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Politico FL: Scott Administration Scrubbed Statement Clearing Florida Planned Parenthood Clinics

An investigation by Politico Florida shows Governor Rick Scott’s administration altered a statement to falsely claim one planned parenthood facility failed to properly log fetal remains. In early August, the Agency for Healthcare Administration released a report accusing four clinics of wrongdoing.

Planned Parenthood spokesman Damien Filer says Politico Florida’s report is vindication.:

“As AHCA knew well, none of our facilities in Florida participate in the tissue donation program, so we didn’t understand from the beginning what reason they’d have to call for this investigation," he said.

Governor Rick Scott ordered abortion clinic investigations after heavily edited, undercover videos showed national planned parenthood officials discussing the sale of fetal tissue for research.  Planned Parenthood and the Agency for Healthcare Administration are still at odds over whether three clinics performed abortions outside of a first-trimester limit. They disagree on the definition of trimester, and Planned Parenthood’s request for a declaratory judgment is still pending in the courts. 

Meanwhile Politico Florida reports Governor Rick Scott's spokeswoman Jackie Schutz is defending the wording of the release that state's one facility was, "not keeping proper logs related to fetal remains."

Follow @HatterLynn

Lynn Hatter is a Florida A&M University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Lynn has served as reporter/producer for WFSU since 2007 with education and health care issues as her key coverage areas.  She is an award-winning member of the Capital Press Corps and has participated in the NPR Kaiser Health News Reporting Partnership and NPR Education Initiative. 

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