There’s no question that anti-abortion activist David Daleiden surreptitiously recorded healthcare and biomedical services employees across the state of California with the intent of discrediting the healthcare provider, Planned Parenthood. There’s also no question that it’s against state law to record confidential conversations without the consent of all the parties involved.
But that doesn’t mean that California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra should have charged Daleiden and his co-conspirator, Susan Merritt, with 15 felony counts — one for each of the 14 people recorded, and a 15th for conspiracy. It’s disturbingly aggressive for Becerra to apply this criminal statute to people who were trying to influence a contested issue of public policy, regardless of how sound or popular that policy may be. Planned Parenthood and biomedical company StemExpress, which was also featured in the videos, have another remedy for the harm that was done to them: They can sue Daleiden and Merritt for damages. The state doesn’t need to threaten the pair with prison time.
The videos — recorded in California and elsewhere — were published online nearly two years ago by Daleiden’s organization, the Center for Medical Progress. They caused an uproar, energizing anti-abortion activists and prompting threats against abortion providers. Officials of Planned Parenthood, whose staff members were seen on some of the recordings, denied any wrongdoing and were outraged that the tapes appeared edited to make it sound as if they were selling fetal tissue.
As misguided as they were, the aim of Daleiden and Merritt was to change people’s views on important and controversial issues — abortion and fetal tissue research.
In similar cases, we have denounced moves to criminalize such behavior, especially in the case of animal welfare investigators who have gone undercover at slaughterhouses and other agricultural businesses to secretly record horrific and illegal abuses of animals. That work, too, is aimed at revealing wrongdoing and changing public policy.
That’s why the state law forbidding recording of conversations should be applied narrowly, and to clear and egregious violations of privacy where the motive is personal gain.
There are avenues in civil courts for officials of Planned Parenthood and the biomedical service providers to strike back. And, in fact, Planned Parenthood has filed a lawsuit in federal court accusing Daleiden and his organization of fraud, breach of contract, and several other offenses.
But Becerra’s attempt to take this to the level of a criminal felony is misplaced here.
Full story at The LA Times.
Planned Parenthood has a bad plan. End abortion now! Adoption is the loving option. Pray AmerIca Pray.
I do not think David Deleiden did anything wrong at all. They have not proved that the tapes were altered. It seems to me that this is another David against a cruel and evil giant — Planned Parenthood.
I meant he did not do any wrong by altering the tapes. Yes, he probably deceived at times, but so has Planned Parenthood many times. If they condemn him, they condemn themselves, and their sins are much larger. I am sure it was illegal to tape the Nazi doctors and other tyrants who butchered many without trials.
Let me make that clearer. I do not think he altered the tapes.
Good for the LA Times and pro-life.
Anne T. you are right. When dealing with intrinsic evil you must do all to expose it so that the world knows what is really going on. America turn from the culture of death to the culture of life. Pray America Pray.