Two Republican senators on Tuesday demanded the Justice Department update them on the status of its probe into the sale of human fetal tissue involving Planned Parenthood and several biomedical research companies.
Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Sen. Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, sent a letter to Attorney General William P. Barr and FBI Director Christopher A. Wray seeking more details on the probe.
In 2017, the Justice Department announced it would investigate the sale of human fetal tissue in response to a Judiciary Committee probe lead by Mr. Grassley, who formerly chaired the panel. At the conclusion of the committee’s probe, Mr. Grassley referred eight organizations, including Planned Parenthood, to the Justice Department for criminal investigation.
The referrals allege the organizations may have violated laws that ban the purchase or sale of human fetal tissue.
“Preventing the illegal sale of human fetal tissue remains a priority for the committee,” the senators wrote in the letters.
They have asked the Justice Department to update them on any action the FBI has taken on the criminal referrals or its justification for not taking any action. The senators have requested a response by July 2.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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