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 Despite Planned Parenthood's denials of the allegation, the
video's release earlier this week has rapidly spurred investigations
in the Republican-led U.S. Congress.
Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of
America, said in a new video statement that the nonprofit
organization does not profit from fetal tissue donation.
She also apologized for the remarks of Dr. Deborah Nucatola, its
senior director of medical services, recorded discussing fetal body
parts over lunch and wine in a restaurant. She was meeting with
actors posing as buyers from a biological company.
"Our top priority is the compassionate care that we provide. In the
video, one of our staff members speaks in a way that does not
reflect that compassion," said Richards, whose statement did not
name Nucatola.
"This is unacceptable, and I personally apologize for the staff
member's tone and statements," she added.
The controversial video was released on Tuesday by the Center for
Medical Progress, a California-based group, which claims the
comments demonstrate that Planned Parenthood was involved in the
illegal sale of aborted fetuses.
Widely circulated online, the video already has led to the start of
investigations by the judiciary committee and the energy and
commerce committee in the House of Representatives.
On Thursday, the Republican governors of Georgia and Indiana joined
their counterparts in Louisiana and Texas in ordering state-level
investigations. Ohio's Republican attorney general is also probing
Planned Parenthood in his state.
In response, two House Democrats came out in support of Planned
Parenthood on Thursday.
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“The video does not demonstrate that Planned Parenthood is ‘selling’
fetal tissue,” judiciary committee ranking member John Conyers Jr.
of Michigan and Steve Cohen of Tennessee said in a joint statement.
They said portions of the full video contradicted allegations
against Planned Parenthood, but these were edited out of the widely
circulated nine-minute version.
Richards said Planned Parenthood stood by its work helping women to
donate tissue for "lifesaving" research.
"We know the real agenda of organizations behind videos like this,"
she said. "Their mission is to ban abortion completely and cut women
off from care at Planned Parenthood and other health centers."
She added: "We will never let that happen."
(Reporting by Letitia Stein in Tampa, Florida; Additional reporting
by Megan Cassella in Washington, D.C.; Editing by Eric Walsh)
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