Democrats on the House Oversight Committee have accused David Daleiden, the founder of the Center for Medical Progress, of engaging in “potentially illegal activities” during his undercover investigation of Planned Parenthood.
Daleiden has maintained that the Center for Medical Progress obeyed all applicable laws during the course of the investigation.
Democrats on the committee released a list of 21 questions they have for Daleiden. Buzzfeed reported that the Democrats also released a copy of the fake ID Daleiden used while he was undercover.
The Democrats on the committee have alleged that Daleiden and the Center for Medical Progress may have violated the law by creating false identities, among other allegations.
In a statement provided to The Daily Signal, Daleiden said: “The Democrats on the committee don’t know what they don’t know. We’ve been complying with the subpoena in full.”
The videos released by the Center for Medical Progress have raised allegations that Planned Parenthood is selling aborted fetal body parts to researchers for profit.
Trafficking fetal human body parts is illegal in the United States. Spokespersons for Planned Parenthood have claimed they are merely reimbursed for the costs associated with a donation.
Planned Parenthood is under investigation by the House Oversight Committee. Its chief executive, Cecile Richards, recently testified before the committee.
In a letter to Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, the committee chairman, the Democrats wrote:
We believe it is inappropriate for the Committee to continue harassing Planned Parenthood for political reasons—with no evidence of any wrongdoing—simply to force the group to squander millions of dollars in legal fees that could be going to support breast exams, cancer screenings, and other critical women’s healthcare services.
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Unlike Planned Parenthood, Mr. Daleiden and his group engaged in a host of potentially illegal activities, including filing false documents with government agencies, falsely impersonating a legitimate business concern, soliciting charitable contributions under false pretenses, and secretly recording Planned Parenthood officials without their consent.
Continuing to shield Mr. Daleiden and his organization from accountability creates the unfortunate impression that the Committee is more interested in attacking Planned Parenthood than in an even-handed investigation of potential violations of law.
Chaffetz has said that Daleiden shouldn’t testify before Chaffetz receives all of his videos. A federal judge has prevented Daleiden from releasing videos recorded at the annual meeting of the National Abortion Federation.
The Democrats’ ranking member on the committee is Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland.