51ºÚÁÏ

Attorney General Andrew Bailey, a Republican, announced the online tip form March 23 as he continued to investigate the Washington University Transgender Center at 51ºÚÁÏ Children’s Hospital, more than a month after Jamie Reed, a former case manager at the center, . (Washington University released a finding her claims unfounded.)

The line had attracted attention on social media, and users suggested flooding the tip form with spam, the news outlet April 19.

In launching the portal last month, Bailey’s office urged individuals “subject to illegal or abusive behavior surrounding gender transition intervention procedures� to contact his office through an online form.

But on Friday, a spokeswoman for Bailey’s office told the Riverfront Times that “far left activists� were “trying to hack our system to silence victims of the exact network we’re attempting to expose.�

“In order to ensure the integrity of a government website, the page is temporarily down while we investigate these matters,� said Madeline Sieren, spokeswoman for Bailey. “We will not back down in the fight to protect children.�

On Monday, the attorney general’s office was tight-lipped.

“As we are investigating the incident, I am declining to comment any further at this time,� Sieren said Monday.

Regulations Bailey issued this month will create new restrictions for accessing transgender care — such as an 18-month therapy requirement and three years of documented gender dysphoria.

The regulations affecting treatments such as puberty blockers, hormone therapy and surgeries are set to take effect Thursday.

While most attention in the Legislature has focused on restrictions for minors, Bailey’s move will also affect adults, making Missouri the first state to greatly limit such care.

But whether the restrictions actually take effect is an open question.

Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, a fellow Republican, has predicted the rules won’t stand.