Judge denies Planned Parenthood's motion to dismiss Missouri AG's trafficking lawsuit

Missouri GOP Attorney General Andrew Bailey announced Tuesday evening that a judge had denied a motion by Planned Parenthood to dismiss a state lawsuit that alleges a clinic is taking minors out of state for obtain abortions.

“One step closer to eradicating Planned Parenthood in the state of Missouri,” Bailey wrote on the social media platform X.

In February of this year, Bailey filed a lawsuit against a chapter of Planned Parenthood, alleging that it was “trafficking minors” across state lines to obtain abortions without parental consent.

The lawsuit accuses the Great Plains chapter of illegal behavior, allegedly caught on camera, by staff members taking minors across state lines to get abortions without the parents' knowledge.

The video, taken by the activist group Project Veritas, known for its undercover videos, allegedly showed a conversation between a Planned Parenthood employee and someone posing as an individual seeking an abortion for a 13-year-old.

Chapter president and CEO Emily Wales says the group does not provide transportation for patients.

“We will continue to follow state and federal laws and proudly provide Missourians with the compassionate sexual and reproductive care that remains available to them in a state where abortion is completely banned,” she said, according to the 'Associated Press.