California AG Seizes Christian Pro-Life Journalist’s Property
BREAKING: KOVR-TV in Sacramento, California, is reporting that federal agents have raided the home of investigative journalist David Daleiden. The anti-abortion activist, who founded The Center for Medical Progress, announced his home had been raided in a Facebook post Wednesday morning.
The First Amendment was intended to protect Americans’ God-given rights of conscience and freedom of thought. By extension, it protects the right to worship, and for the press to function without government intrusion.
Tuesday, California Attorney General Kamala Harris—who swore an oath to protect those rights—ordered the execution of a search warrant, seizing the property of investigative journalist David Daleiden. He said the action was in retaliation for his ongoing investigation into Planned Parenthood’s sale of unborn children’s body parts through undercover video.
Daleiden, a devout Catholic Christian, issued a statement regarding the search of his apartment on The Center for Medical Progress’ Facebook page. The post included the use of CMP’s hashtag #PPSellsBabyParts.
“Today, the California Attorney General’s office of Kamala Harris, who was elected with tens of thousands of dollars from taxpayer-funded Planned Parenthood, seized all video footage showing Planned Parenthood’s criminal trade in aborted baby parts, in addition to my personal information,” he wrote. “Ironically, while seizing my First Amendment work product, they ignored documents showing the illicit scheme between StemExpress and Planned Parenthood.
“This is no surprise—Planned Parenthood’s bought-and-paid-for AG has steadfastly refused to enforce the law against the baby body parts traffickers in our state, or even investigate them—while at the same time doing their bidding to harass and intimidate citizen journalists. We will pursue all remedies to vindicate our First Amendment rights.”
CMP began releasing its investigative videos last July.
The Life Legal Defense Foundation issued a statement following the seizure of Daleiden’s property, suggesting the timing of the search warrant’s execution was “suspect.” A few days ago, Harris was chastised by a columnist for the Los Angeles Times for failing to dispense “swift poetic justice” against Daleiden and CMP.
“Kamala Harris is a staunch supporter of Planned Parenthood and received campaign donations from five separate Planned Parenthood affiliates during the last election cycle,” LLDF spokeswoman Alexandra Snyder said. “These affiliates are the beneficiaries of millions of dollars in state and federal funds annually—a portion of which is funneled into political campaigns so the billion-dollar abortion cartel can call in favors as needed.
“California’s Attorney General has decided that her loyalty to Planned Parenthood requires her to turn a blind eye to the organization’s criminal activities. Instead, she has launched an inquisition into David Daleiden, starting with the seizure of his private property and papers.”
