Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) announced he had ended the state’s Medicaid contract with Planned Parenthood in response to an anti-abortion “sting” video campaign against the reproductive health service.
“In recent weeks, it has been shocking to see reports of the alleged activities taking place at Planned Parenthood facilities across the country. Planned Parenthood does not represent the values of the people of Louisiana and shows a fundamental disrespect for human life,” Jindal said in a statement. “It has become clear that this is not an organization that is worthy of receiving public assistance from the state.”
The move comes despite the fact that the two Planned Parenthood clinics in Louisiana do not provide abortion, which Planned Parenthood confirmed to the state’s Department of Health and Hospitals as part of the state’s ongoing investigation into claims that the organization is profiting off of aborted fetal tissue donations. A third clinic being built in New Orleans plans to offer abortion, but will not participate in the tissue donation programs, a Planned Parenthood executive told the state.
Jindal’s termination of Medicaid funding also comes as the U.S. Senate weighs its own measure to cease federal funding to Planned Parenthood over the videos that an anti-abortion group going by Center for Medical Progress began releasing last month. The standalone Senate measure is unlikely to overcome a Democratic filibuster expected Monday evening, but conservatives are already pushing that it be attached to a larger, must-pass spending bill lawmakers will consider when they return from the August recess.
What a jerk.
Sorry Bobby, I don’t think this “tyranny” will stand.
Thought you didn’t want to be in the Stupid Party?
Oops!
Can the Fed’s then cut all Medicaid, and maybe Medicare, for all Louisiana residents until Piyush is in compliance with all Federal Medicare rules?
He’s not the only governor of a red state making the lives of its poorest residents more miserable in a futile effort to be President, but he’s one of the most despicable. And now, for added fun, we have major policy decisions based on bogus misleadingly edited videos. O’Keefeian democracy, let’s call it, where power accrues to the most shameless and outrageous liars.
You say that as if this were a recent development.