XPost: alt.news-media, chi.media, co.media   
   XPost: uk.media   
   From: lib.morons@shaw.ca   
      
   Planned Parenthood’s president apologized Thursday for comments   
   made by the group’s medical research director in a secretly   
   recorded conversation about collecting fetal body parts, as   
   outrage over the graphic video mounted on Capitol Hill where   
   lawmakers are launching several investigations.   
      
   Cecile Richards, president of the Planned Parenthood Federation   
   of America, defended the organization’s practices and maintained   
   the group does not illegally sell fetal tissue. But, in a video   
   statement, she acknowledged one of their staff members spoke in   
   a way that does not “reflect” the “compassionate care that we   
   provide.”   
      
   “This is unacceptable, and I personally apologize for the staff   
   member's tone and statements,” Richards said.   
      
   Richards does not directly name Deborah Nucatola, the group   
   official in the video. The video was secretly recorded last year   
   and released to the press this week by the pro-life group,   
   Center for Medical Progress.   
      
   The video shows Nucatola at a lunch with two anti-abortion   
   activists posing at representatives of a biotech firm apparently   
   interested in talking about fetal tissue donations. It shows her   
   munching on what looks like salad and sipping on red wine while   
   discussing fetal lungs and “lower extremities” in hot demand.   
      
   She says in the video: "We've been very good at getting heart,   
   lung, liver, because we know that, so I'm not gonna crush that   
   part, I'm gonna basically crush below, I'm gonna crush above,   
   and I'm gonna see if I can get it all intact."   
      
   House Speaker John Boehner on Thursday called the video   
   “disgusting.”   
      
   Unclear is whether any legal lines were crossed – something   
   lawmakers are sure to probe in several concurrent congressional   
   investigations underway.   
      
   While some critics accused Planned Parenthood of selling aborted   
   fetus parts, which would be illegal under federal law, the group   
   says it only donates fetal tissue to researchers, for no profit.   
      
   But there may be other legal issues at play.   
      
   Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, chairman of the Senate Judiciary   
   Committee, sent a letter Wednesday to Richards noting federal   
   law prohibits the “alteration of abortion methods and procedures   
   solely in order to obtain fetal tissue.”   
      
   Title IV of the Public Health Service Act says abortion   
   providers cannot alter the “timing, method, or procedures” used   
   to terminate a pregnancy solely for the purpose of obtaining   
   tissue.   
      
   Grassley said his committee is launching an inquiry into the   
   matter, but also fired off a letter to Attorney General Loretta   
   Lynch raising these issues.   
      
   The videotaped discussion, he wrote, “raises questions about   
   whether the actions of abortion providers, and in particular   
   those employed by Planned Parenthood and its affiliates, are   
   consistent with federal law.” He also told Lynch the video   
   raises questions about whether they violated the Partial-Birth   
   Abortion Ban Act.   
      
   “I respectfully request that you provide the Committee with a   
   description of any and all actions taken by the Department to   
   ensure compliance with this statute,” he wrote. The Justice   
   Department confirmed to FoxNews.com that it had received the   
   letter but had no further comment.   
      
   In his letter to Richards, Grassley demanded all records   
   relating to Planned Parenthood’s provision of fetal tissue and   
   all records of the organization’s facilitation or coordination   
   of organ donation via any of its affiliates. This includes   
   procedures and the amount of money generated by the donation of   
   fetal tissue.   
      
   Stem cell research using fetal tissue is not illegal, and it has   
   been used in research for decades as long as the mother gives   
   her informed consent about the use of the donated tissue and   
   donating physicians sign a statement promising to adhere to   
   specific guidelines. It is illegal, however, for abortion   
   providers to generate revenue in return for human fetal tissue   
   donations.   
      
   In a statement by the group Wednesday, Planned Parenthood   
   insisted the video had been heavily edited and Nucatola’s   
   statements were taken out of context. Specifically, the group   
   said Nucatola only discussed money the group gets as   
   reimbursement for transporting the fetal tissue, which is   
   allowed under the law.   
      
   “I want to be really clear: The allegation that Planned   
   Parenthood profits in any way from tissue donation is not true.   
   Our donation programs – like any other high-quality health care   
   providers – follow all laws and ethical guidelines,” Richards   
   said, while reiterating that it is always the woman’s decision   
   to donate. She also took aim at the group that filmed and   
   distributed the now viral video:   
      
   “We know the real agenda of organizations behind videos like   
   this, and they have never been concerned with protecting the   
   health and safety of women. Their mission is to ban abortion   
   completely and cut women off from care at Planned Parenthood and   
   other health centers.”   
      
   At the state level, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, also a GOP   
   presidential candidate, announced an investigation into the   
   group while calling for a suspension of its license in the near-   
   term. Meanwhile, Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has directed   
   the state’s Health and Human Services Commission to conduct an   
   immediate investigation, in addition to one already ordered by   
   the state’s attorney general’s office.   
      
   On Capitol Hill, Boehner endorsed the committee investigations   
   and hearings. “And once they have them, we'll decide what's the   
   proper course of action,” he said, adding he might “vomit”   
   trying to talk about the video in detail.   
      
   http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/07/16/planned-parenthood-   
   head-apologizes-for-officials-fetal-organ-comments-   
   as/?intcmp=ob_article_footer_text&intcmp=obinsite   
      
        
      
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