OPINION:
Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine released a statement Friday following the conclusion of his investigation into three of Planned Parenthood’s Ohio affiliates.
The investigation was initiated in July to explore whether Planned Parenthood affiliates in Bedford Heights, Cincinnati and Columbus were violating Ohio law by selling fetal tissue or abortion trafficking.
While the investigation did not find conclusive evidence of fetal tissue sale, they did come across some particularly disturbing findings.
The investigators discovered that all three Planned Parenthood affiliates were sending fetal remains to companies that were disposing of these remains in landfills, oftentimes intermingled with other common residential and commercial trash.
This mode of disposal is a clear violation of Ohio Administrative Code 3701-47-05, which requires that a “fetus shall be disposed of in a humane manner.”
“Disposing of aborted fetuses from an abortion by sending them to a landfill is callous and completely inhumane,” Mr. DeWine said.
Furthermore, the Planned Parenthood affiliate investigated in Bedford Heights, Ohio stated that it used a specific company for disposal.
However, this company told investigators that as a matter of corporate policy, it does not accept fetal remains.
Clearly, Planned Parenthood has some explaining to do.
In response to the released report, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio released a statement saying, “This is simply not true. Planned Parenthood has contracts with vendors to handle fetal tissue in a respectful manner and in accordance with the law. It is irresponsible for the AG to say otherwise.”
But Mr. DeWine isn’t buying this response and is calling for the Ohio General Assembly to pass legislation that makes sure the remains are disposed of humanely.
According to Ohio Right to Life President Mike Gonidakis, a bill is already in the works and, if passed, would limit the number of options available to abortionists to humane burial and cremation as well as increase informed consent by requiring full disclosure to women pursuing abortions.
Violation of the proposed statute would result in a penalty of a first-degree misdemeanor in the state of Ohio.
In his statement, Mr. DeWine stressed his hopes that the public will become “aware that these practices are taking place at these Ohio facilities.”
And “aware” is exactly what all citizens need to be as information about Planned Parenthood’s practices continues to be exposed, not only in Ohio, but in states nationwide.
Madison Gesiotto is a staff editor for the Ohio State Journal of Criminal Law. The author’s views are her own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Ohio State Journal of Criminal Law.
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