Cruz: ‘Every Procedural Tool’ Should Be Used to Defund Planned Parenthood

Texas Senator and Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz said “every procedural tool” should be used to defund Planned Parenthood, adding that if there is a shutdown, it is the fault of Democrats, not the GOP on Wednesday’s “Hugh Hewitt Show.”

Cruz was asked, “Should the Republicans refuse to fund the government if Planned Parenthood funding is there, even if it means a shutdown, Ted Cruz?” He answered, “Yes, we should use every procedural tool we have to stop the taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood. This should not be a difficult question. This is something I have been calling for for many, many days.  Anyone who hasn’t watched these videos, these videos are horrifying. They show senior Planned Parenthood officials laughing and sipping chardonnay, while they barter and sell the body parts of unborn children. I want to encourage everyone, if you can stomach it, to watch these videos, and even if you are pro-choice, even if you support abortion, ask yourself [while] watching these videos, ‘Are these my values?’ Now, one of the real consequences — Hugh, you’re a very experienced lawyer — these senior Planned Parenthood officials are apparently on film confessing to multiple felonies, it is a federal felony to sell the body parts of unborn children. It carries up to a ten-year jail-term. If we had even a shred of integrity at the US Department of Justice, they would already have opened an investigation, and would prosecute both the individuals who were caught on tape, and Planned Parenthood as a national enterprise for being a national criminal enterprise. And how striking is it that the modern Democratic party [of] Hillary Clinton is so extreme, that they are willing to threaten to shut down the government in order to try to force continued taxpayer funding, your taxes and mine, going to an ongoing criminal enterprise that is committing a pattern of multiple felonies?”

Hewitt followed-up, “if it comes down to it in September, when the continuing resolution runs out, if the Democrats insist on it, are you for, and that means shaping a media message now, getting ready for it, are you for shutting down the government until Planned Parenthood is defunded?”

Cruz responded, “Well, I’m not gonna accept the premise. I’m for shutting the government down, but I am not for funding Planned Parenthood. And we should not, under any circumstances, pass legislation that funds Planned Parenthood. If the Democrats decide to filibuster it, if Obama decides to veto it, then he’s shutting down the government.”

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett