Legislators Globally Agree: Time to Investigate Planned Parenthood

Legislators Globally Agree: Time to Investigate Planned Parenthood

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Legislators around the world are beginning to learn of the undercover videos exposing the illegal sale of aborted baby body parts by Planned Parenthood and are calling for investigations into local and national Planned Parenthood affiliates.

National and state legislators in the United States were the first to react to the shocking videos, which are a part of a series entitled "Human Capital" by The Center for Medical Progress. The videos reveal Planned Parenthood abortionists negotiating the sale of fetal organs and tissue, even discussing how they use partial-birth abortion methods to keep the organs intact to actors posing as buyers for a human biologics company interested in purchasing baby body parts.

In the first video, Dr. Deborah Nucatola, a senior director of medical services for Planned Parenthood, explained the practice- which is prohibited by federal law- and calmly described which body parts are in "highest demand" while sharing a meal with two individuals she believed were prospective buyers. She cavalierly related the process whereby she chooses which section of the unborn baby's body to "crush" during the abortion procedure depending on which body part she wants to harvest intact.

Another video exposes Planned Parenthood medical director Mary Gatter explaining how they bypass the laws on tissue collection to keep the baby intact. "I wouldn't object to asking Ian, who's our surgeon who does the cases, to use an IPAS [manual vacuum aspirator] at that gestational age in order to increase the odds that he's going to get an intact specimen," said Gatter, aware that federal law stipulates there can be no adjustment to the timing or method of abortion done for the purpose of fetal tissue collection. She also expressed the desire for a "less crunchy" abortion method.

The US House of Representatives moved quickly following the public uproar over the videos with Speak John Boehner calling for hearings on the grisly abortion practices stating:

"Nothing is more precious than life, especially an unborn child. When anyone diminishes an unborn child, we are all hurt, irreversibly so. When an organization monetizes an unborn child - and with the cavalier attitude portrayed in this horrific video - we must all act. As a start, I have asked our relevant committees to look into this matter. I am also calling on President Obama and Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell to denounce, and stop, these gruesome practices."

The House Judiciary and Energy and Commerce Committees each launched investigations into Planned Parenthood and its actions. 135 Members of Congress signed a letter to US Attorney General Loretta Lynch demanding the Department of Justice (DOJ) investigate Planned Parenthood in the sale of baby body parts. "The harvesting of human fetal body parts for sale is an activity, which shocks the conscience. Moreover, the tragic ethical considerations, potential for criminal violations, and involvement of taxpayer subsidies raise issues of great public importance," the letter stated. It also cites the law the abhorrent practice violates, 42 U.S.C §289g-2, which states, "it shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly acquire, receive, or otherwise transfer any human fetal tissue for valuable consideration if the transfer affects interstate commerce", violators of which can be "imprisoned for not more than 10 years."

Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) and Constitution Subcommittee Chairman Trent Franks (R-AZ) sent a letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch calling for the Justice Department to investigate non-compliance by Planned Parenthood with the Partial Birth Abortion Ban based on comments made by Planned Parenthood's Dr. Nucatola who in the video explained how she changes the position of the baby to ensure that the head presents last, as in partial birth abortion.

Dr. Nucatola explained how she and other abortionists define the Partial Birth Abortion Ban: "...the federal abortion ban is a law and laws are up to interpretation. So there are some people who interpret it as intent. So if I say on Day One, I do not intend to do this, what ultimately happens doesn't matter. Because I didn't intend to do this on Day One so I'm complying with the law."

Questions on the selling of aborted baby body parts have extended to the European Parliament where concerns are growing about the role of the larger International Planned Parenthood Federation's European Network. MEP Miroslav Mikolásik filed an inquiry asking if the European Commission is aware of the investigations being conducted in the U.S. regarding the involvement of Planned Parenthood abortion clinics in the illegal trafficking of aborted baby parts and whether or not the Commission will suspend funding to the Planned Parenthood network until U.S authorities have completed their investigations.

In the Republic of Ireland, Independent TD Mattie McGrath called on the Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) to distance itself from its affiliation with International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) after the videos revealed the broad illegal practice of the sale of the organs of aborted children for profit in the U.S.

TD McGrath stated,

"The video that has emerged in recent day's highlights some of the more grotesque ethical and legal nightmares associated with the abortion industry. Here we have the Senior Medical Director of the largest abortion provider in the world casually trading in human body parts with no sense of the horrific nature of her comments.

The IFPA which is a member of Planned Parenthood International must immediately condemn these actions and make it explicitly clear that it does not support the manipulation of abortion procedures for the purposes of maximising monetary profit by trading in human body parts. I am also calling on the Minister for Health to immediately clarify the exact position of the IFPA on this issue since it has been on the receiving end of millions in State funding over the last number of years."

Senator Rand Paul has introduced a bill to defund Planned Parenthood, S.1861, which has been fast tracked in Senate by a procedural move called "Rule 14", which will allow the bill to bypass the Committee process and go straight to a full vote on the Senate floor. The Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2015, was introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep Diane Black to defund Planned Parenthood for one year while it is investigated. Additionally, nine states have now begun investigations into Planned Parenthood, including Arizona, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, Ohio, and Texas.

Outrage in the U.S. is not limited to the Republican Party. U.S. Democratic Senator Tim Kaine was asked about the videos and noted that multiple investigations were already underway because of the video stating, "You have my commitment that it will be gotten to the bottom of. I know that there's a lot of organization. The House has started an investigation of it. I don't know if the Senate has, but the Senate might. And I also understand that there's investigations at state levels about this. So there are multiple efforts already underway to dig into it."

The videos are the product of a 3-year investigative study of Planned Parenthood. David Daleiden of the Center for Medical Progress said they plan to release more videos over the next couple months, totaling about twelve, revealing more shocking footage of Planned Parenthood's illegal activities. "Planned Parenthood's criminal conspiracy to make money off of aborted baby parts reaches to the very highest levels of their organization. Elected officials must listen to the public outcry for Planned Parenthood to be held accountable to the law and for our tax dollars to stop underwriting this barbaric abortion business," declared Daleiden.

Response by Members of the U.S. Congress has been fast and furious. The following is a partial list:

Press conference hosted by Members can be viewed here.

July 15 Members press conference on call for investigation can be viewed here video

Speaker Boehner (R-OH) press statement and remarks to the press

Leader McCarthy (R-CA) press statement

Whip Scalise (R-LA) press statement

Cathy McMorris Rodgers Facebook post

Chairman Goodlatte Announces House Judiciary Committee Investigation into Horrific Abortion Practices

Energy and Commerce Committee Launches Investigation Following "Abhorrent" Planned Parenthood Video

Rep. Mike Bishop (R-MI) press statement

Rep. Diane Black (R-TN) press statement

Rep. Chris Collins (R-NY) press statement