Two Republican leaders in the House Judiciary Committee have reached out to the Department of Justice as they investigate the Planned Parenthood scandal.
Committee chairman Bob Goodlatte of Virginia and Arizona's Trent Franks, the chairman of the Constitution and Civil Justice Subcommittee,
sent a letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch inquiring about the laws regarding partial birth birth abortions and the sale of fetal tissue.
Planed Parenthood has come under fire for a series of videos that show employees at the government-funded agency discussing the sale of fetal body parts from abortions.
"The House Judiciary Committee has launched an investigation into whether Planned Parenthood abortionists altered procedures in order to harvest the organs and body parts of aborted children," the letter reads. "'I'd say a lot of people want liver,' an executive from Planned Parenthood stated in a video released on July 15, 2015. 'And for that reason, most providers will do this case under ultrasound guidance, so they'll know where they're putting their forceps.'
"She further stated: 'We've been very good at getting heart, lung, liver, because we know that so I'm not gonna crush that part, I'm gonna basically crush below, I'm gonna crush above, and I'm gonna see if I can get it all intact.'"
The letter goes on to list other examples from the videos, saying "this disturbing practice of altering the procedure is more than an isolated instance."
The letter then lists three federal laws that may have been violated, which involve the acquisition and transfer of human body parts, fetal tissue, and partial birth abortions.
"We write regarding our interest in understanding the history of the enforcement of these laws at the Department of Justice," the letter states. "Please provide the Committee with a copy of the complaint in every case filed by the Department in which a violation of [these laws], and any related federal laws, is alleged."
Planned Parenthood receives roughly $500 million in government funds every year, although that money is not allocated for the organization's abortion services. The
undercover videos have ignited a debate about whether that funding should be turned off.
Republican presidential candidate
Mike Huckabee said last week he'd like to see the Justice Department get involved.
"I would have a Justice Department that would begin to criminally prosecute Planned Parenthood for violating federal law and selling body parts," Huckabee said.
Three states have cut off funding to the organization in the wake of the videos.
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