Planned Parenthood facilities raided by Texas authorities; no explanation given

 Reuters

Authorities in Texas conducted raids on Planned Parenthood facilities in the state on Thursday but declined to reveal to reporters why such action was carried out.

Representatives from the Texas Office of the Inspector General carried out the raids on Planned Parenthood health centres in Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio, according to Raw Story.

When sought for comment, the Inspector General's office declined to give any.

The move came right after state Republican leaders prohibited Planned Parenthood from receiving any more funding from Medicaid money.

Texas, which is a highly populated and Republican-controlled American state, has vowed to investigate the nation's biggest abortion service provider after the Center for Medical Progress (CMP) released a series of sting videos that showed the group's shocking transactions involving the sale of foetal tissues.

Texas officials notified Planned Parenthood earlier this month, saying they will be cutting down Medicaid funding because of the group's violations of their healthcare programmes for the poor as exposed in the sting videos.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said earlier this week that "the gruesome harvesting of baby body parts by Planned Parenthood will not be allowed."

Meanwhile, Planned Parenthood officials are claiming innocence and have slammed Abbot for initiating the raids. Texas officials are merely "looking for an excuse to take health care away from thousands of women and men who rely on Planned Parenthood for preventive care," the group said in a statement.

Texas' neighbouring states such as Arkansas and Louisiana are all set to move against Planned Parenthood as well. They are now planning to cut the group's Medicaid funding after being slapped with one federal lawsuit after another that kept them from stopping the flow of government funds to the abortion service provider.

Republican presidential hopefuls such as Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and former Hewlett-Packard Chief Executive Carly Fiorina are also battling Planned Parenthood and have consistently supported moves that would finally defund the organisation. On the other hand, Democratic hopefuls have been supportive of the Planned Parenthood.

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