NEW YORK -- Anti-abortion activists on Tuesday released a second undercover video aimed at discrediting Planned Parenthood's procedures for providing fetal tissue to researchers.
The video shows Dr. Mary Gatter, a Planned Parenthood medical director in Southern California, meeting with people posing as potential buyers of intact fetal specimens. Much of the conversation on the video deals with how much money the buyers should pay.
Federal law prohibits the commercial sale of fetal tissue but allows not-for-profit donation of tissue if the women who underwent abortions give their consent. Planned Parenthood contends that the payments discussed in the new video, and a similar one released last week, pertain to reimbursement for the costs of procuring the tissue -- which is legal.
Gatter says in the video, "We're not in it for the money," while also discussing whether a payment of $100 per specimen would be adequate.
In another part of the video, she appears to suggest that abortion procedures could be modified in some cases to get more intact fetuses. Under federal law, there should be no alteration in the timing or method of an abortion done solely for the purpose of obtaining fetal tissue.
Planned Parenthood spokesman Eric Ferrero said the source of the videos "is a group of extremists who have intimidated women and doctors for years in their agenda to ban abortion completely."
"What the video released today shows is a Planned Parenthood medical provider, who has dedicated her career to ensuring that women have access to the best health care, stating over and over again that she follows all laws and medical standards," Ferrero said. "The fact remains that there is nothing in these videos to suggest any violation of law or improper activity."
After the release of the first video July 14, top officials in several states said they would begin investigations of Planned Parenthood's handling of fetal tissue.
On Tuesday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called for an expanded investigation into the organization, saying Tuesday's video show the organization's actions to be "more than just callous and morally bereft, it may be criminal."
"The video appears to directly contradict Planned Parenthood's statement last week that they do not earn a profit for selling body parts. Today's new grotesque revelations necessitate that Texas expand its investigation into this abhorrent practice," said Abbott, a Republican.
Last week, Republican leaders in Texas called for three separate investigations into Planned Parenthood clinics in the state after the first video was released.
Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas, which is the affiliate that operates clinics in North and Central Texas, said last week that none of its clinics participate in "tissue research programs."
Missouri's Democratic Attorney General Chris Koster also started an investigation Tuesday into the state's only clinic that offers abortions. Koster declined to give specifics on his investigation, one of three in the state announced since last week.
Three congressional committees also are investigating Planned Parenthood's handling of fetal tissue.
Anti-abortion groups have expressed hope that Congress might cut off federal funding that goes to Planned Parenthood for family planning and other nonabortion services.
Planned Parenthood, in a letter to the House Energy and Commerce Committee, depicted the videos as "a campaign of corporate espionage" being orchestrated by anti-abortion activist David Daleiden of the previously little-known Center for Medical Progress.
The letter said Daleiden was involved in secretly recording Planned Parenthood staff and patients at least 65 times over the last eight years, potentially yielding thousands of hours of recordings.
Daleiden, in a statement Tuesday, said Planned Parenthood's denial of engaging in the sale of fetal parts is "a desperate lie."
Planned Parenthood has defended its role in procuring fetal tissue for researchers, saying it is important work that could help develop treatments for diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
Anti-abortion leaders have questioned the very nature of the fetal-tissue research.
"Planned Parenthood's selling of the broken bodies of unborn children is inhumane and troubling no matter how any investigation concludes," said Charmaine Yoest, president of Americans United for Life. "And if Planned Parenthood's conduct does not violate the federal law prohibiting the sale of fetal tissue and organs, then the law must be changed."
Information for this article was contributed by David Crary and Summer Ballentine of The Associated Press and by Brittney Martin of The Dallas Morning News.
A Section on 07/22/2015