Lies About Planned Parenthood

A message from PFAW:

The anti-choice Right has been breathlessly promoting a new video from an undercover "sting operation" as evidence that Planned Parenthood engages in illegal activities. It's a hoax ... a total sham ... and we can't let them get away with it. 
Don't let Planned Parenthood become the next fallen victim of a right-wing hit job. 
Add your name to our petition urging every pro-choice member of Congress and the President to block attacks on Planned Parenthood. 

For years we've tracked right-wing attacks on Planned Parenthood. Now that there's an anti-choice Republican majority in the House of Representatives, those attacks are reaching a crescendo with hopes that the Radical Right's allies in Congress will successfully de-fund the nation's largest reproductive health care provider. 

The same playbook that was used to bring down ACORN with false attacks, and smear administration officials like Van Jones and Shirley Sherrod, is now being employed against Planned Parenthood. And some Republicans in Congress have already latched on. Ultraconservative Rep. Mike Pence is leading the charge with a bill that would strip funding for Planned Parenthood that goes toward women's health services. 

Right-wing, anti-choice activist group Live Action recently engaged in a secret video sting operation to gather evidence of Planned Parenthood assisting in illegal activities. Targeting at least a dozen Planned Parenthood branches, the Live Action activists posed as pimps and under-aged prostitutes. Planned Parenthood branches reported the suspicious visits by people claiming to be involved in the sex trade and the organization in turn reported the activity to the Department of Justice. 

You would think that would be the end of the story, but that would underestimate the determination of the anti-choice Right. ONE Planned Parenthood employee -- who was subsequently fired -- is depicted in a video, which has been almost exclusively presented in a highly edited version, not adhering to Planned Parenthood protocols and offering help to the undercover "pimp." This is hardly evidence of mass wrongdoing. In fact, it is just the opposite, since Planned Parenthood's institutional response to the visits by these fake sex traffickers was commendable, and perfectly in line with their organizational policies AND the law. 
Don't let Pence and other members of Congress use the latest right-wing smear job to attack women's health care. 
Stand up for Planned Parenthood by joining our petition to Congress now. 
So much for creating jobs and stimulating the economy ... the Republican Majority has spent its first weeks in power pursuing a radical, ideology and politics-driven agenda. And this attack on Planned Parenthood amounts to an unconscionable attack on low-income women, for whom Planned Parenthood is the leading health care provider. Instead of pursuing policies to revive our economy, Republicans are kicking Americans while they're down. Don't let them get away with it. 
-- Ben Betz, Online Communications Manager 

Take Action ...

... then learn more about issue by reading our brand newRight Wing Watch In Focusreport, "Deceptive Video Sting Attacking Planned Parenthood."

P.S. Hold the media accountable for their coverage of this latest supposed scandal. ACORN was of course absolved of all wrongdoing by in-depth investigations, but by that time it was too late. The news media must not blindly treat right-wing smears and distortions as legitimate. If you see instances of the news media mishandling its coverage of this story, we encourage you to speak up -- email or call TV networks and radio shows, comment on articles on the web and write letters to the editor of your local paper.