James Bruggers

Louisville Courier Journal

Gov. Matt Bevin's heated statement issued Friday evening accused Planned Parenthood of providing "illegal abortions," and accused the health care nonprofit of admitting it had violated state law.

But Planned Parenthood on Saturday countered by adamantly saying it made no such admission.

"We did not perform illegal abortions," said Betty Cockrum, president and chief executive officer of Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky. "We worked in good faith ... following Kentucky precedent" when it comes to licensing of its new Louisville facility, she said.

The governor, however, saw it differently, even suggesting the clinic operator intentionally violated the law.

"I am glad to report that Planned Parenthood in Louisville acknowledged it has no legal authority for its actions and has agreed to stop performing illegal abortions," Bevin said in a statement sent out early Friday evening. "This clinic brazenly set out to conduct abortions without a license in clear violation of Kentucky law. The commonwealth acted swiftly to end these unlawful procedures, and we will continue to investigate the matter thoroughly.”

Local Planned Parenthood stops abortions

The Courier-Journal reported on Friday that Planned Parenthood temporarily stopped offering abortion services at its new clinic in downtown Louisville while it addresses objections the Bevin administration raised Thursday about its license application for the facility.

That followed a letter on Thursday from a state official who said she found deficiencies in Planned Parenthood's license application – a lack of adequate written agreements with an acute care hospital and an ambulance service that are required in case a patient develops unforeseen complications. Planned Parenthood responded by saying it would provide updated agreements "as soon as possible."

In a letter Friday to Kentucky officials, Planned Parenthood claimed the organization had the state's approval when it began offering abortion services Jan. 21 at the clinic on South Seventh Street. Abortion services began "only after receiving assurance from your office, in emails dated Dec. 1 and Dec. 7, that it would be appropriate while we await a survey," said Suzannah Wilson Overholt, chief operating officer for Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky, in a letter to the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services.

Bevin took office on Dec. 8.

Funds to Planned Parenthood cut before abortions

On Saturday, the CJ asked Bevin spokeswoman Jessica Ditto why the governor believed Planned Parenthood had flouted the law.

"Planned Parenthood's public statements acknowledged that they are not licensed," she said, adding that Planned Parenthood was in the "process of being declined and regardless what the previous administration told them, Kentucky statute clearly states that any facility must have a license to perform abortions."

Cockrum said they were following a standard licensing practice with Kentucky and had no idea of any potential issues until that Thursday letter came from the state.

Under state licensing procedures, officials must also conduct a survey, or inspection, of a health facility after it begins operation before issuing a license. Kentucky officials have not yet conducted that survey.

Reach reporter James Bruggers at (502) 582-4645 or at jbruggers@courier-journal.com.