Politics

Dem Candidates Silent On Alleged Planned Parenthood Felonies

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Rachel Stoltzfoos Staff Reporter
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Democratic presidential candidates were silent in the wake footage released Tuesday showing Planned Parenthood’s top doctor allegedly describing how the clinics sell the body parts of aborted babies.

None of the declared Democratic presidential candidates — former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Sen. Bernie Sanders, former Gov. Martin O’Malley, former Sen. Jim Webb, and former Gov. Lincoln Chafee — responded to multiple requests for comment from The Daily Caller News Foundation regarding the video. (RELATED: GOP Candidates React To Undercover Planned Parenthood Video)

Democratic National Committee chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz also did not respond to multiple requests for comment. (RELATED: DNC Head: Abortion Should Have Zero Restrictions. ‘Period.’)

Dr. Deborah Nucatola, who oversees the abortion practices of all Planned Parenthood clinics and trains their abortion doctors, describes in the video how the clinics take orders for body parts and then perform abortions strategically to fill those orders, sometimes using a procedure that could be considered a partial-birth abortion, which is illegal.

“I’d say a lot of people want liver,” Nucatola says in the video. “And for that reason, most providers will do this case under ultrasound guidance, so they’ll know where they’re putting their forceps.”

Selling human body parts is a federal felony, and trafficking body parts from an aborted baby is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $500,000. Partial-birth abortion is also a federal felony and is punishable by up to two years in prison and/or a fine of up to $250,000. (RELATED: Conservative Leader: Planned Parenthood Is Just Like Notorious Auschwitz Doctor)

Planned Parenthood has released a statement denying the allegations and saying they are legally donating the body parts per the patients request, for “scientific research.”

“A well funded group established for the purpose of damaging Planned Parenthood’s mission and services has promoted a heavily edited, secretly recorded videotape that falsely portrays Planned Parenthood’s participation in tissue donation programs that support lifesaving scientific research,” Planned Parenthood spokesman Eric Ferrero said in the statement.

Planned Parenthood received $528.4 million dollars in federal grants and reimbursements for the year ending June 30, 2014, according to its 2013-2014 annual report, and performed 327,653 abortions. (RELATED: Nearly 1 In 3 Abortions Happen At Planned Parenthood ‘Health’ Centers)

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