The recent Republican budget proposal that included a provision to federally defund Planned Parenthood has left lawmakers exchanging emotionally charged, though often factually deficient barbs. Having grown tired of these hollow reverberations in the partisan echo chamber, I decided to consult Planned ParenthoodâÄôs financial records in order to better understand their position within current debate. The results are stunning.

While commonly mistaken for a single, nonprofit womenâÄôs health care provider, Planned Parenthood actually exists as a three-part corporate superstructure.

Consisting of a 501(c)(3) nonprofit medical services division, a 501(c)(4) Political Action Fund and a 527s Super PAC organization, Planned Parenthood holds more than $1.2 billion in assets, according to their most recent annual report.

The 501(c)(3) that administers health care services generates 33 percent of its revenue from government grants and is thereby largely excluded from the political process.

However, according to a report issued by the non-partisan Center for Responsive Politics, the two “political arms” of Planned Parenthood reported more than $905,000 in federal campaign expenditures during the 2010 election cycle âÄî over 99 percent of which went either to support Democratic or oppose Republican candidates.

StealthPacs.org, an organization that tracks expenditures of 501(c) Political Action Committees, claims that due to Planned ParenthoodâÄôs elaborate corporate framework, tracing public appropriations once they enter the multi-chambered slush fund becomes nearly impossible.

While liberal activists are busy slandering conservatives with malicious labels like “women killers,” Republican lawmakers are right to question the moonlighting activities of AmericaâÄôs leading family planning provider.

Eric Nehring welcomes comments at [email protected].