© 2024 University of Missouri - KBIA
Donate
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Planned Parenthood reaches agreement with Missouri Senate, contempt proceedings suspended

St. Louis Public Radio | By Marshall Griffin,
Marshall Griffin
Published April 22, 2016 at 1:46 AM CDT
File photo by Jason Rosenbaum I St. Louis Public Radio

Planned Parenthood's St. Louis clinic has agreed to hand over some documents to the Missouri Senate on how it disposes of fetal tissue.

As part of the negotiated agreement the Senate will suspend contempt proceedings against Planned Parenthood regional director Mary Kogut. The contempt measure was sponsored by Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia.

"I think we (were) pretty clear what we asked for in the subpoena," Schaefer told reporters Thursday. "We've had discussions with their lawyer; again, the misinformation that we wanted six years of personal medical records simply was never asked for, and I think they understand that now."

Credit File photo by Jason Rosenbaum I St. Louis Public Radio

Kogut was scheduled to appear before the Senate on Monday and answer why Planned Parenthood had not handed over the documents, which had been subpoenaed by a Senate committee.  She could have faced fines and jail time for refusing to cooperate.

The Senate has also suspended contempt proceedings against Dr. James Miller of Pathology Services.

"Dr. Miller, through his attorney, exercised his rights under the 5th Amendment against self incrimination," Schaefer said.  "We will not require him to appear just to take the 5th."

The dispute goes back to last summer, in the wake of an anti-abortion group's release of videos claiming that some Planned Parenthood clinics were illegally handling fetal tissue. Planned Parenthood officials say the videos have been heavily edited, and Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster found no evidence of wrongdoing by the St. Louis clinic.

Credit Provided by Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri

Democratic lawmakers have accused Schaefer and other Republican legislators of conducting a "witchhunt" against Planned Parenthood.

Schaefer is seeking the Republican nomination for state attorney general.

The agreement calls for all documents in question to be handed over by May 9, but Schaefer says some are expected to arrive today.

Mallory Daily contributed to this report.

Follow Marshall Griffin on Twitter:  @MarshallGReport

Copyright 2021 St. Louis Public Radio. To see more, visit St. Louis Public Radio.

News
Marshall Griffin
Missouri Public Radio State House Reporter Marshall Griffin is a proud alumnus of the University of Mississippi (a.k.a., Ole Miss), and has been in radio for over 20 years, starting out as a deejay. His big break in news came when the first President Bush ordered the invasion of Panama in 1989. Marshall was working the graveyard shift at a rock station, and began ripping news bulletins off the old AP teletype and reading updates between songs. From there on, his radio career turned toward news reporting and anchoring. In 1999, he became the capital bureau chief for Florida's Radio Networks, and in 2003 he became News Director at WFSU-FM/Florida Public Radio. During his time in Tallahassee he covered seven legislative sessions, Governor Jeb Bush's administration, four hurricanes, the Terri Schiavo saga, and the 2000 presidential recount. Before coming to Missouri, he enjoyed a brief stint in the Blue Ridge Mountains, reporting and anchoring for WWNC-AM in Asheville, North Carolina. Marshall lives in Jefferson City with his wife, Julie, their dogs, Max and Mason, and their cat, Honey.
See stories by Marshall Griffin
Marshall Griffin
St. Louis Public Radio State House Reporter Marshall Griffin is a native of Mississippi and proud alumnus of Ole Miss (welcome to the SEC, Mizzou!). He has been in radio for over 20 years, starting out as a deejay. His big break in news came when the first President Bush ordered the invasion of Panama in 1989. Marshall was working the graveyard shift at a rock station, and began ripping news bulletins off an old AP teletype and reading updates between songs. From there on, his radio career turned toward news reporting and anchoring. In 1999, he became the capital bureau chief for Florida's Radio Networks, and in 2003 he became News Director at WFSU-FM/Florida Public Radio. During his time in Tallahassee he covered seven legislative sessions, Governor Jeb Bush's administration, four hurricanes, the Terri Schiavo saga, and the 2000 presidential recount. Before coming to Missouri, he enjoyed a brief stint in the Blue Ridge Mountains, reporting and anchoring for WWNC-AM in Asheville, North Carolina. Marshall lives in Jefferson City with his wife, Julie, their dogs, Max and Liberty Belle, and their cat, Honey.