House GOP lawmakers launch new investigation into Planned Parenthood

House Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations subcommittee Chairman Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., sent Planned Parenthood a six-page letter earlier this month requesting financial information and details on how the women's health organization keeps federal funds separate from abortion services.

The Hill: Waxman, DeGette Blast Commerce Panel's 'Intrusive' Investigation Of Planned Parenthood
Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee charged Tuesday that the panel's Republican leaders are investigating Planned Parenthood for purely political reasons. The Oversight subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.) recently requested a series of records from Planned Parenthood. Stearns's Sept. 15 letter to the organization asked for financial records, such as any reports of improper billing, while also asking what policies the clinics have in place for reporting suspected rape and sex trafficking.  Reps. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) and Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) criticized the investigation Tuesday in a letter to Stearns, noting that it follows legislative attempts to cut off federal funding to Planned Parenthood (Baker, 9/27).

National Journal: Republicans Open Sweeping Investigation Into Planned Parenthood
House Republicans have opened a sweeping investigation into Planned Parenthood, requesting reams of financial information and details on how the women's health organization keeps federal funds separate from abortion services. House Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations Chairman Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., sent Planned Parenthood a six-page letter earlier this month detailing the committee's request. House Republicans have repeatedly tried to strip Planned Parenthood of federal funding because it provides abortions, even though federal funds are not used for those services (McCarthy, 9/28).

The Associated Press: GOP to Planned Parenthood: Hand Over Records
A Republican-led House panel has asked the Planned Parenthood Federation of America to hand over more than a decade's worth of documents in a probe of whether the organization improperly spends public money on abortions. Democrats and Planned Parenthood supporters say the 90-year-old group is audited regularly and publicly and that the probe is the latest Republican run at shutting it down (Kellman, 9/27).

Meanwhile -

Minnesota Public Radio: Abortion Foes Criticize GOP Allies For Failing To Uphold Cloning Ban
Angered that a 2009 ban on spending state funds on human cloning was dropped from state spending bills during final budget hearings, the state's largest anti-abortion group is targeting some of its traditional allies. Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life is criticizing Republicans in the Legislature for scaling back "existing pro-life policy" ... Gov. Mark Dayton, a Democrat who supports legalized abortion, insisted that the so-called cloning measure and other abortion-related restrictions had no place in budget bills (Scheck, 9/28).