New Jersey Assemblyman Paul Kanitra has called for an investigation into New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin, accusing him of using his office to unfairly target pregnancy resource centers in collaboration with Planned Parenthood. Kanitra’s demand, issued on Wednesday, stems from a public records request revealing that Platkin’s office coordinated with Planned Parenthood to issue a consumer alert against these centers in December 2022.
The alert from the Attorney General’s Office warned that crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs), which often discourage women from seeking abortions, could mislead those seeking comprehensive reproductive health care. It encouraged consumers to file complaints against these centers and directed them to Planned Parenthood for abortion services.
“Crisis Pregnancy Centers try to convince pregnant people not to have abortions,” the bulletin stated. “CPCs may appear to be reproductive health care clinics, but they do not provide abortion care or provide referrals for abortion care, contraception, or other reproductive health care.”
Kanitra, a vocal opponent of abortion, argued that the Attorney General’s actions are part of a broader effort to marginalize alternatives to abortion. “Platkin and his allies at Planned Parenthood are pushing an agenda where the only ‘choice’ for women facing unplanned pregnancies is abortion,” Kanitra said in a statement.
Further intensifying the dispute, Platkin’s office issued a subpoena to First Choice Women’s Resource Centers, a nonprofit organization offering alternatives to abortion. The subpoena demands records dating back over a decade, which representatives from the center claim is an excessive burden aimed at crippling their operations.
The Alliance Defending Freedom, a legal advocacy group, criticized Platkin’s actions, noting that no concrete evidence of wrongdoing has been provided to justify the subpoena. Kanitra echoed this concern, likening the situation to a restaurant being criticized for not serving a particular item.
New Jersey is home to more than 50 crisis pregnancy centers, many affiliated with religious organizations. In contrast, the state hosts 41 abortion clinics, performing nearly 49,000 abortions in 2020, ranking it sixth in the nation for the number of abortions performed.
Kanitra’s call for an investigation highlights growing tensions between pro-life advocates and state officials in New Jersey, a state known for its permissive abortion laws. The Attorney General’s Office has not yet issued a response to Kanitra’s accusations.
