Indicted antiabortion activist turns herself in to Texas authorities

[jpak]

Source: Washington Post

An antiabortion activist who was indicted in connection with an undercover video project targeting Planned Parenthood turned herself in to Texas authorities on Wednesday, her lawyer said.

Sandra Merritt, one of two activists charged with tampering with government documents to create fake driver’s licenses, posted her $2,000 bond immediately and was released. She was scheduled to appear at a news conference shortly afterward, but it was cancelled.

David Daleiden, the main activist behind the videos, plans to turn himself over to authorities Thursday morning, his attorneys have said. He faces an additional misdemeanor charge related to the purchase of human tissue.

The indictments stem from an undercover operation masterminded by Daleiden, who spent nearly three years posing as a worker for a company that provides fetal tissue left over from abortions to researchers for scientific experiments. Using fake IDs and mock websites, Daleiden and several other actors got access to private conferences and inner rooms of Planned Parenthood clinics. The actors attempted to collect proof that Planned Parenthood was selling the fetal tissue. Profiting from the sale of the tissue is illegal under federal law, but clinics may recoup handling and other costs.

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Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2016/02/03/indicted-antiabortion-activist-to-turn-herself-in-to-texas-authorities/

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not a peep from the GOP

[Mr.Bill]

1. Should be held without bail.

People who have been known to use fake IDs should be considered a flight risk.

Of course I know I'm dreaming since this is in Texas.

[Yupster]

9. If Texas held everyone who used a fake ID

There wouldn't be any workers left in many outdoor occupations.

[MosheFeingold]

10. 2/3 of undergraduates

Would have to be arrested

[nichomachus]

2. Oh, crap. She's going to become the new Kim Davis

We don't need another freaking martyr.

[olddots]

3. human waste

[BlueJazz]

4. Isn't this that couple that Rubio said was "Doing the Lord's work" or some other nonsense?

Rubio is called a "Mocking bird" here in Florida. (the birds can imitate other birds"

Regarding Rubio, It's NOT a compliment.

[TexasProgresive]

5. A $2000 bail It's more than that in my county for DWI- DUI for those in other states.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

7. Maybe the fact that she turned herself in helped to lower the bail.

It would seem she's not a flight risk.

She's probably cutting a deal.

[MosheFeingold]

11. Not a chance

The governor has already all-but-said he would issue a pardon.

They intend to use this prosecution as a grand stand and to obtain documents and witnesses under subpoena.

It's a zero-risk game for them and exactly what they would want. It feeds into the idea that conservative activists are selectively prosecuted (compare, as I posted earlier the easy majority of college undergrads who have these same IDs) and will be used as an excuse to cook up crap against Democratic activists.

I am the lone voice here who sees this all play out as a bad idea for progressives.

[left-of-center2012]

6. Huckabee to the rescue?

Oh wait, he's no longer running for President.

[Midnight Writer]

8. Ironically, the law against secret video taping was pushed by conservatives

so they could prosecute animal rights activists who were covertly filming abuses at slaughterhouses, as well as meat packing safety violations at grocery stores.

Texas also has the anti First Amendment law called the "Food Disparagement Law" that makes it a civil liability for anyone to criticize any aspect of the commercial Food Chain. Oprah Winfrey was famously sued under this law for declaring on her TV show that beef was not a healthy food (Oprah won this case).

Another irony here; the Republican prosecutor in this case was asked by the ultra right Lieutenant Governor of Texas to investigate the Planned Parenthood "scandal" through the Grand Jury process. The Grand Jury spent weeks reviewing the evidence, and decided that the "sting" operators had broken the law, and that Planned Parenthood had done nothing illegal.

[Sunlei]

12. who funded this 3 year long group with their Fake IDs, extensive air travel,& fake Medical Company?

What if this was an armed group of terrorists who had some big-money backer, used the same 'tactics' and criminal fraud to gain access?