Louisiana governor opens investigation into Planned Parenthood selling body parts

When undercover video today from The Center for Medical Progress showed that Planned Parenthood is trafficking human body parts for a profit, Louisiana Governor and presidential candidate, Bobby Jindal, made one of the first moves to investigate the abortion profiteer.

Jindal has called for a state investigation into all the operations of Planned Parenthood in Louisiana. While neither Planned Parenthood facility in the state does abortions currently, the abortion giant is currently in the process of building a $4.2 million, 8,000 sq. ft. abortion center in New Orleans. For now, that’s on hold.

Jindal said today:

This same organization is seeking to open an abortion clinic in New Orleans. I have instructed Louisiana’s Department of Health and Hospitals to conduct an immediate investigation into this alleged evil and illegal activity and to not issue any licenses until this investigation is complete. I am also asking the FBI to assist DHH in investigating this alleged criminal activity by this organization.

The horrifying video reveals, “Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s Senior Director of Medical Services, Dr. Deborah Nucatola, describing how Planned Parenthood sells the body parts of aborted fetuses, and admitting she uses partial-birth abortions to supply intact body parts,” the press release from The Center for Medical Progress says. These acts –  which are illegal – are also morally abhorrent.

Former governor of Texas and pro-life presidential candidate, Rick Perry, who has taken bold stands for life during his political career, expressed equal anger. Perry issued a statement as well:

The video showing a Planned Parenthood employee selling the body parts of aborted children is a disturbing reminder of the organization’s penchant for profiting off the tragedy of a destroyed human life. It is because of stories like this that I signed legislation defunding Planned Parenthood in the state of Texas – to protect human life and the health and safety of Texans.

Texas Senator Ted Cruz, also a presidential candidate, issued this statement:

Today’s news regarding allegations that Planned Parenthood is possibly selling the body parts of the babies it has aborted is sickening.

There is no place for taxpayer funding of organizations that profit from taking away innocent life, much less profiting off the bodies of the lives they have stolen. Congress should immediately begin an investigation of Planned Parenthood’s activities regarding the sale and transfer of aborted body parts, including who is obtaining them and what they are being used for. And it should renew efforts to fully defund Planned Parenthood to ensure that its morally bankrupt business receives not one penny of taxpayer money.

I proudly stand on the side of life and remain committed to fighting for all innocent life to be valued and protected under the laws of this nation.

While those who know the work of Planned Parenthood are not fully surprised by this horrific revelation, the boldness of an organization to allegedly violate federal law in order to profit off the shedding of innocent blood is abhorrent to the very nature of life.

In fact, if Planned Parenthood cannot defend itself of these charges, there may be severe penalties. Federal law prohibits selling fetal parts for profit and imposes severe penalties.

For now, Planned Parenthood is defending itself by alleging it is not selling baby parts for profit, but is rather facilitating the legal donation of fetal tissue. Planned Parenthood is claiming that any costs reflect that process. Yet the evidence continuing to be released against Planned Parenthood suggests that it is, indeed, selling baby parts for pure profit.

Live Action President, Lila Rose, says this investigation only supports the work Live Action has been doing for years; she called for Congress to force an immediate stop to all taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood. Rose said:

This investigation by the Center for Medical Progress reveals the unimaginable horror that is Planned Parenthood. The exploitation of human life, the cover-up, and the black market profiteering by America’s largest abortion chain is not only egregious and heartbreaking, but exposes how the abortion giant is corrupt to the core — from the CEO, Cecile Richards, down to the local clinic. As Live Action has investigated through the years, Planned Parenthood’s barbaric practices reveal their contempt for rule of law and human life. This latest expose of Planned Parenthood’s trafficking of baby parts for profit should be the final nail in the coffin for the abortion giant. Congress must take immediate action to stop all taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood and end the bankrolling of this horrific human rights abuser.

Jindal’s state investigation is likely only the first of many that will result from this horrific revelation of Planned Parenthood’s extra profit from shedding innocent blood – at taxpayer expense.