The Missouri Senate is moving forward with contempt proceedings against a leading state official in Planned Parenthood's abortion empire. The Senate adopted a resolution last week demanding that Mary Kogut show
cause why she should not face penalties under the law for contempt of the Senate.
Kogut is the President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region. She has refused to respond to a subpoena issued last November to appear before the Senate Sanctity of Human Life Committee. The Committee was appointed to investigate the manner in which Planned Parenthood disposes of the remains of aborted preborn children.
The Committee was convened in the wake of a national uproar over the handling of fetal tissue by abortion clinics operated by Planned Parenthood. Undercover videos released by a group called the Center for Medical Progress (CMP) revealed Planned Parenthood officials engaged in the trafficking of vital organs and body parts of unborn children who had been aborted.
Federal and state law prohibit the sale for profit of fetal tissue from abortions. Yet the videos captured employees and contractors for Planned Parenthood discussing the profit margins to be gained by the sale of baby body parts and the manner in which such sales could be concealed.
The St. Louis region was mentioned prominently in the very first undercover video released by CMP. Deborah Nucatola, the Senior Director of Medical Services for Planned Parenthood Affiliates of America, stated that St. Louis was "an untapped supplier" for baby body parts.
Planned Parenthood operates the only full-time abortion clinic in Missouri in the Central West End of St. Louis known for years as Reproductive Health Services. Washington University physicians have had a longstanding affiliation with the St. Louis abortion
clinic. Barnes Hospital in St. Louis has also served as a training center for doctors willing to perform late-term abortions.
The Senate subpoena requested that Kogut produce any documents relating to the sale, donation, or transfer of "any human fetal tissue," and any contracts with entities for "the disposal of fetal human tissue and medical waste." The subpoena also requests policies, protocols, and forms used by Planned Parenthood to ensure that a woman has given her informed consent to an abortion.
In unprecedented fashion, Kogut has brazenly defied the Senate subpoena. Not only has she refused to produce the documents requested, Kogut has also refused to appear before the Senate Sanctity of Human Life Committee to answer questions regarding the handling
of fetal remains by the Planned Parenthood St. Louis abortion clinic.
Not surprisingly, Kogut has falsely stated that the Missouri Senate is requiring her to furnish documents which would identify women who have undergone abortions in violation of federal privacy laws. Yet the subpoena only requests the text and content of presigned forms used by the clinic to comply with state law.
Senator Kurt Schaefer, Chairman of the Senate Sanctity of Human Life Committee, has provided further communication to Kogut and her attorney that the Senate is by no means requesting any personally identifiable information. Yet Kogut has continued to ignore the subpoena, or to provide any response to the requests submitted by the committee.