A July 31 press release from the National Abortion Federation reveals that the organization has filed for a temporary restraining order and injunction to stop the release of undercover footage which they claim was illegally obtained by the Center for Medical Progress at NAF’s “educational meetings.”
The suit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, asks that the Defendants be preliminarily and permanently enjoined from publishing or otherwise disclosing any recordings or confidential information from NAF annual meetings, publishing or otherwise disclosing the names or addresses of any NAF members that they learned at NAF annual meetings, and attempting to gain access to any future NAF meetings.
NAF meetings are one of the only places where abortion providers can come together to learn about the latest research and advances in their field, and network without fear of harassment or intimidation. Many of the attendees are high-profile targets of anti-abortion extremists. Given the decades-long campaign of violence against abortion providers, NAF has strict security measures in place that are not common at other meetings.
“The safety and security of our members is our top priority,” said Vicki Saporta, NAF President and CEO. “That security has been compromised by the illegal activities of a group with ties to those who believe it is justifiable to murder abortion providers. CMP went to great lengths to infiltrate our meetings as part of a campaign to intimidate and attack abortion providers.”
The press release goes on to claim that abortion providers seen in the videos released thus far have been subject to “death threats made online.”
This follows on the heels of a temporary injunction granted by a Los Angeles Superior Court judge to StemExpress, a fetal tissue procurement agency doing business with multiple Planned Parenthood affiliates, whose officials were also recorded.
Last night on CNN, CMP’s David Daleiden said the reason for StemExpress’s alarm is because the company was recorded stating it receives intact fetuses from abortion clinics. This calls into question whether these children were born alive, as Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains medical director Savita Ginde is on record stating that the only way intact specimens are likely to be obtained, even through D&E, is if the child was delivered prior to the completion of an abortion procedure.
