TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A four-month investigation of Planned Parenthood affiliates in Florida has concluded the Women’s Health organization sold no fetal tissue and broke no laws. Florida Department of Law Enforcement officials says it left no stone unturned.
The Florida Family Policy Council cited the clinic shootings in postponing its anti Planned Parenthood rally. The state provides no money to Planned Parenthood and hasn’t for more than a decade.
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FDLE officials said its exhaustive investigation found no evidence Planned Parenthood broke any law prohibiting the sale off fetal tissue.
“We (spent) 233 man hours on this investigation, so we did look at it very thoroughly," FDLE representative Molly Best said. "We took the concerns to heart. We wanted to make sure that we addressed them, and we wanted to make sure if there was any criminal wrongdoing, we addressed it.”
Planned Parenthood of Florida has said from the beginning that it hasn’t broken the law.
“This program is one that we don’t even participate in in Florida, so for us, we knew from the beginning what the results would be,” Planned Parenthood representative Damien Filer said.
The FDLE investigation was one of three that were conducted. Gov. Rick Scott had previously asked the Department of Health and the Agency for Health Care Administration to inspect clinics. Four minor administrative violations were sited.
Judiciary Chairman Charles McBurney of Jacksonville requested the investigation. He said he ’s pleased with the outcome.
“I believe there was a reasonable suspicion, based on those tapes, but at the end of the day, I’m pleased that they didn’t find anything,” McBurney said.
State Sen. Eleanor Sobel, who has spoken out against abortion restrictions at every turn, said she isn’t surprised by the investigations outcome.
“This is a witch hunt against women,” Sobel said.
Simultaneously, with the letter closing the investigation, the Florida Family Policy Council called off an anti-Planned Parenthood rally planned for next week.