Planned Parenthood defenders demand full video footage release

Defenders of Planned Parenthood called Monday for the release of the full footage from explosive undercover videos on its role in procuring aborted fetal tissue, while investigators countered that the missing video is from bathroom breaks and waiting periods.

Rep. Diana DeGette, Colorado Democrat, weighed in by urging the House Energy and Commerce oversight subcommittee to “release full, unedited video footage of Planned Parenthood Federation of America staff and associated facilities obtained by the Center for Medical Progress.”

“While heavily edited video footage may be acceptable for YouTube, it is not fit for an Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigation hearing,” Ms. DeGette said in a Monday statement.

Meanwhile, the liberal watchdog Media Matters for America demanded that the pro-life Center for Medical Progress “immediately release the full, unedited source footage for all its discredited smear videos against Planned Parenthood.”

Since July 14, the center has posted five- to 11-minute videos, followed by the release of lengthier footage from interviews with Planned Parenthood and StemExpress officials involved with procuring fetal tissue from abortions for medical research.

Planned Parenthood CEO Cecile Richards released Thursday what she described as a “forensic analysis” by Fusion GPS citing numerous edits and splices in the short videos, but also pointed out that the “full footage” videos had missing sections.

Why? David Daleiden, founder of the Center for Medical Progress, said the footage was removed because it showed center investigators, who wore the hidden cameras, using the bathroom or talking to one another outside the presence of Planned Parenthood or StemExpress officials.

Mr. Daleiden described the report Monday as a “pseudoscientific production by Fusion GPS, a political opposition-research company that has no forensic certifications.”

“While the report, which contains multiple errors, set out to delegitimize CMP’s video evidence, it only provides evidence of the opposite: the report admits that ’This analysis did not reveal widespread evidence of substantive video manipulation’ and that it ’shows no evidence of audio manipulation,’” Mr. Daleiden said.

In an online post, Mr. Daleiden reviewed key criticisms from the Fusion GPS report, such as the use of two cameras during the lunch interview with Planned Parenthood’s Dr. Deborah Nucatola, which resulted in different time stamps on the final video.

“At 14:38:06, Dr. Nucatola leaves to use the restroom, and returns at 14:41:08,” said Mr. Daleiden. “The logistical discussion between the actors is not part of the conversation with Dr. Nucatola and like discussions between only the actors arriving and leaving the meeting, it is not included. Viewers following the conversation between Nucatola and the two actors hear the continuous dialog about using the restroom at these points in the video.”

He added, “The bathroom breaks and actors’ logistics do not change Dr. Nucatola’s statements, and the brief change of camera footage allows the viewer to see and hear the full conversation with Dr. Nucatola.”

Ms. DeGette said she wrote to Rep. Tim Murphy, Pennsylvania Republican and chairman of the oversight and investigation subcommittee, four weeks ago and “made it clear to him that if a thorough investigation is to proceed, it is vital the Committee consider authentic and complete video.”

The subcommittee launched an investigation into Planned Parenthood’s role in procuring fetal tissue from abortions in response to the videos, eight of which have been released so far.

The center has accused Planned Parenthood of profiting from the sale of fetal tissue in violation of federal law, while Planned Parenthood officials insist its affiliates were only reimbursed for expenses, which is legal.