Senate Avoids Planned Parenthood Contempt Showdown

(AP) – The Missouri Senate announced Thursday it is suspending contempt proceedings against a Planned Parenthood CEO after reaching an agreement to review some documents a legislative committee investigating the organization subpoenaed last year.
The fetal tissue disposal policies of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri will be made available along with other documents, including blank patient forms and written protocols for abortions. Republican and Democratic Senate leaders will designate people to review the documents during business hours in the office of the regional organization’s attorney, but they will not be allowed to copy them, according to the agreement.
Some documents will be available for review as soon as noon Friday, while others will take longer to produce, the agreement said. All the documents must be provided by May 9.
Senators voted last week to summon to the chamber Mary Kogut, CEO and president of the regional Planned Parenthood, to justify why she had not complied with the Senate’s subpoena and explain why she should not be held in contempt, a rare move that could carry jail time.