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Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick appeared Oct. 19, 2015, on "Your World with Neil Cavuto," a Fox News program, and advised: "We’re not going to tolerate Planned Parenthood pretending, Neil, to be something they’re not..."
He then elaborated with a claim that touched off the Texas Truth-O-Meter.
Cavuto: "Do you think that Planned Parenthood does anything good?"
Patrick: "No. I don’t think they do anything good. Look, they’re nothing more than a referral service. They pretend to care about women’s health. But they don’t have professionals even giving any information to women except referring them to another clinic. They don’t have equipment. They don’t do anything except profit from killing babies and then selling body parts of those aborted babies."
Cavuto: "Well, I understand your passions, sir. But they do a little bit more than that."
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Patrick: "Very little."
There’s been debate about what the videos taken with hidden cameras by the Center for Medical Progress, an anti-abortion group, show about sales of fetal tissue. But on Oct. 7, 2015, PolitiFact Florida rated False a claim that Planned Parenthood has "now (been) found to also illegally sell baby parts." Federal law permits fetal tissue donations to researchers. Abortion providers also are allowed to charge a fee for facilitating such donations.
We focused our sights on whether Patrick is right that Planned Parenthood solely provides abortions.
When we asked, Patrick didn't offer factual backup. And ultimately, we found, his claim had none.
Planned Parenthood provides family planning and other women’s health services, including abortions and there’s been no confirmation it sells body parts.
We rated this incorrect and ridiculous statement Pants on Fire.
SEE DAN PATRICK'S TRUTH-O-METER REPORT CARD.
