ICYMI: New Center for Medical Progress Videos Released

Written by Julia, D, WRTL Summer 2024 Intern

Following the expiration of a court order, seized footage* obtained by the Center for Medical Progress (CMP) has been released to the public. In this undercover video, a CMP reporter, posing as a laboratory salesman, speaks with abortionists Dr. Ann Schutt-Aine and Dr. Tram Nguyen. They discuss techniques they use during abortions to keep the baby’s body as intact as possible while also trying to bypass the federal Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act.

The Center for Medical Progress is an organization of citizen journalists that reports on controversies involving medical and biotechnological ethics. They are known for their undercover footage of Planned Parenthood employees, which shows them discussing and facilitating the sale of fetal tissue harvested from abortions.

In 2015, Planned Parenthood sued CMP, accusing them of violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). The California 9th Circuit Court ruled in Planned Parenthood’s favor, ordering CMP and its founder, David Daleiden, to pay over $2 million in damages. Planned Parenthood falsely claimed that Daleiden “manufactured a fraudulent campaign against Planned Parenthood” in order to restrict access to abortion. However, CMP was not sued for defamation, but for the methods they used to gather information. Notably, during the trial, Planned Parenthood admitted to harvesting organs and trafficking tissue.

The horror exposed in these videos had an impact on Wisconsin, and exposed similar schemes happening right here in our state. The Alliance Defending Freedom made a public records request and discovered that Planned Parenthood had been the distributor of fetal organs for the University of Wisconsin – Madison, among others. Public outcry spurred state legislation in the 2015-2016 and 2017-2018 legislative sessions to specifically outlaw the sale and use of fetal tissue obtained from abortion. Unfortunately, these bills failed to pass.

This means Wisconsin law still does not prohibit the distribution of aborted fetal tissue and its use in research.

This newly-released footage lays bare the gruesome reality of the abortion industry. We hope these newly released videos help reignite conversation and spur elected officials to stand against the unethical use of fetal tissue from aborted babies. Additionally, Planned Parenthood must be held accountable for its actions and exploitation of women and unborn children.

*Please know this footage is deeply unsettling. It captures Planned Parenthood employees using disturbingly casual language to describe the dismemberment of unborn children and the sale of their organs. Please proceed with caution.