Arsonist hits Planned Parenthood site in Calif., officials say

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Department tells ABC News, someone used an object to smash a window at the Planned Parenthood office, then tossed an accelerant – probably gasoline – inside and lit it.

Officials said there had been a small fire but that the sprinkler system had put it out.

The office had been vandalized within the last 30 days, when another window was broken, but it wasn’t immediately known if the two incidents were connected, Reilly said.

Just this week, Planned Parenthood’s President testified in D.C. about the allegations.

Firefighters said the fire was “suspicious” and intentionally set. Planned Parenthood officials have apologized for their tone in the videos, but deny claims they discussed illegally selling fetal tissue.

However, Rep. Jason Chaffetz, the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, said he called Richards to testify because of the $450 million Planned Parenthood receives in federal funding, money that the Utah Republican said the women’s health organization was misspending. It was unclear if the office would reopen Thursday morning.

Tim Lohman, a detective with the Ventura County sheriff’s department, would not speculate as to whether recent controversy surrounding the women’s health organization had played a role in the fire.

Arranged Parenthood has confronted feedback and congressional backfire as of late for its routine of supplying tissue from prematurely ended embryos for investigative examination.

The attack on the Thousand Oaks facility generated press releases from State Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson, Congressmember Lois Capps, and U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, who bemoaned the “dangerous consequences” of “toxic rhetoric”.

Tosh said Planned Parenthood remains committed to the health and safety of its patients – an estimated 7,000 a year use the Thousand Oaks clinic.