Thursday, February 4, 2016

Family Research Council Statement in Support of David Daleiden



February 4, 2016

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- This morning, the Center for Medical Progress's David Daleiden went to the Harris County court house in Houston, Texas to post bail on the charges brought against him. The Harris County grand jury recently indicted David Daleiden and his colleague Sandra Merritt on charges of tampering with a governmental record, considered a second-degree felony with a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

The grand jury also charged Daleiden with a misdemeanor for the alleged purchase of human organs, claiming that in doing undercover investigative journalism work concerning Planned Parenthood, he himself was actually trying to buy baby parts.

Arina Grossu, Director of FRC's Center for Human Dignity, released the following statement:

"This is a sad day in America. First, it is Planned Parenthood which we should consider indicting for its sale of baby organs. There are invoices between University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston and Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast now part of the public record showing how Planned Parenthood possibly illegally profited from the sale of baby organs.

"Earlier this week, Family Research Council released information on each of the 20 Planned Parenthood affiliates that have participated in the harvesting of aborted baby organs in the last five years, as well as the biotech companies involved in this industry and its end consumers, including NIH and FDA taxpayer-funded programs. It is Planned Parenthood that must be investigated, and wherever violations of the law are found, prosecuted according to the full extent of all applicable federal and state laws.

"Second, the Texas grand jury egregiously trampled upon Daleiden's First Amendment right to freedom of the press. As a journalist, Daleiden has the constitutional right to report on Planned Parenthood's practices and demonstrate its willingness to barter for the organs of unborn children. Planned Parenthood and its allies have tried to bully Daleiden and others into silence. Planned Parenthood wants to hide the ugly truth of what it does, namely killing thousands of precious unborn children annually and then harvesting their organs for its own gain.

"We stand with David Daleiden and the unborn. We will stand with David Daleiden and every unborn baby until each and every last one of Planned Parenthood's operations is uncovered and revealed in the light of truth. We thank Daleiden for his courage and his role in revealing the true face of Planned Parenthood to the country and to the world,'" Grossu concluded.