Senator Calls for Investigation into Abortion Pill Referral Group

Republican Senator Josh Hawley has made allegations against a left-wing abortion group, claiming that it pretends to be a public health information campaign while functioning as a central referral hub for shipping abortion pills into states where they are banned. In a letter to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Hawley requested the Justice Department open a criminal investigation into the entity known as Plan C.

According to Hawley, Plan C acts as a referral and logistics center, connecting women with abortion-pill manufacturers, foreign clinics, and online vendors that ship drugs into states with legal restrictions against them. He has described the group as a ‘left-wing dark-money operation’ that deserves a federal criminal investigation.

“At the center of the effort is an entity called Plan C,” Hawley wrote, urging a criminal probe.

Hawley specifically cited states like Florida, Oklahoma, and Texas, where Plan C directs women to foreign clinics willing to mail abortion pills into the United States, circumventing state laws. Additionally, Hawley accused Plan C of pointing users to vendors selling abortion drugs without prescriptions or medical consultations. This is despite Plan C’s acknowledgment that some pills sold online are ‘not regulated or inspected by the US government.’

The senator claims Plan C advises users on how to minimize their ‘digital footprint’ by using privacy-focused browsers, virtual private networks, and encrypted emails. The group’s website warns users they could face legal consequences for acquiring abortion pills through its services, highlighting the potential legal risks involved.

Hawley has further alleged that Plan C offers guidance on providers willing to prescribe abortion pills up to 14 weeks of pregnancy, exceeding the FDA-approved labeling for mifepristone and legal limits set by several states.

The senator believes Plan C’s conduct may breach multiple federal laws, including those under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act regarding prescription drugs, laws that forbid the importation of unapproved drugs into interstate commerce, and federal conspiracy and aiding-and-abetting statutes.

“I therefore respectfully refer this matter to the Department to open a criminal investigation into Plan C,” Hawley wrote, calling for an investigation into the potential manufacturer co-conspirators and the network of suppliers promoted by Plan C.