AS IT IS 2016-01-29 Panel Clears Planned Parenthood, Charges Its Accusers

AS IT IS 2016-01-29 Panel Clears Planned Parenthood, Charges Its Accusers

A Texas grand jury decided¹ this week to clear the health care organization Planned Parenthood of charges that it sells body parts from aborted² fetuses³. The decision has angered those who oppose abortion⁴.

A grand jury in Harris County, Texas, refused to file charges against Planned Parenthood. Instead, it filed charges against two people who made a secret video of Planned Parenthood employees. Those responsible for the video said they showed Planned Parenthood employees willing to sell body parts.

Planned Parenthood and their supporters have said the video showed no illegal or unethical behavior.

David Daleiden is one of the two people charged. The 27-year-old is the director of the anti-abortion group, Center for Medical Progress. He was charged with damaging a government record, because he allegedly created a fake driver’s license⁵. He was also charged with illegally purchasing human organs. In the video, Daleiden posed as a medical research employee interested in buying fetal tissue.

Another Center for Medical Progress employee, Sandra Merritt, was also charged with damaging a government record.

The grand jury’s decision came after months of emotional debate, followed by  the group’s release of its secret videotapes last summer.

Republicans in Congress have tried to end all federal funding for Planned Parenthood, but have failed. Republican presidential candidates promise to end funding for Planned Parenthood if they are elected.

After the secret videos were released to the public, Planned Parenthood apologized for the casual way in which an employee discussed the transfer of fetal tissue and body parts.

But the organization said the discussion centered on fees to cover Planned Parenthood costs, not profits. And it said the employee believed she was discussing a transfer with a real medical research company.

Planned Parenthood said the grand jury’s decision showed the charges against it were false.

“These anti-abortion extremists spent three years creating a fake company, creating fake identities, lying, and breaking the law,” said Eric Ferrero, a Planned Parenthood vice⁶ president. “When they couldn’t find any improper⁷ or illegal activity, they made it up.”

Daleiden, the director of the Center for Medical Progress, defended his actions.

“The Center for Medical Progress uses the same undercover techniques that investigative journalists have used for decades in exercising our First Amendment⁸ rights of freedom of speech and the press, and follows all applicable laws,” he said.

Melissa Hamilton is a legal scholar at the University of Texas. She explains the reasons for the charges both Daleiden and Merrit face.

 “If you are purporting¹⁰ to use a driver’s license, which is a public record, that is beyond the pale -- because there are reasons for society to want to protect the legitimacy¹¹ of purported¹² government records.”

Supporters and opponents of abortion rights had different reactions to the grand jury’s decision.

Greg Abbot is the Governor of Texas, and a Republican who opposes abortion.

He said, “Nothing about today’s announcement in Harris County impacts the state’s ongoing¹³ investigation¹⁴. The State of Texas will continue to protect life, and I will continue to support legislation prohibiting the sale or transfer of fetal tissue.”

But Democratic Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders said the decision shows that Republican attacks on Planned Parenthood are wrong.

“The Texas grand jury decision undercuts the entire Republican attack on Planned Parenthood,” Sanders said. “Planned Parenthood is doing an excellent job and should be supported and expanded, not defunded.”

Words in This Story

abortion – n. a medical procedure used to end a pregnancy¹⁵

unethical – adj. morally bad

pose – v. to pretend to be (someone or something) in order to deceive people

casual – adj. done without much thought, effort, or concern

journalist – n. a person who writes for newspapers or magazines or prepares news to be broadcast on radio or television.

purport⁹ – v.  to claim to be or do a particular thing when this claim may not be true      

pale – (n). an area or the limits within which one is protected

prohibit – v. to order people not to use or do something

transfer – v. to move something from one place to another

undercut – v. to show a position or point of view is not correct

1 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

2 aborted   

adj.流产的，失败的v.（使）流产( abort的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）（某事物）中止；（因故障等而）（使）（飞机、宇宙飞船、导弹等）中断飞行；（使）（飞行任务等）中途失败

参考例句：

• The rocket flight had to be aborted because of difficulties with computer. 因电脑出故障，这次火箭飞行只好中辍。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They aborted the space flight finally. 他们最后中止了这次宇航飞行。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 fetuses   

n.胎，胎儿( fetus的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• DNA was extracted from fetuses at mid-gestation, about 10 days past conception. DNA从受孕大约10天后的中期妊娠胚胎中提取。 来自互联网
• Brucellosis is a disease that causes fetuses to abort in cattle. 普鲁士菌病是一种可以导致牲畜胎儿夭折的疾病。 来自互联网

4 abortion   

n.流产，堕胎

参考例句：

• She had an abortion at the women's health clinic.她在妇女保健医院做了流产手术。
• A number of considerations have led her to have a wilful abortion.多种考虑使她执意堕胎。

5 license   

n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许

参考例句：

• The foreign guest has a license on the person.这个外国客人随身携带执照。
• The driver was arrested for having false license plates on his car.司机由于使用假车牌而被捕。

6 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

7 improper   

adj.不适当的，不合适的，不正确的，不合礼仪的

参考例句：

• Short trousers are improper at a dance.舞会上穿短裤不成体统。
• Laughing and joking are improper at a funeral.葬礼时大笑和开玩笑是不合适的。

8 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

9 purport   

n.意义，要旨，大要；v.意味著，做为...要旨，要领是...

参考例句：

• Many theories purport to explain growth in terms of a single cause.许多理论都标榜以单一的原因解释生长。
• Her letter may purport her forthcoming arrival.她的来信可能意味着她快要到了。

10 purporting   

v.声称是…，（装得）像是…的样子( purport的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Cindy Adams (Columnist) : He's purporting to be Mother Teresa. 辛迪？亚当斯（专栏作家）：他无意成为德兰修女。 来自互联网
• To prohibit certain practices purporting to be sales by auction. 本条例旨在对看来是以拍卖方式作出的售卖中某些行为予以禁止。 来自互联网

11 legitimacy   

n.合法，正当

参考例句：

• The newspaper was directly challenging the government's legitimacy.报纸直接质疑政府的合法性。
• Managing from the top down,we operate with full legitimacy.我们进行由上而下的管理有充分的合法性。

12 purported   

adj.传说的，谣传的v.声称是…，（装得）像是…的样子( purport的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• the scene of the purported crime 传闻中的罪案发生地点
• The film purported to represent the lives of ordinary people. 这部影片声称旨在表现普通人的生活。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

14 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

15 pregnancy   

n.怀孕，怀孕期

参考例句：

• Early pregnancy is often accompanied by nausea.怀孕早期常有恶心的现象。
• Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage.怀孕期吸烟会增加流产的危险。