Congress, courts clash in legal battle over release of undercover Planned Parenthood videos
September 17, 2015
A federal appeals court has barred a district court judge from issuing an injunction to stop the release of undercover videos by the Center for Medical Progress (CMP), the group that has exposed the Planned Parenthood scandal.
In July, Judge William Orrick issued a temporary restraining order against the release of CMP videos of a meeting organized by the National Abortion Federation. That temporary order remains in effect, but CMP won a partial victory when the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the Judge Orrick could not issue an injunction to extend the order indefinitely. The appeals court also ruled that Judge Orrick could not require CMP to disclose information about its videos to the National Abortion Federation.
In a related development, a Congressional committee moved to circumvent the restraining order on the CMP videos by issuing a subpoena for all of the undercover footage. The subpoena from the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee would force disclosure of the footage that the restraining order has blocked from public release.
The temporary restraining order applies only to footage involving the National Abortion Federation. CMP has continued to release undercover videos of other groups—particularly Planned Parenthood—that are involved in the harvesting of fetal tissues.
David Daleiden, the head of the CMP effort, has vowed that his group will take its case to the US Supreme Court, if necessary, to ensure the eventual release of all its undercover reports.
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Further information:
- Appeals court steps into abortion-video fray (Politico)
- House committee subpoenas Planned Parenthood footage, challenging court order (LifeSite News)
- Investigators: We’ll go to Supreme Court to release Planned Parenthood videos if needed (LifeSite News)
- Abortion providers say publicity about fetal-parts sales could destroy Planned Parenthood, in 10th undercover video (CWN, 9/15)
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Posted by: family-man -
Sep. 17, 2015 10:44 PM ET USA
I saw a biased woman with a bad attitude interview David Daleiden. I was very impressed by his calm manner of speaking the truth. Deo gratias.
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Posted by: unum -
Sep. 17, 2015 9:08 PM ET USA
Finally, this Congress is showing some life and concern for the rule of law in our country. Thanks be to God! Perhaps the country will not be governed by White House fiat until the end of the Obama administration!
