Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said as president he would pardon the makers of undercover videos showing Planned Parenthood employees discussing the sale of fetal tissue.
Cruz was asked by a member of the public whether he would issue a pardon during Wednesday's presidential town hall on
Fox News Channel's "The Kelly File."
"Yes," Cruz responded. "As a Texan, as a Houstonian, I was deeply dismayed and disappointed to see the Harris County district attorney bringing criminal charges against someone who went undercover to expose what appears to be vast criminal conduct by Planned Parenthood."
David Daleiden, of the Center for Medical Progress, and Sandra Susan Merritt were indicted in January on misdemeanor charges of producing fake driver's licenses to pose as buyers for a non-existent research facility. Daleiden also faces a felony charge of purchases human organs for sale.
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick had directed Harris Country District Attorney Devon Anderson to look into Planned Parenthood after videos shot in that county emerged as part of a series of videos by the group.
The two face state charges, so a presidential pardon would not be possible unless they were charged federally.
Still, Cruz said, Daleiden "performed an incredible public service. And I'll tell you this, I've pledged, if I'm elected president, on the very first day in office, I intend to instruct the U.S. Department of Justice to open an investigation into Planned Parenthood and to prosecute any and all criminal conduct by that organization."
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