Planned Parenthood Backs Down, Withdraws Suit Against Operation Rescue for Requesting Public Records
by Staff
January 21, 2011
DES MOINES, Iowa, (christiansunite.com) -- Planned Parenthood has filed a motion to dismiss in a law suit against Operation Rescue's Cheryl Sullenger that was an attempt to block the Iowa Board of Medicine from releasing public information about four of their employees.The documents, comprised of medical license applications that are a matter of public record in all states, were released by the Iowa Board of Medicine to Sullenger last week, three months after her initial request. At least two of the "doctors" are involved in Planned Parenthood's webcam abortion pill distribution scheme, known as telemed abortions.
"While all the documents were heavily redacted - more so than we usually see with these kinds of records - we are grateful to our legal team, including Tom Brejcha of the Thomas More Society and Iowa attorney Mike Holzworth for working so hard to ensure that Planned Parenthood did not wrongfully conceal information that the public has a right to know. This is a victory for everyone because it helps keep the government accountable to the people."
In addition, Iowa attorney Patrick Smith represented the Citizen's Information Center and another requester, both from Massachusetts, which had made similar, independent requests. Both of those suits have been dismissed as well.
"Based on conversations with Kent Nebel of the Iowa Board of Medicine, I believe that he improperly tipped off Planned Parenthood to the requests in order to allow Planned Parenthood time to file the suits," said Sullenger. "Mr. Nebel told me personally that he was instructed by the Attorney General's office to inform Planned Parenthood of the public records requests. There is nothing we can see in Iowa law that would mandate such notification."
Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller is currently under an ethics investigation for his part in blocking independent investigations into alleged criminal abortions conducted by Planned Parenthood of the Heartland through their webcam abortion scheme.
"It looks to us like Planned Parenthood still has a lot to hide. They were so afraid of the discovery phase in the law suits that they apparently decided it was better to allow the Iowa Board of Medicine to release the public information rather than allow us to ask them questions they did not want to answer," said Sullenger. "We are still very concerned about the cozy relationships that exist between the Iowa Attorney General's office, the Iowa Board of Medicine, and Planned Parenthood."
Attorneys for Operation Rescue are considering further legal action to ensure that politics are not being placed above the public welfare in Iowa.
