July 20, 2015

Governor Mark Dayton

130 State Capitol
75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55155
Governor Dayton:
Planned Parenthood Federation of America came under scrutiny last week after an undercover
video showed Dr. Deborah Nucatola, Planned Parenthood's senior director of medical services,
detailing how some of their affiliates are performing abortions in a manner that keeps the babys
heart, lungs and liver intact. Nucatola also discussed how much money some organizations would
be willing to pay local chapters for the harvested organs.
We hope you, as governor, share our desire to make sure this abhorrent and illegal practice is
not occurring in Minnesota.
U.S. House Speaker John Boehner announced July 15 that he will launch an investigation into
whether Planned Parenthood is selling body parts for profit, which is against federal law. While
we support this investigation on the federal level, a similar investigation should be conducted
here in Minnesota.
Planned Parenthood operates eighteen clinics in Minnesota with two that provide abortion
services (Rochester and St. Paul). We respectfully ask you to use the power of your office and any
appropriate state agency to investigate the following issues:
1. Minnesota Statutes 145.422 prohibits the buying or selling of a living human conceptus
or nonrenewable organ of the body. Planned Parenthoods clinics should be examined
to make sure this practice is not occurring in Minnesota.
2. Federal law prohibits the practice of partial birth abortion, a method of late-term abortion
that ends a pregnancy and results in the death and intact removal of a fetus from the
uterus. In light of Dr. Nucatolas admission that Planned Parenthood affiliates are
performing abortions in a manner that keep the babys organs intact, Planned
Parenthoods Minnesota locations should be examined to determine whether this illegal
practice is happening here.
3. Research universities have been identified as potential buyers for organs and body parts
harvested from aborted babies. As the states leading research institution, the University

of Minnesota should collaborate with state officials to make sure they are not buying or
receiving organs harvested from abortions.
As legislators, we hope none of these practices are occurring here in Minnesota. However, hope
is not sufficient in this instance. The people of Minnesota deserve a thorough and transparent
account of Planned Parenthoods operations.
Please consider working with us in the future on legislation that protects women and children in
Minnesota through stronger oversight of this intrusive medical procedure.
We ask that you use the full powers of your administration to look into these matters
immediately and report back to the legislature and the public with the results.

Respectfully,

Sen. Roger Chamberlain

Sen. Bill Ingebrigtsen

Rep. Peggy Scott

Rep. Brian Johnson

Rep. Debra Kiel

Speaker Kurt Daudt

Majority Leader Joyce Peppin

Sen. Mary Kiffmeyer

Minority Leader David Hann

Rep. Jon Koznick

Rep. Tony Albright

Rep. Ron Kresha

Sen. Bruce Anderson

Rep. Kathy Lohmer

Rep. Paul Anderson

Rep. Bob Loonan

Rep. Sarah Anderson

Rep. Eric Lucero
Rep. Dave Baker
Rep. Dale Lueck

Rep. Jeff Backer

Rep. Joe McDonald

Rep. Dave Baker

Rep. Tim Miller
Rep. Peggy Bennett
Rep. Jim Nash
Rep. Bob Barrett

Sen. Michelle Benson

Sen. Dave Brown

Rep. Brian Daniels

Rep. Jim Newberger

Sen. Sean Nienow

Rep. Bud Nornes

Rep. Drew Christensen

Rep. Marion ONeill

Sen. Gary Dahms

Rep. John Petersburg

Rep. Matt Dean

Sen. Branden Petersen
Rep. Bob Dettmer
Rep. Roz Peterson
Rep. Steve Drazkowski
Rep. Nels Pierson

Rep. Sondra Erickson

Rep. Cindy Pugh

Rep. Dan Fabian

Re. Duane Quam

Rep. Jason Rarick

Rep. Kelly Fenton
Rep. Linda Runbeck
Rep. Mary Franson
Rep. Dennis Smith

Rep. Pat Garofalo

Sen. Dave Thompson
Sen. Paul Gazelka

Rep. Steve Green

Rep. Bob Gunther

Rep. Dean Urdahl

Sen. Bill Weber

Sen. Torrey Westrom

Sen. Dan Hall

Rep. Abigail Whelan

Rep. Jeff Howe

Rep. Anna Wills

Rep. Nick Zerwas

cc: Lt. Governor Tina Smith

Lucinda Jesson, Commissioner, Department of Human Services
Dr. Edward Ehlinger, Commissioner, Department of Health
Eric Kaler, President, University of Minnesota Senate