Planned Parenthood of Tennessee and North Mississippi petitioned a Nashville court on Wednesday to set aside a sweeping legal demand by Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti to turn over the organization’s donor details, healthcare provider information and the medical records of adult and minor patients.
The legal petition, filed in Davidson County Chancery Court, makes public for the first time the existence of an ongoing and wide-ranging investigation into the nonprofit operator of four Tennessee clinics. Since the state’s 2022 abortion ban, the organization has ceased offering abortions as part of its healthcare service; instead, it offers information, financial assistance and referrals to pregnant patients seeking abortions outside of Tennessee.
In a Sept. 3 demand letter, Skrmetti appeared to target those post-abortion-ban services. The letter said the state “ had reason to believe” the organization had engaged in multiple violations of state law. Among Skrmetti’s demands are for the Planned Parenthood affiliate to turn over all documents, emails, and communications connected to “any person you assisted, helped or are otherwise aware of” who obtained abortion pills in the mail or via telemedicine…