Big Sky Times

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen has accused Planned Parenthood of Montana of legal violations, including withholding assault reports, according to the Montana Free Press. Planned Parenthood dismissed the allegations as "baseless."

“Baseless claims of violations from the Attorney General do not protect survivors of violence," said Mary Sullivan, communications coordinator for Planned Parenthood of Montana. "These statements aren’t about prosecuting crimes but rather serve his political interests in undercutting health care and privacy for Montanans.”

According to the Montana Free Press, Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen has accused Planned Parenthood of Montana of "flagrantly" violating state law by withholding required reports about sexual assault against minors, statutory rape, and intentionally falsifying records. He further implied that similar inaction by the organization “could be happening with human trafficking victims.”

Knudsen's comments, made in a July 31 radio interview, echo a decade-old conspiracy theory, as reported by the Montana Free Press. The Republican Attorney General emphasized his office's commitment to prosecuting human trafficking but cited staffing shortages and legal challenges as barriers to investigate his allegations against Planned Parenthood.

The Montana Free Press also noted Planned Parenthood of Montana's strong denial of the Attorney General's claims. Mary Sullivan, communications coordinator for Planned Parenthood of Montana, dismissed Knudsen's allegations as "baseless" and accused him of using the claims to serve his political interests.

The Department of Justice referred the Montana Free Press to an April 2022 legal filing regarding Montana's 2013 law requiring parental consent for minors seeking abortion, in support of the Attorney General's claims. This law was struck down by a Helena judge in February, and the decision is under appeal to the Montana Supreme Court, as detailed by the Montana Free Press.

Knudsen cited a case involving a minor's relationship with an older teenager, but Planned Parenthood's legal representatives have asserted compliance with state reporting requirements, as stated in the Montana Free Press report.

The Montana Free Press also covered Knudsen's criticism of local judges, his call to overturn the case protecting abortion access, Armstrong v. State, and his defense of his office's authority to seek medical records from abortion clinics. Several abortion restrictions have been challenged in court, with legal battles ongoing.

In May 2023, the Montana Supreme Court unanimously reaffirmed the Armstrong ruling, maintaining a woman's fundamental right to privacy in seeking abortion care, despite changes in federal law, as reported by the Montana Free Press.