Last summer, The Center for Medical Progress gave us graphic proof of Planned Parenthood's inhumane treatment of the unborn. Their shocking under cover videos showed, among other horrors, employees sifting through dishes of aborted baby parts as if they were toys, and gleefully negotiating the sale of the organs.
While pro-life advocates hoped there would be some consequences for Planned Parenthood after a Houston grand jury took the investigation into consideration, the latter has instead decided to punish the people behind of the camera.
In a statement, the Harris County district attorney, Devon Anderson, said Monday that the director of the Center for Medical Progress, David Daleiden, had been indicted on a felony charge of tampering with a governmental record and a misdemeanor count related to purchasing human organs.
To relieve Planned Parenthood from any wrongdoing in light of the CMP’s investigation is a travesty. Add to this blow the fact that the organization will continue to receive an annual half billion dollars of taxpayer funding thanks to President Obama’s veto of Congress’ reconciliation bill. At the very least, Planned Parenthood should be stripped of its funding for its disregard for human life.
Rep. Diane Black (R-TN) said this "senseless" outcome was especially disconcerting in the wake of last week's March for Life:
“It is a sad day in America when those who harvest the body parts of aborted babies escape consequences for their actions, while the courageous truth-tellers who expose their misdeeds are handed down a politically motivated indictment instead. Just days after tens of thousands of pro-life Americans participated in the March for Life to urge legal protection for the unborn, this senseless decision is a grim reminder of the work yet to be done. I am profoundly disappointed in this miscarriage of justice but it will not deter our efforts in Congress to hold Planned Parenthood accountable."
If haven’t seen any of the Planned Parenthood videos, glance at just a few minutes’ worth of footage and decide for yourself who are the real criminals.
Update: The Center for Medical Progress has released a response defending its First Amendment rights:
The Center for Medical Progress uses the same undercover techniques that investigative journalists have used for decades in exercising our First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and of the press, and follows all applicable laws. We respect the processes of the Harris County District Attorney, and note that buying fetal tissue requires a seller as well. Planned Parenthood still cannot deny the admissions from their leadership about fetal organ sales captured on video for all the world to see.