Planned Parenthood Caught Lying in Letter to Bobby Jindal Saying It Doesn’t Sell Aborted Babies

State   |   Sarah Zagorski   |   Aug 4, 2015   |   2:53PM   |   Baton Rouge, LA

In Louisiana, Governor Bobby Jindal opened an investigation into Planned Parenthood after videos surfaced showing their top executives haggling over the price of aborted babies’ body parts. However, Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast (PPGC) responded immediately and sent a letter to the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) claiming that they are not involved in organ harvesting at any of their facilities.

Additionally, the organization’s president, Melaney Linton, thoroughly explained the distinction between Planned Parenthood Center for Choice Inc. (PPCFC) and PPGC. She said PPCFC provides “safe, legal abortion services in the Houston area,” and they plan on seeking a license to perform abortions at their new location on Claiborne Avenue in New Orleans. In contrast, Linton said that PPGC does not perform abortions.

Now we know for sure that Linton’s comments were false. The video released today by the Center of Medical Progress shows the Director of Research for Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, Melissa Farrell, bragging about the Texas branch’s long history with fetal tissue sales and their ability to deliver fully intact aborted babies.

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She was asked specifically if PPGC changes procedures in order to obtain salable organs. Farrell replied, “Some of our doctors in the past have projects and they’re collecting the specimens, so they do it in a way that they get the best specimens, so I know it can happen.” Later she adds, “If we alter our process, and we are able to obtain intact fetal cadavers, we can make it part of the budget that any dissections are this, and splitting the specimens into different shipments is this. It’s all just a matter of line items.”

In another portion of PPGC’s letter to the Department of Health and Hospitals Linton responds to a Q&A about organ harvesting.

Here’s the relevant portion of that section:

  1. Question: Do any Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast facilities, or any affiliates, subsidiaries or associates thereof, sell or donate any unborn baby organs or body parts?

Answer: No.

  1. Question: Do any Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast facilities, or any affiliates, subsidiaries or associates thereof, contract with companies that assist Planned Parenthood with disposing of, donating, or selling of unborn baby organs or body parts? If so, please describe exactly what these companies do with the unborn baby remains.

Answer: Yes, PPCFC contracts with a company to dispose of its Special Waste from Health Care-Related Facilities, which includes Pathological Waste from PPCFC. …

  1. Question: How many clinics operated by Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, or any affiliates, subsidiaries or associates thereof, do business with StemExpress, or any other organizations in the business of selling or donating the remains of unborn babies?

Answer: None.

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This Q&A makes it obvious that Linton was lying about PPGC’s participation in organ harvesting. In the video, Farrell said that their fetal organ transfers are a “revenue stream” for PPGC. In fact, she explains that her department contributes to their organizations “bottom line.” When researchers need a specific part from the aborted baby, Farrell says, “We bake that into our contract, and our protocol, that we follow this, so we deviate from our standard in order to do that.”

Thankfully, Governor Jindal responded to the new video and said they were reviewing it closely. Texas Governor, Greg Abbott, also said they would “aggressively investigate” PPGC’s operations. Hot Air reports that Gov. Abbott said, “The latest video showing Planned Parenthood’s treatment of unborn children in a Houston clinic is repulsive and unconscionable. Selling baby body parts is the furthest thing imaginable from providing women’s healthcare, and this organization’s repeated and systematic disrespect for human life is appalling. The State of Texas is aggressively investigating this matter and must use all available legal remedies to address this depraved conduct.”

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