© Reuters / Alex Lee
Dr. Deborah Nucatola, Planned Parenthood's Senior Director for Medical Services, was caught on video talking about how abortions can be performed in a way that makes their body parts and organs suitable for sale.
The exposé is the culmination of a three-year investigation of the practice by the pro-life Center for Medical Progress, which hired actors to pretend to be buyers from a human biotech company.
"Yesterday was the first time she said people wanted lungs. And then, like I said, always as many intact livers as possible," she is seen telling the actors between bites of food. "People just want... some people want lower extremities, too. I mean that's easy. I don't know what they're doing with it, I guess they want muscle."
"We've been very good at getting heart, lung, liver, because we know that, so I'm not gonna crush that part," Nucatola adds. "I'm gonna basically crush below, I'm gonna crush above, and I'm gonna see if I can get it all intact."
Partial-birth abortion is a federal felony, punishable by up to two years in prison or a $250,000 fine. The buying or selling of human body parts is also a federal felony, as is trafficking the remains of aborted fetuses. Such activities are punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Nucatola apparently recognized the legal issues involved, saying that Planned Parenthood's Litigation and Law Department decided that it was "too touchy" for the national office to organize transactions. "But I will tell you that behind closed doors, these conversations are happening with the affiliates," she said.
Nucatola oversees abortion practices at Planned Parenthood's business affiliates, according to Townhall. She deleted her Twitter account following the controversy.
The Center for Medical Progress released a raw two hour and forty minute version of the video to dispel any accusations that they unfairly edited the footage.
Planned Parenthood responded to the accusations made by the undercover video within the day, arguing that those who recorded the video are misrepresenting the organization's participation in a medical donation program.
Questions have also been raised about the Center for Medical Progress. Newsweek reported that the group is led by David Daleiden, a man who's been connected to the controversial James O'Keefe, known for publishing misleadingly edited videos.
Thanks for that well chosen comment at the end.
I've found it very difficult to talk someone past the point of being emotionally hooked to a chosen "side" to love or hate. The emotional hook is so deep that the brain just shuts down and can't accept an alternative perspective. They're unable to see that neither side is the real problem, the problem is the psycho's running the dog and pony show.
Your comment made the point well and succinctly.