"Surveyors were unable to find any non-compliance with state regulations."

[Content Note: War on agency.]

Republican Indiana Governor Mike Pence, along with several other Republican governors, thought it would be a terrific idea to exploit whatever public disapproval of Planned Parenthood had arisen from CMP's release of undercover footage of Planned Parenthood employees discussing something totally legal and routine, the fourth of which was released last night. So Pence, who is the worst, ordered the Indiana State Department of Health to investigate Planned Parenthood facilities in the state.

And—brace yourselves—the investigators found exactly nothing untoward.

State health officials have confirmed Indiana Planned Parenthood clinics that perform abortions follow all requirements for the proper disposal of fetal remains.

On July 21, inspectors with the Indiana State Department of Health investigated the Merrillville, Indianapolis and Bloomington Planned Parenthood facilities, as directed by Gov. Mike Pence.

According to an ISDH follow-up letter sent to the three locations, "Surveyors were unable to find any non-compliance with state regulations. Therefore, no deficiencies were cited."

The health department said it considers each of the complaints closed.

So, Pence just wasted a bunch of taxpayer money to pursue a politically motivated investigation that was nothing but, and was never going to be anything but, intimidation of people who provide (and seek) abortions.

If the anti-choice movement is a terrorist movement—and it is—Governor Pence's wholly unjustifiable use of state resources to launch this official flourish of inimidation, in support of and because of an anti-choice group, is state-sponsored terrorism.

Just to make clear how comprehensively and exclusively this investigation had no purpose other than to intimidate:

Betty Cockrum, CEO of Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky, said their clinics do not even participate in the tissue donation program.

There was literally nothing to investigate.

The anti-choice movement is a terrorist movement with an inherently violent ideology. And Republican state and federal officials are supporting and acting in concert with them, and using taxpayer money to do it.