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The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a notice of intervention in a long-standing Texas lawsuit against Planned Parenthood, a move that ensures the federal government will continue the litigation despite a shift in state leadership. The case, which has been active for five years, alleges that Planned Parenthood Federation of America and its Texas clinic operators committed Medicaid fraud by collecting reimbursements while the state was attempting to remove the organization as a Medicaid provider. The lawsuit, which seeks $1.8 billion in reimbursements, interest, and penalties, was previously championed by outgoing Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Planned Parenthood has denied the allegations, maintaining that courts did not prohibit the organization from collecting payments during the pendency of the litigation. The organization has stated that a judgment of that magnitude could force it to close. Susan Baker Manning, general counsel for Planned Parenthood Federation of America, characterized the Justice Department’s intervention as an attempt to "weaponize" the agency against the organization. "This is an effort by the Trump administration to shut us down," Manning said. The intervention marks a reversal for the Justice Department, which had declined to join the case in 2021 under the Biden administration. Norm Eisen, a former White House ethics counsel and founder of the legal advocacy group Democracy Defenders Action, noted that it is unusual for the department to intervene after previously declining to do so. He suggested the move is a response to the recent election of Democrat Nathan Johnson as the new Texas attorney general, which signaled a potential change in the state's litigation priorities. Johnson, who is set to take office in January, has stated that he intends to review all lawsuits filed during Paxton’s tenure, including the Planned Parenthood case. "We are reviewing this action closely, including what it means for Texans and what the law allows," Johnson said in a statement. "When I take office as Attorney General, I will take appropriate action in the interests of my state." The lawsuit was originally filed in 2021 by an anonymous plaintiff, Alex Doe, before Paxton intervened on behalf of the state. The case is currently before U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk, a Trump appointee. A trial could begin as early as next spring. Representatives for the Texas attorney general’s office and the Justice Department did not respond to requests for comment. Article source: San Juan Daily Star | Image credit: San Juan Daily Star
The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a notice of intervention in a long-standing Texas lawsuit against Planned Parenthood, a move that ensures the federal government will continue the litigation despite a shift in state leadership. The case, which has been active for five years, alleges that Planned Parenthood Federation of America and its Texas clinic operators committed Medicaid fraud by collecting reimbursements while the state was attempting to remove the organization as a Medicaid provider. The lawsuit, which seeks $1.8 billion in reimbursements, interest, and penalties, was previously championed by outgoing Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Planned Parenthood has denied the allegations, maintaining that courts did not prohibit the organization from collecting payments during the pendency of the litigation. The organization has stated that a judgment of that magnitude could force it to close. Susan Baker Manning, general counsel for Planned Parenthood Federation of America, characterized the Justice Department’s intervention as an attempt to “weaponize” the agency against the organization. “This is an effort by the Trump administration to shut us down,” Manning said. The intervention marks a reversal for the Justice Department, which had declined to join the case in 2021 under the Biden administration. Norm Eisen, a former White House ethics counsel and founder of the legal advocacy group Democracy Defenders Action, noted that it is unusual for the department to intervene after previously declining to do so. He suggested the move is a response to the recent election of Democrat Nathan Johnson as the new Texas attorney general, which signaled a potential change in the state’s litigation priorities. Johnson, who is set to take office in January, has stated that he intends to review all lawsuits filed during Paxton’s tenure, including the Planned Parenthood case. “We are reviewing this action closely, including what it means for Texans and what the law allows,” Johnson said in a statement. “When I take office as Attorney General, I will take appropriate action in the interests of my state.” The lawsuit was originally filed in 2021 by an anonymous plaintiff, Alex Doe, before Paxton intervened on behalf of the state. The case is currently before U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk, a Trump appointee. A trial could begin as early as next spring. Representatives for the Texas attorney general’s office and the Justice Department did not respond to requests for comment.
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