Scrutiny after overlooking

Illinois regulators have quietly increased their scrutiny of abortion clinics after realizing some had gone without inspections for up to 15 years. An analysis of state documents by The Associated Press finds the state is catching up with a backlog of neglected inspections, but a few clinics still haven’t been checked in more than a decade. The renewed oversight last year led to the permanent closure of a clinic in Rockford earlier this month, following the closing of a second clinic in suburban Chicago last October. State officials say gruesome revelations about a Philadelphia facility spurred the renewed inspections. They attribute the past lag to a lack of funds and resources. Eric Scheidler, executive director of the Chicago-based Pro-Life Action League, said Illinois gave clinics “a pass” because of ideology.