Judge dismisses charge against Planned Parenthood videomaker

A Texas judge has dismissed one of the charges against anti-abortion filmmaker David Daleiden, whose undercover videos targeting Planned Parenthood shook up the organization last year. 

{mosads}The judge dismissed a misdemeanor charge against Daleiden related to his trying to purchase fetal tissue during the course of making the videos.

Daleiden is still facing a felony charge of tampering with government documents, including using a fake ID, that is being handled by a different judge. 

The Harris County district attorney’s office said it will not fight the dismissal of the misdemeanor and will focus on prosecuting the felony charge, according to KHOU in Houston. 

Congressional Democrats have pointed to the charges against Daleiden as evidence that he fraudulently made claims about Planned Parenthood selling fetal tissue for profit in his videos. They have also pointed to multiple state investigations that have found no wrongdoing by the women’s health organization.

In a statement on Tuesday, Daleiden’s group, the Center for Medical Progress, took some vindication in the dismissal. 

“Judge Diane Bull’s swift dismissal of the bogus charge against CMP founder David Daleiden of trafficking human organs is the latest confirmation that the indictments from a runaway grand jury in Houston were a politically-motivated sham all along,” the group said.