The Justice Department declined comment, saying it does not confirm nor deny whether an investigation is taking place.
The FBI has asked the Senate for un-redacted documents it obtained from abortion providers, signaling agents may be investigating whether Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers illegally sold fetal tissue and body parts, according to sources familiar with the document request.
The request was made in recent days, the sources said, to the Senate Judiciary Committee, whose chairman, Sen.Ā Chuck GrassleyĀ (R-Iowa), last DecemberĀ referredĀ Planned Parenthood and several other abortion providers to the FBI for investigation after a lengthy probe into the transfers of fetal tissue.
Grassley said at the time that his committee had uncovered enough evidence in its final investigative report to show abortion providers had transferred tissue and body parts from aborted fetuses to firms for use in research by charging dollar amounts above their actual costs.
Abortion providers are allowed under a 1993 law toĀ transferĀ fetal tissue for research at a cost equal to the price of obtaining it, butĀ are not allowed to sell it at a profit.
The Justice Department declined comment, saying it does not confirm nor deny whether an investigation is taking place.
A spokesman for the FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Planned Parenthood said that while it is aware of Grassleyās prior request for a criminal probe, none of its affiliates has had any contact with the FBI. It noted it provided more than 30,000 pages of documents and several witnesses to the congressional probes and believes it has complied with the law.
More at source
