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For months, Cecile Richards and Planned Parenthood have threatened to sue the Center For Medical Progress for the many undercover videos that were released last summer that exposed the totally innocent practice of selling off body parts for cash. You know, so innocent that Cecile Richards did damage control, promised to give away baby body parts for free, and had to testify in front of Congress about it. See? Completely innocent.
Today, Planned Parenthood made good on its threats.
The formal complaint marks the first time that Planned Parenthood has taken legal action against the group, the Center for Medical Progress.
The national organization, along with its California affiliate, is accusing the Center for Medical Progress and its organizer David Daleiden for unlawful behavior ranging from secret taping to trespassing. The group said the Center for Medical Progress has violated the laws of three states as well as federal law.
“Today, Planned Parenthood is going on the offense,” Kathy Kneer, president of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California said in a call with reporters.
BREAKING: Planned Parenthood & our CA affiliates today filed a lawsuit against the people behind widely discredited video smear campaign.
— Cecile Richards (@CecileRichards) January 14, 2016
We’re holding anti-abortion extremists accountable for their three-year conspiracy to attempt to shut our doors.
— Cecile Richards (@CecileRichards) January 14, 2016
The lawsuit will show that when CMP couldn’t find any improper or illegal activity, they made things up to further an anti-abortion agenda.
— Planned Parenthood (@PPact) January 14, 2016
True to form, Planned Parenthood is already fundraising off the lawsuit.
BREAKING: PP is suing the extremists behind the smear videos. Add your name: https://t.co/7xG55EaSAL #StandWithPP pic.twitter.com/vuodxaIpMS
— Planned Parenthood (@PPact) January 14, 2016
And what does the Center For Medical Progress have to say?
David Daleiden to Planned Parenthood: Bring on the Lawsuit, We'll Expose You in Court Now https://t.co/yVoKop8rbC pic.twitter.com/W7YwVWtP06
— LifeNews.com (@LifeNewsHQ) January 14, 2016
David Daleiden had two words for Planned Parenthood.
“Game on,” Daleiden told BuzzFeed News by email. “I look forward to taking the depositions of all the Planned Parenthood CEOs who profited off of their business relationship with StemExpress.”
He issued a longer statement to LifeNews.
In an email to LifeNews, Daleiden said Planned Parenthood is filing a “frivolous lawsuit” seeking to draw attention away from the multiple state and federal investigations it’s facing.
He said: “Planned Parenthood is under investigation by the United States Congress and multiple law enforcement agencies, while their business is drying up and the public is turning against their barbaric abortion for baby parts trade. Now they are filing a frivolous lawsuit in retaliation for CMP’s First Amendment investigative journalism that has done nothing more than tell the truth about Planned Parenthood’s lawless operations. This last-ditch move of desperation is going to expose all of the sordid dealings of the California Planned Parenthood affiliates to the light of the legal system and the public will see them for the corrupt abortion and baby body parts profiteers that they really are.”
Bingo. Now that it’s in court, the process of discovery swings both ways. Every single person in those videos is going to have to step into a court of law, be sworn in, and give testimony about what they said or did on tape. Planned Parenthood will have to actively prove that the Center For Medical Progress claims are false, which means all sorts of fun things like tax records, personal bank accounts, and communication/contracts between Planned Parenthood affiliates and StemExpress are all fair game.
The Center For Medical Progress released a “highlights” video, intercut with Cecile Richards’ desperate spin, just last week. Just in case you forgot what Planned Parenthood was doing.
Game on, indeed.
Wfjag says: Let’s see if I understand:
Sean Penn is protected by the First Amendment when he travels to a secret location to interview a man wanted for numerous crimes in Mexico and the U.S., who has been directing an organization that traffics in heroin and other drugs which devastate thousands of families each year and which kill hundreds each year, has been implicated in thousands of murders, and who insists on editorial control over what is reported – because that is journalism;
Whereas, CMP is not protected by the First Amendment because it recorded the statements of people who work for an organization that receives half or more of its budget from taxpayer funds, and sells body parts, because what is reported is the business of abortion, because that organization didn’t get to exercise editorial control over the reporting – because that is not journalism?
Fight on, CMP!! PP had gone down a horrendous road of destruction of human life for far too long. It’s time they were called out on it…and we have film footage and live mike evidence. This just plain evil. I’m th
Ok, hit the wrong….but, I’m thinking that in their hubris PP is just not realizing the evidence against them!!
GWB says: The problem will be when PP focuses its complaint on the taping aspect. In California, it’s illegal to record conversations (that are nominally private) unless both parties acknowledge and consent. CMP will probably take a hit on that one.
However, they evidently only taped some of the StemExpress video actually in CA. I’m betting PP is stretching on the other two states.
BTW, if you think CMP will be able to claim “but, here’s incontrovertible proof they said what we claim they said!” if PP hits them for slander/libel, you’ll be disappointed. If the taping was illegal, they probably (not even in civil court) will not be able to use it in their defense.
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