Young, Braun Letter Calls for DOJ’s Assistance in Investigation of Indiana Abortionist Dr. Klopfer
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Mike Braun (R-Ind.) wrote a letter to Attorney General William Barr calling for his assistance in Illinois and Indiana’s investigation into late Indiana abortionist, Dr. Ulrich “George” Klopfer. The letter follows the recent horrific discovery of more than 2,200 fetal remains in his Illinois home. Dr. Klopfe performed abortions in South Bend, Fort Wayne, and Gary for decades.
“Dr. Klopfer’s blatant disregard of human life raises many questions about how the remains were transported across state lines, where and when the abortions occurred, the gestational age of each unborn child at the time of the abortion, and the current condition of the remains,” said the Senators in the letter.“It is also important to know if other individuals had knowledge of this activity or participated in the preservation and transfer of these remains, as well as if violations of state or federal laws occurred.”
“In light of this horrific discovery, we urge you to do everything in your power to support the Indiana and Illinois attorneys general in their investigations, and to keep us informed of any developments,” the Senators continued in the letter.
The full text of the letter is available below and here.
The Honorable William Barr
Attorney General
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530
Dear Attorney General Barr,
As the U.S. Senators representing the state of Indiana, we were appalled to learn of the recent discovery of more than 2,200 preserved fetal remains in the Illinois home of Dr. Ulrich “George” Klopfer. A known abortionist in Indiana, Dr. Klopfer performed abortions in South Bend, Fort Wayne, and Gary for decades. In order to ensure justice is served and to prevent situations like this from happening again, we respectfully request the U.S. Department of Justice assist the attorneys general of Indiana and Illinois in their investigation of this matter.
We echo Vice President Mike Pence’s call that “[Dr. Klopfer’s] actions should be fully [and] thoroughly investigated.” Dr. Klopfer’s blatant disregard of human life raises many questions about how the remains were transported across state lines, where and when the abortions occurred, the gestational age of each unborn child at the time of the abortion, and the current condition of the remains. It is also important to know if other individuals had knowledge of this activity or participated in the preservation and transfer of these remains, as well as if violations of state or federal laws occurred.
We are encouraged by the coordinated investigation between the attorneys general of Indiana and Illinois and respectfully ask that the DOJ do everything within its authority to assist in this investigation, including providing any resources, guidance, and support the state attorneys general might request. We also ask that you order a full criminal investigation if deemed appropriate.
Because this matter crosses state lines, we also request the Department to review state laws regarding the disposal of fetal remains. Fetal remains deserve to be treated with dignity and respect but not all state laws value life like that of the state of Indiana. In 2016, the state of Indiana passed a law, which was later upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, requiring the respectful burial or cremation of fetal remains. But, the state of Illinois has no such law.Because of this variation, challenges arise when such remains are transported across state lines. Therefore, a review of state laws by the Department will aid Congress in examining potential legislative remedies to ensure fetal remains are always treated with dignity.
In light of this horrific discovery, we urge you to do everything in your power to support the Indiana and Illinois attorneys general in their investigations, and to keep us informed of any developments. Thank you for your time and attention to this important matter. We look forward to your response.
Sincerely,