August 5, 2015

Dear Governor Bruce Rauner:

On July 13, 2015, July 21, 2015, July 28, 2015, July 30, 2015, and August 3, 2015, the Center for Medical Progress released five undercover investigation videos much like the style used by 60 Minutes. The investigative journalists posed as a biotech start-up company that was interested in partnering with Planned Parenthood to collect fetal baby parts following an abortion.1 The footage captured revealed Planned Parenthood senior executives making extremely legally troubling and morally offensive statements that Planned Parenthood may be selling aborted fetal body parts including lungs, hearts, livers, extremities, and heads. As noted in point four of this letter, Illinois was specifically discussed in the first video as a fabulous place to obtain harvested fetal body parts. We are asking you to investigate Planned Parenthood and eliminate all Illinois funds directed towards Planned Parenthood.

There are five key points you need to be aware of.

1. The first investigative video released on July 13, 2015, shows Dr. Deborah Nucatola, senior

medical services director for Planned Parenthood, making statements that Planned Parenthood affiliates may make a profit on the sale of harvested fetal body parts.

I think for affiliates, at the end of the day, theyre a non-profit, they just dont want tothey want to break even. And if they can do a little better than break even, and do so in a way that seems reasonable, theyre happy to do that, said Dr. Nucatola, senior medical services director for Planned Parenthood.2

Throughout the approximately two and a half hour unedited footage, Dr. Deborah Nucatola repeatedly contradicts herself by stating clinics wish to do better than break even off of the sale of fetal body parts while also stating Planned Parenthood does not wish to profit off of the sale.3 Dr. Nucatola discusses with the potential buyers a price range of $30 - $100 per specimen:

You know, I would throw a number out, I would say its probably anywhere from $30 to $100 [per specimen], depending on the facility and whats involved.4

1https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjxwVuozMnU

2 Ibid.

3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4UjIM9B9KQ 4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjxwVuozMnU

In the video, Dr. Nucatola explains the process of harvesting fetal organs during an abortion:

Weve been very good at getting heart, lung, liver, because we know that, so Im not gonna crush that part, Im gonna basically crush below, Im gonna crush above, and Im gonna see if I can get it all intact.5

Other videos show Planned Parenthood staff picking through an aborted fetus identifying the arms, legs, eyes, head, heart, spinal structure, kidneys, and sexual organs that could be used in research. One staff member states after examining the dead fetus, And another boy! and another called the body parts, five stars for body part harvesting.6 7

2. A Stem Express brochure used to advertise contracts with Planned Parenthood clinics to harvest fetal body parts states four times that working with Stem Express is financially profitable for the clinic. Planned Parenthood endorses this brochure. The Center for Medical Progress released a brochure from Stem Express, a biotech corporation that contracts with Planned Parenthood affiliates to harvest aborted fetal body parts. On this advertisement is an endorsement from Dr. Dorothy Fergerson, of Planned Parenthood Mar Monte. Four times in this four-page brochure, Stem Express states it: fiscally rewards clinics is contributing to the fiscal growth of your clinic, is financially profitable, and is providing a financial benefit to clinics.8 3. A second undercover video released by the Center for Medical Progress shows a Planned Parenthood executive haggling over the potential price her clinic would be paid for harvesting baby parts. I want a Lamborghini, she added. On July 21, 2015, the Center for Medical Progress journalists released a second undercover

video of a meeting with Dr. Mary Gatter, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of

Americas Medical Directors Council and Medical Director for Planned Parenthood Pasadena

and San Gabriel Valley. In the video, Dr. Mary Gatter can be seen negotiating the price the buyer

will pay for the fetal body parts:

Well why dont you start by telling me what youre used to paying [for fetal body parts]. Well, you know in negotiations the person who throws out the figure first is at a loss, right? I dont want to play games, I just dont want to lowball, because Im used to low things Okay. $75 a specimen. ... Its been years since I talked about compensation, so let me just figure out what others are getting, if this is in the ballpark, its fine, if its still low then we can bump it up. I want a Lamborghini.9

4. According to the Illinois Comptrollers Office, Planned Parenthood received $42 million in taxpayer money from the state of Illinois between 2011 and 2015.10

5 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjxwVuozMnU

6 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWQuZMvcFA8

7https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=593&v=Xw2xi9mhmuo

8 http://www.centerformedicalprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/StemExpress-flyer.pdf

9 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjCs_gvImyw

10 Source: Illinois Comptrollers Office www.IllinoisRightToLife.org/PlannedParenthood

Illinois Planned Parenthood received the following amounts from Illinois taxpayers: 2015 - $7,926,550.41 2014 - $7,707,281.96 2013 - $7,921,314.62 2012 - $8,317,134.25 2011 - $10,464,461.03

Planned Parenthood currently receives $1.45 million in federal taxpayer money per day.11 According to the Department of Public Health, no Planned Parenthood in Illinois is licensed by the state. No Planned Parenthood has received a health and safety inspection since 1999.12 Dr. Deborah Nucatola told fetal organ buyers that Chicago was a fabulous place to obtain fetal body parts.

"There [Chicago] you have probably the best opportunity outside of UCSF to get those larger cases. But Cook County is fabulous, it's in the center of Chicago, two airports, plenty of opportunities there. ...The largest family planning provider in the Mid-West. Cook County hospital, Stroger Hospital.13"

5. A former employee of Stem Express hired to harvest fetal body parts says Planned Parenthood received a profit from selling aborted fetal body parts. On July 28, 2015, the third video released by the Center for Medical Progress included the personal testimony from a whistleblower, Holly ODonnell, who use to work at Stem Express as a Procurement Technician: For whatever we could procure, they would get a certain percentage. The main nurse was always trying to make sure we got our specimens. No one else really cared, but the main nurse did because she knew that Planned Parenthood was getting compensated.14 They [Stem Express] partner with Planned Parenthood and they get part of the money. Cause we pay them to use their facilities and they get paid from it. They do get some kind of benefit. Were asked to procure pretty much anything on the fetus.15 The receiving or giving of human organs for profit is a federal felony (42 U.S. Code 274e) and

violation of Illinois law (The Anatomical Gift Act 755 ILCS 50/5-50).

As this letter shows, there is reasonable concern that Planned Parenthood may be operating in

gross violation of federal and state law. We respectfully ask you to immediately investigate

Planned Parenthood, as Governors and Attorneys General in Massachusetts, Florida, Missouri,

Arizona, Indiana, Ohio, Louisiana, Texas, Kansas, Tennessee, and Georgia have, to stop any

commerce of baby body parts that may be occurring. We also respectfully call upon you to

11

Planned Parenthood annual report: http://issuu.com/actionfund/docs/annual_report_final_proof_12.16.14_/0 [page 23] 12

Illinois Department of Public Health: http://illinoisrighttolife.org/womens-health-comes-first-a-project-of-illinois-right-to-life/find-your-clinic/ 13

http://www.centerformedicalprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/PPFAtranscript072514_final.pdf 14

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xw2xi9mhmuo 15

Ibid.

4

investigate Stroger Hospital and Family Planning Associates all mentioned in the first

undercover video as fabulous places to harvest fetal body parts.

Regardless of the law, these videos show extremely troubling and disturbing behavior by

Planned Parenthood executives that is morally reprehensible. The body parts of aborted

children should not be harvested and sold.

The aborting of unborn fetuses and the selling of their body parts lungs, livers, extremities, hearts, and heads - is morally reprehensible and does not deserve the hard-earned money of Illinoisans. In your continuing budget negotiations, any taxpayer money set aside for Planned Parenthood should be eliminated. Thank you for your careful attention to this matter. All videos, transcripts, and other information detailed and footnoted in this letter can be viewed at www.IllinoisRightToLife.org/PlannedParenthood. Additional questions can be directed to Emily Zender at 312-422-9300 or Emily@IllinoisRightToLife.org. Sincerely, Emily Zender Executive Director David Smith

David E. Smith

Executive Director

Illinois Family Institute

P.O. Box 88848

Carol Stream, IL 60188

708-781-9328

Father Andrew Bartek, Rector

St. Panteleimon Orthodox Church

7545 W. 61st Place

Summit, IL 60501

Dawn Fitzpatrick

Director, Respect Life Office

Archdiocese of Chicago

3525 S. Lake Park Avenue

Chicago, IL 60653

312-534-5355

dfitzpatrick@archchicago.org

Dr. Anthony Caruso

A Bella Baby, OBGYN

4333 Main Street

Downers Grove, IL 60515

Tiffany Staman

Executive Director

The Pregnancy Care Center of Rockford

4921 East State Street

Rockford, IL 61108

815-680-5101

Tiffany@thepregnancycarecenter.org

Susan Skoglund

Executive Director

Pregnancy Resources

829 15th Street

Moline, IL 61265

309-797-3636

susan@qcpregnancy.org

Susan Barrett

Executive Director

Aid for Women

8 S. Michigan Avenue, Suite 812

Chicago, IL 60603

312-621-1101

sbarrett@aidforwomen.org

Kelly Brennan Gorsky

Executive Director, Co-Founder

Waterleaf

3598 E. New York Street

Aurora, IL 60504

630-701-6270

kellyg@waterleafwc.org

Mary A. Strom

Executive Director

The Womens Center

5116 N. Cicero Avenue

Chicago, IL 60630

773-794-1313

mstrom@womens-center.org

Lisa Van Dyke

Director of Client Services

Womans Choice Services

929 S. Main Street, Unit 103

Lombard, IL 60148

630-261-9564

Lisa@womanschoiceservices.com

Tricia Blasdel

Executive Director

Relevant Pregnancy Resource Center

410 A Pine Street

Highland, IL 62249

618-654-3732

tricia@relevantoptions.org

Sherrie Bicksler

Executive Director

Freeport Pregnancy Center

222 West Exchange Street

Freeport, IL 61032

815-232-5433

Sherrie@Freeportpregnancerycenter.org

Sarah VanDerLip

Executive Director

Informed Choices

888 East Belvidere Road, #124

Grayslake, IL 60030

847-231-4651

sarahv@informedchoices.org

Kevin Grillot

Executive Director

Students for Life of Illinois

P.O. Box 2001

Champaign, IL 61825

217-255-6675

Kevin@prolifeillinois.com

Ralph Rivera

Executive Director

Illinois Citizens for Life

5021 Fairfield Avenue

Downers Grove, IL 60515

630-852-5448

ralphriveracr@sbcglobal.net

Kathy Bozak

Executive Director

Southside Pregnancy Center

9115 S. Cicero Avenue

Oak Lawn, IL 60453

708-346-9070

kbozyk@southsidepregnanycenter.org

Dawn Behnke

President

Illinois Federation for Right to Life

1300 S. 8th Street

Springfield, IL 62703

217-544-9700

office@ifrl.org

Bonnie Quirke

President

Lake County Right to Life

100 Atkinson Road, #112 C

Grayslake, IL 60030

847-223-7022

bonnieifrl@aol.com

Lawrence Theriault, VP Director of Operations McGivney Center of Hope & Healing P.O. Box 82 Glenview, IL 60025 847-729-3646 lmth1953@aol.com

Kathy Lesnoff (Sparks)

President, CEO

Mosaic Pregnancy & Health Centers

2019 Johnson Road

Granite City, IL 62040

618-451-2002

help@revealmosaic.com

Debbie Geist

Executive Director

Life Network of Southern Illinois

722 N. Market Street

Waterloo, IL 62298

618-939-4224

Dgeist.htc.net

Kevin Rilott

Director

Rockford Pro-Life Initiative

4688 Quarry Ridge Trail

Rockford, IL 61101

815-494-0333

kjrilott@comcast.net

Manual Z. Hermano

Region Coordinator

Couples for Christ, FFL- Illinois

Dr. Michael M. Wall, MD

Medical Director of New Life Pregnancy Center

Decatur, IL

Family Medicine

241 W. Weaver Suite 145-C

Forsyth, IL 62535

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