Missouri state Sen. Kurt Schaefer has been under constant attack for his work investigating the abortion giant Planned Parenthood.
In November, LifeNews reported that Schaefer’s office received a death threat, which he believes was linked to his leadership of the Planned Parenthood investigation. Then in April, abortion activists attacked him with false accusations that he was subpoenaing women’s private medical records from Planned Parenthood.
Now, Missourinet reports Schaefer is being investigated by the Missouri Ethics Commission for possible violations of conflict of interest laws. Schaefer is running for the Republican nomination for state attorney general. He is accused of pressuring the University of Missouri to use employee leave policies to block an opponent who is employed at the school, according to the report.
Schaefer denied the claims and hinted that abortion activists could be behind this latest attack. Here is more from the report:
The Missouri Ethics Commission is investigating possible violations of conflict of interest laws. Schaefer, a state Senator from Columbia, says outside money is influencing that investigation.
“This is more Washington D.C. sleaze, but I’ll tell you what,” Schaefer said. “If you defund Planned Parenthood for the first time in the history of the state of Missouri like I did, if you close an abortion for the first time in decades like I did, the long knives come out.”
The Commission previously said it did not have the power to investigate criminal allegations but later reversed its decision and said it would investigate Schaefer.
The Colombia Tribune reports more about the situation:
On April 21, the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust filed a complaint alleging Schaefer, R-Columbia, misused his office by pressuring the university to alter its policy governing leave for employees who wish to become candidates. Schaefer’s main rival for the Republican nomination for attorney general is Josh Hawley, an associate professor of law at MU who is on unpaid leave for the campaign.
Schaefer is leading a state Senate committee that is investigating whether Planned Parenthood illegally sold aborted babies body parts in Missouri. In the course of the investigation, Schaefer uncovered evidence of a collaboration between the abortion group and the University of Missouri, LifeNews reported.
Schaefer discovered a research study being conducted by the university which assists Planned Parenthood in marketing its “abortion services,” Joe Orthweth, of the Missouri Family Policy Council, reported.
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The study is being undertaken with university funding at the Reproductive Health Services abortion clinic operated by Planned Parenthood in St. Louis. The purpose of the study, under the auspices of the University’s School of Social Work, is to examine the impact of a recently adopted Missouri law requiring a 72-hour period for abortions.
“It is difficult to understand how a research study approved by the University, conducted by a University student, and overseen by the Director of Social Work, can be perceived as anything but an expenditure of public funds to aid Planned Parenthood…in violation of Missouri law,” Schaefer wrote in a letter to former University Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin.
Missouri law expressly prohibits the use of state employees, state facilities or state funds to assist in the performance of elective abortions.
Schaefer also has been leading the charge to defund Planned Parenthood in Missouri as the investigation into its practices continues.
His committee even was forced to pursue contempt proceedings after Planned Parenthood tried to stonewall the investigation by refusing to comply with a government subpoena. Upon threats of jail time and fines, Planned Parenthood finally complied, LifeNews reported.
