Bobby Jindal terminates Planned Parenthood funding over impossible concerns raised by hoax videos

Neither of the state's 2 remaining clinics provides abortions, so "concern" over videos is all about GOP nomination

Published August 4, 2015 12:29PM (EDT)

  (Jeff Malet, maletphoto.com)
(Jeff Malet, maletphoto.com)

On Monday, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal announced that the state would be terminating Planned Parenthood's Medicaid provider agreement because -- take a deep breath, people, this one's a run-on -- "multiple videos have surfaced showing Planned Parenthood Federation of America senior personnel and other employees describing how they actively engage in illegal partial birth abortion procedures and conduct these abortions in a manner that leaves body parts intact so that they can later be sold on the open market."

Following in the footsteps of Sarah Palin by buying into the narrative perpetrated by the Planned Parenthood hoaxers at the Center for Medical Progress, Jindal stated that he had "directed the Department of Health and Hospitals to investigate Planned Parenthood’s activities in Louisiana" -- which do not include any of the procedures discussed on the deceptively edited videos, for the simple reason that neither of the two remaining Planned Parenthood clinics in Louisiana provide abortion services.

In effect, Jindal is ordering an investigation into something that can't possibly occur based on video evidence that shouldn't be trusted, but he is in the running for the Republican presidential nomination -- if only barely -- and further defunding Planned Parenthood is a cheap way to score points among socially conservative primary voters.

"Planned Parenthood does not represent the values of the people of Louisiana and shows a fundamental disrespect for human life," he said in a statement. "It has become clear that this is not an organization that is worthy of receiving public assistance from the state."

Planned Parenthood Louisiana State Director Melissa Flournoy replied to Jindal's proposal by noting that "[o]ver the last year, the Office of Public Health has drastically cut funding and is already unable to meet the health care needs of those who are most vulnerable."

"Furthering this problem by eliminating a trusted and high-quality provider will jeopardize health care for women and men across Louisiana. Where will the women and men in Louisiana turn to for these vital services if Planned Parenthood is not an option?" she asked.


By Scott Eric Kaufman

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Related Topics ------------------------------------------

Abortion Bobby Jindal Elections 2016 Medicaid Planned Parenthood Pro-choice