StemExpress in contempt, blocking Planned Parenthood, fetal body part investigation
The House Select Panel on Infant Lives has voted to hold StemExpress in contempt of Congress for stonewalling its investigation into the harvesting and sale of aborted babies’ body parts. After refusing to supply the names of its non-public customers, their detailed organization chart, their accounting and banking records, the party line voted came down.
“Citing non-disclosure agreements, StemExpress did not provide the names of its non-public customers, or the detailed organization chart, or the accounting and banking records,” said Chair Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee. “The panel is entitled to this information so we can answer the question that is raised by the statute: Did companies improperly profit?”
photo/ Klaus Hausmann via pixabay
The California-based biological company, StemExpress, was exposed during a series of undercover videos from the Center for Medical Progress as Planned Parenthood’s “fetal tissue donation” outlet. The House of Representatives established a special panel to investigate whether their actions violated federal laws against selling human organs.
The partisan vote was 8-0, straight down the party line vote with Democrats refusing to vote after multiple attempts to delay the vote with procedural motions.
Federal law – specifically, Title 42 USC Section 289g-2 – makes selling human fetal tissue a federal felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison or a fine of $500,000, or both.
A StemExpress brochure given to abortion providers promises to furnish “financial profits” and “a financial benefit to your clinic.”
“We lose money doing this,” the company’s CEO, Cate Dyer, told The Washington Post in May.
However, StemExpress’ revenues increased 1,316 percent between 2010 and 2013, and more than doubled the following year.
The House Select panel demanded a full accounting of the company’s finances, its partners, the names of key individuals who oversee its fiscal contracts, and bank records. After an initial inquiry last December, the panel then issued two subpoenas.
StemExpress claimed that the requested information could lead to the murders of its employees with StemExpress’ attorney Frank Radoslovich stating that revealing those names would “further endanger employees” from “whoever consumes that information in an evil way.”
Rep. Sean Duffy, R-WI, also noted that other biologics companies have complied with the panel’s requests without incident, unlike StemExpress. “What’s in their records that is so secretive that they won’t comply with a Congressional, lawful subpoena?” he asked.
Blackburn said that today’s contempt motion would drive home the fact that “a subpoena is not a suggestion. It is a lawful order and must be complied with.”
StemExpress releated stories:
StemExpress CEO confirms company ships baby heads, “freaking out” lab techs
StemExpress linked to Planned Parenthood in new CMP footage
NEW CMP video: Babies dissected while still alive
photo: 14 week fetus photo/ Your Pregnancy week by week
