US lawmakers outraged by video showing sale of foetus parts as Congress sets probe

Reuters

Anti-abortion demonstrators demonstrate in front of the US

 Supreme Court in this June 30, 2014 file photo.

Following the release of a shocking video showing a Planned Parenthood official casually talking about the sale of aborted foetus parts, a full blown investigation on the scandal quickly began taking shape as calls mounted for the prosecution of those who may have broken the law.

On Wednesday, House Speaker John Boehner called on President Barack Obama to "denounce and stop these gruesome practices."

"Nothing is more precious than life, especially an unborn child," Boehner said in a statement provided to Fox News. "When anyone diminishes an unborn child, we are all hurt, irreversibly so. When an organisation monetises an unborn child—and with the cavalier attitude portrayed in this horrific video—we must all act. As a start, I have asked our relevant committees to look into this matter."

Congressional hearings on the scandal gained immediate support, with the House Energy and Commerce and Judiciary committees announcing an investigation on the matter.

Energy Committee Chairman Fred Upton called the video "abhorrent" and said that it "rips at the heart."

Rep. Tim Murphy assured that Planned Parenthood would be investigated because of its actions, but noted that the investigation would focus more on "that which is legal, which is not necessarily moral or ethical."

For its part, Planned Parenthood claimed that the release of the video was politically motivated and declared that the allegations made against them were "flat-out untrue."

The video showed Deborah Nucatola, Planned Parenthood's senior director of medical research sharing a meal with two undercover activists posing as buyers from a biotech company. During their meeting, Nucatola described the procedure in which they would get the body part they needed without "crushing it."

"We've been very good at getting heart, lung, liver, because we know that, so I'm not gonna crush that part, I'm gonna basically crush below, I'm gonna crush above, and I'm gonna see if I can get it all intact," she said.

The organs are then sold for $30 to $100 each.

Meanwhile, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, who is also a presidential candidate, has ordered an immediate investigation on the matter and ordered a halt on the company's new facility construction in the state.

"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 organisation," Jindal said.

Former President George W. Bush signed a law in 2003 outlawing partial birth abortion. Those found guilty of doing this procedure face a federal felony charge punishable by two years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Moreover, trafficking human body parts is punishable by 10 years in jail and a fine of $500,000.

But in the video, Nucatola expressed confidence that there are ways of working around the law. "The federal abortion ban is a law, and laws are up to interpretation," she said. "So, if I say on day one that I don't intend to do this, what ultimately happens doesn't matter."

By: Czarina Ong