The video, the second to be released in the past few weeks by the Center for Medical Progress, shows Dr. Mary Gatter, who serves as Planned Parenthoood’s Medical Director for the Pasadena and San Gabriel Valley areas, discussing the costs associated with the donation of fetal tissue. She talks about “less crunchy” abortion methods that can help keep tissue intact and jokes about wanting a Lamborghini in reference to fees, before immediately laughing and saying “no”.
Federal law prohibits the commercial sale of human fetal tissue, but recouping costs for preserving and delivering tissue samples to researchers is permitted.
“The footage released by The Center for Medical Progress regarding the alleged sale and trafficking of aborted fetal tissue and body parts by Planned Parenthood is horrifying and has no place in a civilized society”.
“This latest video showing yet another Planned Parenthood senior official negotiating the price of unborn baby body parts is more than just callous and morally bereft, it may be criminal”, said Abbott in a statement.
Cecile Richards, the director of Planned Parenthood, dismissed the “secretly recorded” and “heavily edited” video as nothing more than a “well-funded” organization attempting to damage the group with “outrageous claims”.
Planned Parenthood has used quite strong words, like harassed and unlawful infiltration, about abortion opponents in its five-page letter, a response from the group to an investigation by Republicans on a House committee.
Laura McQuade, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri, said her organization has already made clear that its Kansas facilities don’t have a tissue collection program. At one point, she suggests the St. Louis office might be a good source of material.
Released undercover videos have prompted the Missouri Attorney General to open an investigation into Planned Parenthood.
The full version of the video has not yet been released, but in the edited version Gatter does specify that Planned Parenthood does not donate tissue for profit.
I have signed onto a letter, authored by Rep. Peggy Scott (R-Andover), addressed to Governor Dayton asking him to investigate Planned Parenthood and to find out if such practices have been or are being performed locally. “And now it also appears that Planned Parenthood is also lying to women, altering their procedures in order to get body parts that can be sold for profit”.
