Planned Parenthood announced Thursday that they have filed a civil lawsuit against Daleiden and his group, with charges ranging from trespassing to illegal recordings while they were making the videos. The lawsuit names the Center for Medical Progress, BioMax Procurement Services, LLC, Albin Rhomberg, Troy Newman, Gerardo Adrian Lopez, David Daleiden (who used the fake name Robert Sarkis in the videos) and Sandra Susan Merritt (who used the fake name Susan Tennenbaum in the videos) as well as “unknown co-conspirators”. Donating fetal tissue for medical research is legal in the United States, as is receiving reimbursement for the costs associated with that donation.
Advertisement
“These anti-abortion activists broke multiple laws to spread lies about Planned Parenthood, and the lawsuit filed today will expose this fraud for what it is and hold accountable the people behind it”, said Sarah Stoesz, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Minnesota in a press release.
The Center for Medical Progress released a statement Thursday calling the lawsuit “frivolous”.
A sign is pictured at the entrance to a Planned Parenthood building in New York August 31, 2015. RE …
“The express aim of the enterprise… was to demonize Planned Parenthood, harass and intimidate its dedicated staff, and interrupt its operations, all with the ultimate goal of interfering with women’s access to legal abortion”, the complaint alleges.
As MSNBC reporter Irin Carmon tweeted while on a press call, Planned Parenthood officials confirmed that they have filed suit in California federal court on the grounds that the organization violated RICO and “engaged in invasion of privacy and illegal secret taping under federal and state statutes”. Nevertheless, state and national lawmakers have launched investigations into the health care organization, and the the GOP-controlled Congress flirted with a government shutdown over the allegations.
From political opposition to a violent shooting, the organization Planned Parenthood and its affiliates faced numerous attacks past year. She said it is time for Planned Parenthood to go on the offensive. The selling of fetal organs and tissue is already illegal under federal law, just as it is illegal to sell human organs and their tissue.
“Game on”, Daleiden told BuzzFeed News by email. According to Planned Parenthood, the videos resulted in a “a nine-fold increase in threats and criminal activities against health centers”.
Advertisement
Recent polls show 59 percent support for Planned Parenthood, even though its favorables have declined since the 1980s.
