ARLINGTON, VA (June 14, 2016) — Statement from Lila Rose, president and founder of the pro-life organization Live Action, on a Houston judge dismissing the misdemeanor charge against David Daleiden for allegedly attempting to buy aborted baby parts from Planned Parenthood during his undercover investigation in Texas:
“It’s incomprehensible that David Daleiden was charged with attempting to purchase baby body parts, but Planned Parenthood wasn’t charged for allegedly negotiating to sell them. David’s intent was clear to the district attorney from the start: He was posing as an organ buyer to expose the barbaric practice and end Planned Parenthood’s trafficking in baby parts. The district attorney knew David never intended to buy organs, which is why this charge was bogus from the start.
“Here we are, nearly a year after Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast officials were caught on video talking about altering abortions to deliver fully intact babies for dissection, as well as how much the parts trafficking business ‘contributes so much to the bottom line’ for Planned Parenthood, yet nothing has been done to hold them accountable.
“This decision is a step in the right direction by the justice system in dealing with investigative journalism. While Planned Parenthood experienced a setback in Texas this week, in California, it continues its outrageous attacks on the freedom of the press and has pushed a bill to make it a crime for the news media to publish recordings of undercover footage taken inside its abortion facilities.”
There are several issues with how District Attorney Devon Harris has handled this case:
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Assistant DA Sunni Mitchell colluded with Planned Parenthood lawyer Josh Schaffer by Schaffer’s own admission. Mitchell said she would find a way to get David Daleiden’s unreleased videos to Planned Parenthood’s lawyers — something the Texas AG’s office specifically told the DA not to share.
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Assistant DA Lauren Reed is a board member of the very Planned Parenthood that was supposed to be under investigation. When this was pointed out last fall, Anderson refused to recuse her office from the case.
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Anderson admitted in a brief that Texas law prohibited her from making public David’s indictment before he was “in custody or under bond,” but she ignored the law and sent out a news release announcing his indictment a week and a half before that happened. She said her breaking the law “was a mere technical, inconsequential violation.”
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Anderson’s office also gave Planned Parenthood’s attorney a heads up before they sent the news release out. (Planned Parenthood attorney Josh Schaffer’s affidavit says this.)
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The DA’s news release also misled the media and the public. The release specifically stated, “This grand jury cleared PPGC of breaking the law.” Grand juries have no authority to “clear” anyone or declare them innocent. The Associated Press also reported that the grand jury never even voted on charges against Planned Parenthood.
