A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order blocking Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal from defunding Planned Parenthood in the state.
“Planned Parenthood is engaging in classic misdirection regarding the millions they have repaid in Medicaid fraud and their own admissions in the baby parts trafficking videos,” Mike Reed, Jindal’s communications director, said in a statement to The Daily Signal. “Instead of going through the same administrative review as any other Medicaid provider, they are running to the federal courts and asking for special treatment. We will appeal this decision and continue to fight to ensure Planned Parenthood no longer receives taxpayer funding.”
Prior to U.S. District Judge John deGravelles’ ruling, state funding for Planned Parenthood was expected to end Monday. The Associated Press reported that his ruling extends funding for another two weeks.
“Uncontradicted evidence in the record at this time is that PPGC does not perform abortions in Louisiana, is not involved in the sale of fetal tissue and none of the conduct in question occurred at the PPGC’s two Louisiana facilities,” deGravelles wrote in his ruling, according to the AP.
Jindal decided to defund Planned Parenthood in Louisiana following the release of a series of undercover videos by the Center for Medical Progress depicting the organization’s executives discussing the sale of aborted babies’ body parts.
Trafficking human body parts, including human baby body parts, is a felony in the United States.
Planned Parenthood has denied wrongdoing, and has recently announced it will stop accepting “reimbursement” for “tissue donation” to researchers.
The Daily Signal previously reported that Planned Parenthood filed a lawsuit against Jindal’s administration after he terminated its Medicaid contract with the state.
A spokesperson for Planned Parenthood did not immediately return The Daily Signal’s request for comment.
