More than 100 pro-life advocates rallied outside of the Statehouse to protest Planned Parenthood following the release of controversial videos online.
Statehouse correspondent Andy Chow was at the rally and talked to some of the state’s top leaders who came out against the organization.
The videos accuse Planned Parenthood of selling fetal body parts to researchers, something that—depending on the specifics—could be illegal. Attorney General Mike DeWine has launched an investigation into Ohio’s Planned Parenthood centers.
Republican Senate President Keith Faber of Celina said this issue goes beyond whether or not Planned Parenthood is actually involved in illegal activity.
“But it’s a moral question. To me, what’re we saying as a country? That we think it’s ok to manipulate the abortion procedure or to do abortions to harvest body parts to be sold. That’s pretty macabre. That’s not the country that I’m proud of,” said Faber.
Planned Parenthood and its defenders counter that the videos in question are highly edited and aren’t credible. Democratic Rep. Bill Patmon of Cleveland announced at the rally he’s working with Republican Margaret Conditt of Butler County on a bill would defund the group.
