Yesterday, LifeNews.com reported that new emails show officials in the office of California Attorney General Kamala Harris teamed up with the Planned Parenthood abortion business to target David Daleiden, the pro-life advocate who filmed undercover videos exposing the abortion giant selling aborted baby parts.
Now, attorneys with the pro-life Life Legal Defense Foundation, which represent Daleiden, have responded.
Life Legal informed LifeNews that it has obtained e-mails released pursuant to a Public Records Act request showing a disturbing level of cooperation between Attorney General Kamala Harris’s office and Planned Parenthood’s California lobbying arm. The communications disclose Planned Parenthood’s role in drafting legislation specifically designed to criminalize the investigative work of David Daleiden and the Center for Medical Progress exposing the abortion giant’s role in fetal tissue trafficking.
In the emails, Harris’s Special Counsel for Legislation Robert Sumner reached out to Planned Parenthood, offering to be “helpful where I can” with any of the abortion cartel’s legislative priorities. Sumner then brought in Special Counsel to the Attorney General Jill Habig for a follow up call regarding California’s AB 1671, which was described in the emails as “Planned Parenthood’s number one priority” in California. Habig currently works as Deputy Campaign Manager for Kamala Harris’ run for the U.S. Senate.
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AB 1671 imposes draconian civil and criminal penalties on the publication of certain conversations with a “health care provider,” which is broadly defined and includes employees or volunteers affiliated with Planned Parenthood. Publication can be in the form of print media, emails, blog posts, text messages, Facebook, and other social media. Each individual publication is subject to a $2500 fine and up to one year in jail. Planned Parenthood attorney Beth Parker, who is currently representing Planned Parenthood in its RICO lawsuit against Daleiden and CMP, sent an initial draft of the legislation to Habig before it was introduced in the legislature.
Planned Parenthood affiliates have donated tens of thousands of dollars to Kamala Harris’ campaigns, including her current Senate campaign. Harris is investigating Daleiden’s Center for Medical Progress and ordered a raid on Daleiden’s apartment earlier this year, but has not yet looked into Planned Parenthood’s trafficking in fetal tissue.
“Instead of investigating the abortion industry’s trade in fetal body parts, California Attorney General Kamala Harris is using valuable taxpayer resources to protect Planned Parenthood’s financial interests by criminalizing whistleblower videos,” stated Alexandra Snyder, Executive Director of the Life Legal Defense Foundation. “The bill she crafted-AB 1671-is a flagrant violation of First Amendment free speech rights, yet Harris is willing to ignore the Constitution in order to provide a safe harbor for Planned Parenthood’s illegal activities.”
AB 1671 is opposed by free speech organizations including the ACLU. It was passed by the legislature on September 2 and is awaiting Governor Brown’s signature. Life Legal urges the Governor to veto the bill.
