A federal judge has held a hearing in the high-profile case against undercover journalist David Daleiden to determine whether Planned Parenthood and its business partners have to respond to questions about whether they profited from the sale of fetal tissue, a federal felony punishable by up to ten years in prison. Daleiden has contended that Planned Parenthood turned a profit illegally, which Planned Parenthood has denied, without explanation.
It is the latest development in the ongoing federal civil lawsuit filed by the abortion provider against Daleiden after he released undercover videos of Planned Parenthood officials discussing their trade in aborted baby body parts. Daleiden’s defense team, including Thomas More Society attorneys, filed a letter brief with the court seeking to compel Planned Parenthood to detail its income and expenses from fetal tissue sales.
The hearing in Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc. et al v. Center for Medical Progress et al addressed an Amended Discovery Letter Brief regarding interrogatories on July 19, 2018 at the U.S. District Court, California Northern District, before Judge Donna M. Ryu.
Daleiden and the Center for Medical Progress asked the court to compel Planned Parenthood to provide documents and explanations detailing how much its actual revenues and expenses for fetal tissue procurement were. The abortion provider has claimed that questions about invoices showing that Planned Parenthood affiliates profited from the sale of baby body parts have “zero bearing” on the issues in the case.
Thomas More Society Special Counsel Peter Breen commented, “Planned Parenthood is suing Mr. Daleiden because they claim that his investigative videos ‘misled’ the public into thinking it ‘broke the law.’ Now they are being asked to prove their ludicrous accusations. Planned Parenthood can say whatever it wants in the media, but hard evidence is required in a court of law.”
Breen argued the following points in court:
- It has already been established that Planned Parenthood and its affiliates received payments in exchange for fetal tissue. They deny that they received payments other than reimbursement for certain expenses, which is permitted by law, yet have refused to provide documentation detailing those alleged expenses.
- Federal law relating to fetal tissue procurement makes it a crime to “acquire, receive, or otherwise transfer any human fetal tissue for valuable consideration.” Planned Parenthood has so far refused to provide the records related to their trade in aborted baby body parts.
- Planned Parenthood claims that it was harmed by Daleiden’s statements that accused them of violating the law, yet if it was indeed violating federal law, its claim of damage collapses. If Planned Parenthood had really been following the law, all it would need to do is produce its records and prove it.
Breen noted that Planned Parenthood is also claiming that its affiliates make so much money that they would not need to violate the law in order to make a profit. He challenged, “Then we invite them to prove it. The law is simple. If the payments received for fetal body tissue exceeded the allowable costs, then Planned Parenthood and its affiliates were first, engaged in criminal conduct, and next, making a profit off of selling aborted baby parts.” Breen added, “If they were doing nothing illegal, they should have nothing to hide.”
Read about the Thomas More Society’s defense of David Daleiden, lead investigator into Planned Parenthood’s sale of fetal body parts, here.
