Missouri AG accuses Planned Parenthood of ‘trafficking children’ in lawsuit

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, who is currently running to be elected to the office, announced a lawsuit Thursday against Planned Parenthood of Great Plains, accusing the organization of ‘trafficking’ children out-of-state without parental permission.

The lawsuit does not cite any specific instance of a child crossing state lines to receive an abortion.

Bailey’s office did not respond to the bureau’s request for an interview or answer questions about the suit.

The lawsuit is solely based on a video recorded undercover by an agent of Project Veritas, a far-right activist group known for secretly recording subjects and claiming to ‘expose’ wrongdoings.

“Missouri law prohibits elective abortion, but Missouri law also forbids any person to ‘intentionally cause, aid, or assist a minor to obtain an abortion without [parental] consent’ or informed consent, even if the abortion occurs in another “state or place,” the lawsuit states.

The video appears to show the undercover activist posing as someone seeking to arrange an out-of-state abortion for a 13-year-old, – and that their parents cannot know.

The video footage appears to show Planned Parenthood staffers confirming that they routinely help teens get abortions without their parents’ permission.

“We’re glad to see him him defending life and making sure that these sorts of egregious actions aren’t occurring in the state of Missouri,” said state Sen. Rick Brattin, R-Harrisonville.

Missouri is among 38 states and the District of Columbia that allow a conversation to be secretly recorded in most cases, as long as at least one of the parties is aware that the recording is happening. The policy is often referred to as “one-party consent.”

Still Bailey’s lawsuit is solely built on an secretly recorded admission – of an alleged, unverified crime.

“This is a press release dressed up as legal action from an unelected attorney general,”  said a statement from Emily Wales, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains. “It is based on ‘evidence’ from fraudulent, extreme anti-abortion actors, who claim to be ‘journalists.’”

As of this article’s publication, Planned Parenthood said it had not yet been served with the lawsuit.

“We will continue following state and federal laws and proudly providing Missourians with the compassionate sexual and reproductive care that remains available to them in a state with a total abortion ban,” Wales said.

Missouri House and Senate Democrats blasted the lawsuit as a dishonest ploy to grab campaign season attention.

“Anybody using Project Veritas? Is their sources flawed,” said Senate Minority Leader John Rizzo. “They’re a bankrupt company that’s committed crimes in order to perpetrate a message that doesn’t exist.”

Missouri abortion rights activists are mounting a signature-gathering campaign aimed at placing a question on the November ballot to lift the ban.

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