins, they’ll continue to demonstrate the contribution they make to society which has a net financial gain for the nation.
As worn by Madonna?
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PP is going to be revealed as the great devil it is. I can wait 2 weeks.
The legacy, not the contribution, that PP wil leave behind is a wake of lies, broken, mangled bodies, and women who believed that sex could be had without consequences. All wrong, and all wrong for this country. Good riddance.
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They are just going to use that 2 weeks to reshuffle the paperwork and hide some things.PP is not known for it’s honesty, ever…even when they do abortions! etc…So, I would have gotten the FBI to raid them like they did Soladryn! Otherwise, their investigation is going to find nothing..it will all get shredded! Planned Parenthood is good at being sneaky and deceiving. I will be surprised if they find something that will incriminate them!!!! Prayers going up for this investigation to find something on them!
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And when will I get a choice about financially supporting the things I disagree with truthseeker?
When somebody tries to get you to pay an assasin to kill somebody elses child!
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Truthseeker – I did not want to pay for the deaths of countless children and adults in Iraq. I did not want to pay for the brutal murder of children and adults in Afghanistan, or Yemen, or Libya. Can I get my tax money back or how about a check box on my taxes that says I do not want my tax money spent on anything I disagree with… You know paying taxes is like paying rent and if your landlord wants to spend that money of booze and poker instead of making the mortgage payment, guess how much say you have in that decision… I know, I know, the only lives that are sacred and the ones you choose to be… guess you are more for choice than you thought.
Heck I am %100 sure I do not want to waste any tax money on a fence along our borders but I bet it gets built…
BTW with the amount of documents requested, PP is going to need that 2 weeks just to get it all gathered up from all it affiliates around the country.
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Yeah truthseeker? Well they already have. And I’ve had no choice about paying for it.
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Ha. As if all we’re doing overseas is killing babies. Give me a break. From someone who’s had 3 loved ones over there: give me a freaking BREAK already.
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I did not want to pay for the deaths of countless children and adults in Iraq. I did not want to pay for the brutal murder of children and adults in Afghanistan, or Yemen, or Libya.
Biggz, There is a huge difference between killing to free present and future generations of Iraqi children and adults from the rule of a ruthless dictator and killing innocent babies. But you have a right and a responsibility to speak out against any killing you see as unjust.
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Reality
Killing babies does not narrow the gap between rich and poor. What I really hope happens after their doors close is that an accountable agency will receive public funding, an agency that values women, not an agency that uses them to facilitate their social and political agenda. And hopefully the republican party will have a nice political advertisement that says “One party fights for public funding so you can kill your unborn one party doesn’t. Who do you think deserves your vote?” That’s a real choice.
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