Utah Planned Parenthood Challenges Defunding Order
Source: Associated Press
The Utah branch of Planned Parenthood asked a federal appeals court on Tuesday to stop the governor from cutting off funding to the organization, arguing the move was unconstitutional political retribution against an organization he opposes.
Gov. Gary Herbert already knew that investigations had cleared Planned Parenthood of illegally selling fetal tissue to researchers for profit when he ordered state agencies to stop distributing federal money to the organization last fall, Planned Parenthood lawyer Peggy Tomsic told a three-judge panel of the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
If the appeal court doesn't undo the lower court's decision, it would send the message that public officials may "punish their political enemies for exercising their constitutional rights," Tomsic said.
Tyler Green of the Utah attorney general's office argued that the organization was still under a cloud of suspicion after the release of secretly recorded videos showing out-of-state employees discussing fetal tissue from abortions when the order came down.
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Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/utah-planned-parenthood-challenge-defunding-order-37482224
By SADIE GURMAN AND LINDSAY WHITEHURST, ASSOCIATED PRESS
DENVER — Mar 8, 2016, 2:59 PM ET
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... all these defunding efforts were in response to those videos which were proven to promote a false narrative, and whose producers are now facing felony charges.
And, yet the efforts to demonize and defund a benevolent organization continue.
