.-
Allegations that four unlicensed Planned Parenthood facilities in San
Antonio have been illegally performing abortions have prompted state
legislators to reexamine funding for the organization and to call for
legal and administrative penalties to be enforced against it.
On April 2 The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS)
issued cease and desist orders to the Planned Parenthood Northeast,
Southeast, Marbach and Bandera Road Sexual Healthcare facilities. The
orders notified the clinics to stop performing “abortion activities”
that require licensure by the DSHS.
A letter from DSHS Commissioner Dr. David Lakey, M.D. told Rep. Phil
King (R- Weathorford) and ten other legislators that preliminary
information from the unlicensed facilities indicated that they were
performing medically induced abortions.
Lakey said the DSHS is further investigating activities at the
locations. The department is also investigating a licensed Planned
Parenthood facility in San Antonio and that it may also become the
object of enforcement action.
Additionally, he reported that five more licensed Planned Parenthood
facilities have not posted their abortion facility license number in
advertisements for their abortion services. Lakey said a Notice of
Violation and “appropriate enforcement action” have been initiated
against the facilities.
Planned Parenthood responded to the allegations by saying that a
state licensing official told their San Antonio office in October 2004
that the clinics didn't need the license as long as they only offered
the abortion pill.
According to the American Life League, the investigation resulted
from the efforts of San Antonio Coalition for Life (SACL) and the
Austin-based Texas Alliance for Life (TAL).
TAL executive director Joe Pojman reacted to the situation in a
press release, saying, "We're shocked but not surprised to find that
Planned Parenthood has violated the public trust in this manner and is
endangering the lives and safety of women.” "We commend these
legislators for their vigilance in ensuring that state funds are
prevented from being misused and that women's health and safety are not
violated."
CNA spoke with Pojman in a Wednesday phone interview.
He said that SACL had done some “great work” by discovering that
Planned Parenthood was performing abortions in unlicensed facilities.
Pojman explained that his group, Texas Alliance for Life, acquired a
list of licensed abortion clinics and noted that the list didn’t
include several known abortion facilities.
He said their example could be of help to pro-life advocates in
other places. “It’s just a matter of local people really seeing if the
rules are being complied with,” he explained.
After discovering the alleged violations, SACL alerted TAL. The
statewide organization did its own investigation and brought the matter
to the attention of several members of the Texas House of
Representatives.
Pojman told CNA the legislators were “very alarmed” that illegal
abortions were possibly being performed at unlicensed facilities.
“Once the legislators brought this to the attention of the state
health services, the commissioner acted very quickly,” he said, adding
that TAL is pleased with the official response “so far.”
Pojman reported that these legislators held a news conference
yesterday where they said the alleged violations of law could include
criminal penalties. The allegations involve “Class A” misdemeanors
which could include jail time.
The legislators called on the district attorney or county prosecutor
in Bexar County to pursue the allegations and also called on the DSHS
commissioner to fully pursue all administrative penalties.
“Some of the fines include as much as $500 per day, per site,”
Pojman told CNA, saying the alleged illegal activity may have been
going on at least since September and “probably many months before
that.”
He said the case shows that Planned Parenthood has “violated the
public trust” and demonstrates that Planned Parenthood “should not be
getting state funding in Texas.”
Pojman reported that a debate will soon take place about Texas state
funding for Planned Parenthood for family planning and other
programs. He conservatively estimated that the organization receives at
least $10 million a year.
“They are not good stewards of those dollars,” he argued. Planned
Parenthood’s operation of alleged unlicensed abortion facilities, he
said, “really demonstrates they aren’t worthy of any further public
trust.”
“It’s amazing how blatant Planned Parenthood is. They just thought
they could get away with this indefinitely, apparently,” Pojman told
CNA.
Reclaiming Our Children: A Blog About Healing After Abortion 
Leave a comment