Judge blocks release of videos by abortion foes

Order cites safety; group contends it’s being silenced.

SAN FRANCISCO — A federal judge on Friday blocked the release of any recordings made at meetings of abortion providers by an anti-abortion group that previously revealed secretly recorded videos of Planned Parenthood leaders.

Judge William Orrick in San Francisco issued a temporary restraining order against the Center for Medical Progress hours after the order was requested by the National Abortion Federation.

The federation says the Center for Medical Progress infiltrated its meetings and recorded its members, and that further release of any audio or video would put abortion providers in danger.

In his three-page order, Orrick said the federation would likely suffer irreparable injury absent a temporary restraining order.

The Center for Medical Progress has previously released videos showing Planned Parenthood leaders discussing the use of aborted fetuses for research, and has accused Planned Parenthood of selling fetal tissue for profit, which is illegal.

In one of the videos, Dr. Deborah Nucatola, Planned Parenthood’s senior director of medical services, describes techniques for obtaining fetal body parts for research to activists posing as potential buyers from a human biologics company.

The videos have ignited a firestorm among conservatives, who are now seeking to end federal and state funding Planned Parenthood uses to provide health services at its network of clinics.

David Daleiden, a leader of the Center for Medical Progress who is also named in the suit, said in a statement that Planned Parenthood and its allies were trying to silence the group and suppress investigative journalism.

“The Center for Medical Progress follows all applicable laws in the course of our investigative journalism work and will contest all attempts from Planned Parenthood and their allies to silence our First Amendment rights,” he said.

Vicki Saporta, association president and CEO of Planned Parenthood, said in a statement that “the safety and security of our members is our top priority.”

“That security has been compromised by the illegal activities of a group with ties to those who believe it is justifiable to murder abortion providers,” Saporta said.

The lawsuit alleges the Center for Medical Progress created a fake company to get into the federation’s annual meetings in 2014 and 2015 and then recorded its members with the goal of smearing those who support abortion rights.

It asked for the temporary restraining order barring the release of any video or audio recordings, the dates of any of the federation’s future meetings and the names and addresses of its members.