But unfortunately, that reversal of fortunes can’t undo the damage Daleiden and Merritt have already caused.
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Despite the assertions of the fraudulently obtained and deeply misleading videos, Planned Parenthood does not profit from fetal tissue donations. Whether or not their activity was legal, it shows a motive for promoting and packaging abortion because abortion is their largest source of revenue.
Daleiden was also indicted on a misdemeanor charge of illegally offering to purchase human organs.
Daleiden issued a statement saying his group “uses the same undercover techniques” as investigative journalists and follows all applicable laws.
Prosecutors could still opt not to try Daleiden, or seek a plea bargain with attorneys.
Daleiden plans to plead not guilty, Klasing said.
The group has been cleared but that’s not the only legal blow to pro-life advocates this week. He said the official did not respond to the email.
Planned Parenthood long has been a target for Republicans, many of whom are well aware that the party’s base is strongly antiabortion.
The tactics Daleiden used are often used by so-called “citizen journalists”- activists from environmentalists to animal rights groups, seeking to expose wrongdoing. He entered Claremont McKenna College in 2007 and graduated with a B.A.in government.
He also co-wrote an article for The National Weekly, along with Claremont McKenna professor of government Jon Shields.
Abortion mill operators and their supporters may be celebrating business as usual, but the painstaking work of the Center for Medical Progress brought Planned Parenthood’s body-part-selling practices to light. The people named as its top officers are longtime anti-abortion activists with a history of generating headlines.
Daleiden and Merritt were indicted on felony charges of showing the Planned Parenthood clinic fake California driver’s licenses while pretending to be from a research company called BioMax. There were a lot of high-profile hearings previous year. In other words, Planned Parenthood has done nothing illegal.
Eric Ferrero, a Planned Parenthood Federation of America spokesman, praised the grand jury’s action, stating, “These people broke the law to spread malicious lies about Planned Parenthood in order to advance their extreme anti-abortion political agenda”.
The Initial Investigation Into Planned Parenthood Was Called For By The Governor’s Office And Led By A GOP-Appointee The Harris County investigation into Planned Parenthood was launched at the urging of Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) in August, after the release of a video filmed at the Houston affiliate.
Roslyn Rogers Collins, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan New Jersey, said her center serving Essex, Hudson and Passaic counties, lost $1.2 million a year since that funding cut. A grand jury declined to indict Karpen; the abortion provider’s lawyer, Chip Lewis, said Karpen was smeared by doctored pictures and false allegations made by individuals who were paid by Operation Rescue. District Attorney Devon Anderson said at the time her employee Lauren Reeder’s affiliation with Planned Parenthood would not affect their ability to conduct an “unbiased, fact-driven” investigation.
“Planned Parenthood and NAF are working to shut down Daleiden’s investigation of the abortion groups’ involvement in baby parts trafficking”, Brejcha continues.
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“I am very hopeful that 2016 is going to be a watershed moment for abortion, for the pro-life movement”, he said.
