Makers of the stunning investigative videos that show Planned Parenthood executives haggling over the price of body parts obtained through abortion say they are giving their video footage to Congress.
The only portions of the videos not affected are under the jurisdiction of a California judge who ordered that they not to be released. Attorneys for the Center for Medical Progress are reviewing "relevant court orders to ensure that CMP may comply both with the court orders and the House of Representatives' subpoenas as fully as possible."
Word of plan to get the videos to Congress for an investigation of Planned Parenthood came Wednesday with the release of a letter from Peter Breen of the Thomas More Society, which has been working with CMP.
CMP created a fake company that purported to buy body parts of aborted babies and sell them to researchers. Over the course of several years, CMP secretly recorded conversations with Planned Parenthood officials who engaged in negotiation for body parts and candidly discussed gruesome aspects of the trade.
One executive even said, during the course of negotiations for her payments, "I want a Lamborghini."
That's even though CMP noted the sale or purchase of human fetal tissue is a federal felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison or a fine of up to $500,000.
WND has reported on the videos – 10 so far – as they have been released. They are posted online.
See the most recent video:
In a letter to Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, the chairman of the House committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Breen noted receipt of the subpoena from the House.
"CMP intends to comply with the subpoena, to ensure that the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has the information it needs to further its investigation into the trafficking by Planned Parenthood and others in the body parts of abortion babies, along with other related crimes."
He did note the temporary restraining order issued by a California judge regarding video footage reportedly linked to the National Abortion Federation.
"We have respectfully contended in federal court, both before the Northern District of California and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, that this order is an illegal 'prior restraint' that violates CMP's right to free speech under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution," he wrote.
Breen continued, "At this time, we are awaiting a decision by the Ninth Circuit on our Petition for Writ of Mandamus, which seeks to vindicate the free speech rights of CMP to release these videos."
But he told Congress CMP "thus intends to deliver to the committee, as soon as practicable, requested video footage that is not prohibited from disclosure to 'third parties.'"
"And for materials that are prohibited … attorneys are reviewing the relevant court orders to ensure that CMP may comply both with the court orders and the House of Representatives' subpoenas as fully as possible."
WND reported when a subpoena was issued.
At the time, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Health Care, Benefits and Administrative Rule, said the videos "are outright appalling, and show activity that is not only morally wrong, but appears to be potentially illegal as well."
"These videos raise serious questions about this organization's use of taxpayer funds that cannot go unanswered. It is our duty as members of Congress to ensure taxpayer money is not misused. This subpoena creates a legal obligation that ensures that a judge in Northern California cannot stand in the way of congressional investigations into this matter," he said.
It was Judge William Orrick of San Francisco who blocked the release of some of the videos in response to a complaint from the National Abortion Federation, whose leaders apparently are on record in the videos.
In a similar, separate ruling, another court previously determined that the First Amendment allowed CMP to release the disputed videos.
The most recent video showed the abortionists were aware of how bad it would look if word got out about their baby-parts business.
"This is important," said Vanessa Cullins, the vice president of external medical affairs for Planned Parenthood. "This could destroy your organization and us, if we don't time those conversations correctly."
And Deborah VanDerhei, the national director of Planned Parenthood 's Consortium of Abortion Providers, said, "Think New York Times headline when you're creating your policy."
She explained it's an issue "you might imagine that we're not that comfortable talking about on emails."
"And so we want to have the conversation in person," VanDerhei said.
"I think a congressional hearing from, you know, scared the bejeezus out of people 15 years ago … so we just want to not have to repeat that again."
Meanwhile, LifeNews.com reported a version of a House-approved pro-life bill "that would hold the Planned Parenthood abortion business criminally liable for harvesting body parts" has been introduced in the Senate.
Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., is behind the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, along with a couple of dozen other Senate co-sponsors.
The House approved the concept last week.
"If we can't come together and agree that newborn babies deserve care, our talk about 'human rights' and 'inherent dignity' is empty," Sasse said.
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