Chairman Marsha Blackburn today announced the issuance of 12 new subpoenas to organizations who have failed to fully cooperate with both requests for information and previous subpoenas from the Select Investigative Panel on Infant Lives.
The subpoenas were issued to StemExpress and related persons; individuals with relationships to the University of New Mexico; BioMed IRB -- an online Institutional Review Board service that purports to provide IRB clearance for research on human subjects and for the transfer of fetal tissue; and Ganogen -- a company that is involved in the use of aborted fetuses for research involving transplantation of human organs into animals.
"The Select Investigative Panel is working in a thoughtful and thorough manner to find the facts about what exactly is going on at these abortion businesses and procurement organizations," Chairman Blackburn said. "Unfortunately, some of these organizations have so redacted documents -- even after being subpoenaed -- that it is impossible for us to get the complete picture of what is actually going on. Others have refused to produce documents required under previous subpoenas, and have threatened to withhold additional subpoenaed information.
"There should be no resistance to letting all the facts come out -- but some abortion supporters seem to be clearly rattled with basic facts coming to light. Therefore, in the interest of completing our investigation pursuant to H. Res. 461, we will continue to issue subpoenas when necessary to ensure information can be gathered in a timely fashion."
To date the Majority Staff of the Select Investigative Panel has sent more than 40 letters requesting documents. Those letters all asked for information to be provided voluntarily.