Contact: Troy Newman, President, 316-841-1700; Cheryl Sullenger, Senior Policy Advisor, 316-516-3034; both with Operation Rescue, info@operationrescue.org

OVERLAND PARK, Kansas, Oct. 24 /Christian Newswire/ -- Operation Rescue announces today that it is calling for an emergency suspension of Federal funding to all Planned Parenthood organizations nationwide in light of the recent 107 criminal charges filed against an affiliate clinic in Overland Park, Kansas, and the imminence of a grand jury investigation there.

"All Planned Parenthood organizations are required to adhere to standardized policies and procedures. If there have been 107 criminal charges after reviewing just 29 records from one year, then it is reasonable to have concern that others are also violating the law. Tax payers should not be forced to fund an organization that is operating outside the law," said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman.

Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri was charged last week with 23 felonies and 84 misdemeanors for submitting false information to the government, committing illegal abortions, and failure to determine viability for late-term abortions. These charges were based on 29 records obtained from 2003.

A coalition of pro-life groups, including Operation Rescue, is due to submit a citizens' petition in the next few days that would compel Johnson County, Kansas, to convene a grand jury to further investigate Planned Parenthood on additional allegations of illegal activity over the past five years.

"Abortion clinics are the most unregulated, unaccountable places in the United States. It is inappropriate for Planned Parenthood to receive millions of dollars of taxpayer's money when it is unclear if they are following the law," said Newman. "Immediate emergency suspension of their funding is essential to insure the health and safety of women and unborn babies that deserve the protection of the law."

Operation Rescue is one of the leading pro-life Christian activist organizations in the nation.  Operation Rescue recently made headlines when it bought and closed an abortion clinic in Wichita, Kansas and has become the voice of the pro-life activist movement in America.  Its activities are on the cutting edge of the abortion issue, taking direct action to restore legal personhood to the pre-born and stop abortion in obedience to biblical mandates.