Grassley Pursues Inquiry into Planned Parenthood Fetal Tissue Transfers
WASHINGTON - Since media reports of videos describing in detail Planned Parenthood's role in the harvesting of fetal tissue, Senator Chuck Grassley, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary, has opened an inquiry into the organization's facilitation of activities described in the videos.
Grassley previously made an inquiry to the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and more recently has requested information from each of the Planned Parenthood affiliates regarding each affiliate's fetal tissue policies as well as copies of documents such as policies, presentations, guidance, and communications related to its facilitation of the procurement and distribution of fetal tissue.
He has also made inquiries to the three companies noted in the videos as acquiring fetal tissue from Planned Parenthood. StemExpress, Advanced Bioscience Resources, and Novogenix were asked to provide the committee with information about items such as communications, contracts, revenue and costs associated with their involvement with Planned Parenthood and its affiliates.
Additionally, on Friday, Grassley requested from the Center for Medical Progress all videos and documents related to its fetal tissue investigation that may lawfully be provided to the committee.
In his initial inquiry on July 15, to Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards, Grassley asked questions about the organization's facilitation of the activities described in the video. In a separate letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch sent the same day, Grassley noted that the video shows Planned Parenthood's Senior Director for Medical Services, Deborah Nucatola, discussing the statutory interpretation and intent of the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban. He asked Lynch to provide the Judiciary Committee with a description of the actions taken by the Department of Justice to ensure compliance with the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act.
Planned Parenthood has hired an attorney to answer Grassley's questions. The Justice Department has not responded to Grassley's questions.
Copies of Grassley's letters to the Planned Parenthood affiliates can be found here (the same letter was sent to all affiliates). A copy of the letters to StemExpress, Advanced Bioscience Resources, and Novogenix can be found here. A copy of the letter to the Center for Medical Progress can be found here. Grassley's July 15 letter to Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards can be found here. A copy of the letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch can be found here.
-30-Camp Counselor Kept Job, Immigration Benefit Despite Being 'Potentially Egregious' Risk
WASHINGTON - A California camp counselor now charged with child molestation was considered to be a "potentially egregious public safety" risk months before his arrest, but was still allowed to keep his job and immigration benefits, according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The information responds to questions raised by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley regarding federal immigration authorities' investigation of the counselor who was in the country based on executive actions taken by President Obama prior to his arrest.
USCIS confirmed that Edgar Covarrubias-Padilla was granted work authorization through the President's deferred deportation program, commonly known as DACA, which allowed him to work as a camp counselor at Walden West Science Camp. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was aware that Covarrubias-Padilla was under investigation for child exploitation as early as November 17, 2014, according to records provided by USCIS. While USCIS acknowledged that ICE officials "typically apprise USCIS when a recipient of DACA or an immigration benefit is an investigative target," USCIS failed to learn of the ongoing investigation until March 31, 2015.
According to the response from USCIS, Department of Homeland Security officials notified the Santa Clara Sheriff's Office of Covarrubias-Padilla's suspicious activities on April 29, 2015, the same day that ICE officials confirmed he was employed by the Santa Clara Office of Education. It wasn't until May 13, 2015, six days after Covarrubias-Padilla was arrested for child molestation and distribution of child pornography, that immigration officials took action to revoke his DACA status and work authorization.
It remains unclear why no action was taken to revoke Covarrubias-Padilla's work authorization and immigration benefits, given that multiple agencies were aware of the ongoing investigation, that he was employed by the Office of Education and that he was considered a "potentially egregious public safety" risk. Grassley raised this and other questions in a recent letter to Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson.
A signed copy of the letter is available here. Full text of the letter follows:Grassley Continues State Department Document Request Amid New Information
WASHINGTON -- Sen. Chuck Grassley is continuing his inquiry into State Department personnel practices amid new information and allegations over a leave payment dispute involving a top aide and significant communications between the aide and an outside firm, potentially creating conflict of interest concerns. The employee, Huma Abedin, worked for the State Department as a Special Government Employee, an outside firm, Teneo, and the Clinton Foundation at the same time.
"This started as an inquiry about whether a federal personnel designation works as intended," Grassley said. "As information came in, it evolved to focus on an agency that used the designation in a different way than others in at least one high profile case. Revelations of private email use and multiple jobs held at the same time by one individual raised more questions. Now, more details are coming in, and they warrant more questions. The bottom line is still whether the taxpayers are well-served by agency practices and spending. No one will know for sure until the State Department is more transparent about how it operates."
Since June 2013, Grassley has sought information about the Special Government Employee designation at the State Department. He sought all communications between the State Department and Teneo after learning of Abedin's dual employment. Revelations that Abedin reportedly had a private address on an email server in then-Secretary Hillary Clinton's personal residence and allegedly forwarded some official emails to that private address have raised more questions about the transparency of communications. In addition, these allegations shed light on possible interference of Freedom of Information Act requests by State Department officials.
Grassley recently received new allegations that Abedin received an undeserved payment for unused leave, to the concern of the Office of Inspector General; concerns over Abedin's potential conflicts of interest, including reportedly being on thousands of emails with a Teneo aide connected to the Clintons, with an alleged request to help with an executive branch appointment for a Clinton Foundation donor; and suggestions that Abedin continued her Special Government Status to have her travel paid to and from New York.
Grassley asked for extensive records and communications on these allegations and information in letters to Secretary of State John Kerry; State Department Inspector General Steve Linick; and Abedin. His letters are available here, here and here.
-30-Here is information about Senator Grassley's schedule this week, as of Monday, August 3, 2015. The Senate is in session.
Senator Grassley will meet with Iowans in Washington, D.C., from the University of Iowa College of Dentistry, the National Society of Accountants and the University of Iowa Student Government.
Senator Grassley will meet with Iowa families from Fredericksburg, Bettendorf, Lisbon, West Des Moines, Iowa City, Council Bluffs, LaPorte City, Carlisle, Le Mars, Toledo, Waterloo, Ames, Reinbeck, North Liberty, Clarksville, Marion, Waverly, Stockton, Urbandale, Williamsburg, Montezuma, Cedar Rapids and Mason City.
Senator Grassley was a guest on a public affairs program hosted by Cindy Kohlmann on KDTH in Dubuque and Bob Leonard on KNIA/KRLS in Knoxville/Pella and will be a guest on public affairs programs hosted by Doug Wagner on WMT in Cedar Rapids and Greg Haubrich on WGEM in Quincy.
On Tuesday, August 4, at 10 a.m. (ET), Senator Grassley will participate in a Finance Committee hearing on "A Way Back Home: Preserving Families and Reducing the Need for Foster Care." Senator Grassley is the founder and co-chair of the Senate Caucus on Foster Youth.
On Wednesday, August 5, at 10 a.m. (ET), Senator Grassley will preside over a Judiciary Committee hearing, "'All' Means 'All': The Justice Department's Failure to Comply with its Legal Obligation to Ensure Inspector General Access to all Records Needed for Independent Oversight." Inspector General Michael Horowitz will testify. Grassley has led a bipartisan, bicameral effort expressing concern with a recent opinion from the Office of Legal Counsel that allows the Justice Department to deny access to records sought by the Inspector General.
On Wednesday, August 5, at 10 a.m. (ET), Senator Grassley will participate in an executive session of the Finance Committee to consider the nominations of Marisa Lago of New York to be a Deputy United States Trade Representative and W. Thomas Reeder, Jr. of Virginia to be Director of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.
On Thursday, August 6, at 10 a.m. (ET), Senator Grassley will preside over the weekly executive business meeting of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The committee may consider S. 1814, the Stop Sanctuary Cities Act, sponsored by Senators David Vitter and Jeff Flake and S. 32, the Transnational Drug Trafficking Act of 2015, sponsored by Senators Grassley, Dianne Feinstein, Chuck Schumer, John Cornyn, Amy Klobuchar and Richard Blumenthal.
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NOTICE OF COMMITTEE HEARING
The Senate Committee on the Judiciary hearing entitled, "'All' Means 'All': The Justice Department's Failure to Comply With Its Legal Obligation to Ensure Inspector General Access to All Records Needed For Independent Oversight," scheduled for Wednesday, August 5 at 10:00 a.m., will be held in Room 106 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.
By order of the Chairman.
Witness List
Hearing before the
Senate Committee on the Judiciary
On
"'All' Means 'All': The Justice Department's Failure to Comply With Its Legal Obligation to Ensure Inspector General Access to All Records Needed For Independent Oversight"
Wednesday, August 5, 2015
Dirksen Senate Office Building, Room 106
10:00 a.m.
Panel I
The Honorable Michael E. Horowitz
Inspector General
United States Department of Justice
Mr. Kevin L. Perkins
Associate Deputy Director
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Mr. Carlos Uriarte
Associate Deputy Attorney General
United States Department of Justice
Mr. David Smith
Acting Inspector General
United States Department of Commerce
Panel II
Ms. Danielle Brian
Executive Director
Project on Government Oversight
Washington, D.C.
Professor Paul Light
Professor
Robert G. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
New York University
New York, NY
Mr. Brian Miller
Former Inspector General
United States General Services Administration
Managing Director
Navigant Consulting, Inc.
Washington, D.C.
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