Two days after a Harris County grand jury indicted two of Planned Parenthood’s accusers but cleared the organization of any wrongdoing, a lawyer for the Texas Legal Counsel for Operation Rescue claims he has financial documents that prove Planned Parenthood sold aborted fetal tissue for profit to the University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston and three other state medical schools for medical research.
Briscoe Cain said it’s a violation of federal law. He said the documents he has in his possession include invoices, purchase agreements and emails.
“We believe these haven't been seen and weren't seen by the district attorney's office and that they look to these and review them,” Cain said.
The group also released a partial transcript from the undercover video shot back in April and claims Planned Parenthood’s director of research, whose signature appears on the invoices, chose her words carefully.
“She uses words like framing this so that our employers and management are happy with us so that we stay legal and ethical. There’s a reason for that. These are a cover-up,” Cain said.
Planned Parenthood issued the following statement:
“This week, after a lengthy and thorough investigation by the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, Texas Rangers, and the Houston Police Department into claims related to the Center for Medical Progress (CMP) smear campaign, a grand jury cleared Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast (PPGC) of any wrongdoing. The evidence did however lead them to hand down indictments against David Daleiden and Susan Merritt. These two individuals created a fake company and presented false identification as part of their scheme to spread malicious lies about Planned Parenthood in order to advance their extreme anti-abortion political agenda. Since last summer, Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast has cooperated fully with the multiple investigators. The Grand Jury extensively reviewed the evidence for two months and determined Planned Parenthood did not break any laws. However, they did find enough evidence to hand down indictments for the individuals who made the false allegations against Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast. Mr. Daleiden and Ms. Merritt have both been charged with a Felony of Tampering with a Government Record. Additionally, Daleiden was charged with attempting to purchase human organs. As we have always said, Planned Parenthood provides high-quality, compassionate health care and has done nothing improper. Planned Parenthood has never "sold" fetal tissue or facilitated fetal tissue donation in order to profit. These claims are completely false and unfounded.”
