ST. LOUIS (AP) 鈥� Missouri's attorney general filed a lawsuit Thursday accusing Planned Parenthood of illegally taking minors into Kansas to obtain abortions without parental consent, basing the allegation on a video from a conservative group that has promoted false claims on other issues.
Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey's lawsuit accuses Kansas City, Missouri-based Planned Parenthood Great Plains of violating Missouri law, which makes it illegal to 鈥渋ntentionally cause, aid, or assist a minor to obtain an abortion鈥� without consent from a parent or guardian. The lawsuit filed in state district court in Columbia, Missouri, asks the court to stop Planned Parenthood from engaging in the conduct it alleges.
Bailey's lawsuit provides no evidence of the actions alleged outside of a hidden camera video from a conservative group, Project Veritas. The video is of a conversation between Planned Parenthood employees and someone impersonating someone seeking an abortion for a fictitious 13-year-old.
Project Veritas is known for conducting such hidden camera stings. Earlier this month, that claims it made in a video alleging ballot mishandling at a Pennsylvania post office in 2020 were untrue as it settled a lawsuit against the group by a postmaster. In 2021, a Project Veritas video fueled online that Pfizer鈥檚 COVID-19 vaccine contains aborted fetal cells.
Planned Parenthood Great Plains President and CEO Emily Wales said the lawsuit is based on false information. She said in a statement that Planned Parenthood does not provide any form of transportation for patients. Besides, she said, Kansas law requires minor patients seeking abortion services to have parental consent or to show an order from a Kansas judge authorizing it.
鈥淲e will continue following state and federal laws and proudly providing Missourians with the compassionate sexual and reproductive care that remains available to them in a state with a total abortion ban,鈥� Wales said.
Project Veritas did not immediately respond Thursday to a telephone message or email seeking comment.
Missouri is among several conservative-led states that adopted restrictive abortion laws in 2022, after the establishing the nationwide right to abortion. State law , except in cases of 鈥渕edical emergencies.鈥�
GOP lawmakers and state officials have long been at odds with Planned Parenthood. The Republican-led Missouri House on Wednesday gave initial approval to a bill that would from going to Planned Parenthood. Weeks earlier, the Missouri Supreme Court to end that funding.
Bailey said in a statement it is time to 鈥渆radicate Planned Parenthood once and for all."
Bailey's lawsuit, based on the Project Vertias video, alleges that Planned Parenthood employees said they could take the girl to a Kansas clinic without parental knowledge, using a doctor鈥檚 note written by someone at Planned Parenthood to get the girl out of school.
鈥淭his is the beginning of the end for Planned Parenthood in the State of Missouri. What they conceal and conspire to do in the dark of night has now been uncovered,鈥� Bailey said.
Bailey did not say whether he planned to file criminal charges against Planned Parenthood over the conduct the lawsuit alleges. His spokesperson said the office's investigation is ongoing but did not immediately respond to a question about whether criminal charges could be coming.
But Wales said the Project Veritas video 鈥渋s heavily doctored and edited.鈥� She called the lawsuit 鈥渁 press release dressed up as legal action from an unelected attorney general.鈥�
The lawsuit also asks the court to prohibit Planned Parenthood from referring minors for abortions, providing doctor's notes for minors, paying for lodging for out-of-state abortions for minors, or coordinating with others for any of those activities.
Democratic House Minority Leader Crystal Quade told reporters that she believes that Bailey's action 鈥渇alls in the bucket again of another lawsuit just to try to get some headlines in an election year.鈥�
Bailey was appointed attorney general by Republican Gov. Mike Parson after was elected to the U.S. Senate in November 2022. Bailey is to the post this year.
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Hanna reported from Topeka, Kansas. Summer Ballentine in Jefferson City, Missouri, contributed to this report.
Jim Salter And John Hanna, The Associated Press
