Real Sex Ring Busted, Showing Importance of Live Action Sting
In Houston, the feds have made several arrests in a sex slave ring involving underage prostitutes from Mexico:
The federal indictment, unsealed on Thursday, paints a vicious picture of Maria Rojas, aka “Nancy,” an alleged ringleader in an international sex trafficking ring that pimped out girls as young as 14 inside a compound on the city’s east side.
It was Rojas, a 46-year-old illegal immigrant from Mexico, who prosecutors say co-owned La Costeñita Bar and a neighboring compound in the 8000 block of Clinton Drive, where the Mexican pimps — the padrotes — brought the girls, prosecutors charged. And it was Rojas who decided which girls worked the bar, who was friends with the pimps, who once held a gun to the belly of a young, pregnant woman and threatened to kill her and her baby.
. . . .
The indictment details the evolution of the ring over more than a decade, charging that it started out recruiting girls and women from Mexico with promises of work in restaurants in the U.S., but instead forced them into prostitution to work off smuggling fees. The ring would double the fee charged by a smuggler, forcing women to repay $4,000 for a $2,000 smuggling debt, prosecutors said.
Did any of these girls, or girls in similar rings that continue to operate, ever get pregnant?
Did they go to Planned Parenthood for the abortion?
What did Planned Parenthood do to protect them?
These are real questions. It is why the Live Action stings are important. They put abortion providers on notice: that when they suspect something like this is going on, they had damn well better not turn a blind eye.
Planned Parenthood employees have behaved irresponsibly. And all the left cares to do about it is smear the people trying to uncover it.
UPDATE: When I say “Planned Parenthood employees” I don’t mean “Planned Parenthood” and I don’t mean “all.” But I suspect that the organization’s ethics and training have something to do with the employees who have acted irresponsibly.
I note also that the House today voted to defund Planned Parenthood.
*Some* PP people have behaved irresponsibly… but lots of PP people have behaved a lot responsibly too though. Tarring all their employees is same as how some people do with priests. It’s not very fair-minded I don’t think.
happyfeet (ab5779) — 2/18/2011 @ 7:50 amPlanned Parenthood has behaved irresponsibly? Huh? Do you really want to establish the principle of tarring an entire organization for the acts of a tiny minority of its employees?
htom (412a17) — 2/18/2011 @ 8:01 am*Some* PP people have behaved irresponsibly… but lots of PP people have behaved a lot responsibly too though. Tarring all their employees is same as how some people do with priests. It’s not very fair-minded I don’t think.
Comment by happyfeet — 2/18/2011 @ 7:50 am
Understand your point, happyfeet, but I maintain that any PP employee who has seen an ultrasound of an unborn child practically waving at her from the screen (fingerprints and all) and still defends abortion is by definition acting irresponsibly.
Or seen those same little hands in a mess of blood and the remains of what used to be a tiny body (I’ll spare you the links)dumped out of a suction machine bag.
In other words, excusable ignorance at Planned Parenthood is pretty tough to come by unless your PP work is strictly limited to the front desk and the phone. And sometimes not even then.
no one you know (325a59) — 2/18/2011 @ 8:09 amAnd…More to the point of this thread, defending other (less but still) helpless people, the young women forced into sex slavery, has clearly not been a priority for either Planned Parenthood or what we’ve heard from the abortion-defending left, which (I believe) was Patterico’s point. I don’t recall a single voice of outrage from the left about what Planned Parenthood was doing. If you know of any I’d like to hear their names.
no one you know (325a59) — 2/18/2011 @ 8:14 amHappy
> Some* PP people have behaved irresponsibly…
i will not stand for this. the people of PP, Patterico’s Pontifications, have behaved wonderfully. I will not sit for this slander on–
(someone whispers in my ear)
Oh… that PP… nevermind.
Aaron Worthing (e7d72e) — 2/18/2011 @ 8:18 amI maintain that anybody what is providing a legal service what people are willing to pay for are but cogs in the great free enterprise machine emphasis on free. The more better way for to condemn them is to get the market to render a judgment in terms of decreased demand.
Hey maybe Planned Parenthood should relaunch as Planned Parenthood Pro so they can get a fresh start and this time explicitly frame their services as being a first line of defense against child prostitution. That would be savvy brand management, no?
happyfeet (ab5779) — 2/18/2011 @ 8:19 amClinton Dr? Of course.
Jack Wagon (4d0d2c) — 2/18/2011 @ 8:22 amNo, I do not. Care to read what I wrote again?
I actually made a conscious choice not to say “Planned Parenthood has behaved irresponsibly.” And I made a conscious choice not to use the word “all.”
It seems my text was ignored by the first two commenters here.
Patterico (b6789c) — 2/18/2011 @ 8:25 amWhile of course it’s not fair to tar an organization for the actions of a few, the pattern of behavior that’s been exposed has indicated that there may be more of an institutional bias that’s become ingrained at PP, perhaps over many decades at this point. So yeah, let’s not condemn the majority here, but we have every right to ask PP to order an immediate and complete review of their standards and practices, and to uncover the rotten apples within their midsts. Either they do that ASAP, or else 3rd parties will – the ball’s in their court, and the more that defenders come forward seeking to excuse these actions the more they’re putting PP into long – term jeopardy.
Dmac (c50897) — 2/18/2011 @ 8:28 amIOW, where on earth did these employess get the ideas that have been espoused here? Are we to believe that low – level grunts came to these ideas all by their lonesome? It beggars belief to think that rot comes from the bottom up, and not the other way.
Dmac (c50897) — 2/18/2011 @ 8:31 amAs a voice from the left, I think the reason you don’t hear outrage is because the accusations being leveled at Planned Parenthood are overblown. If the Live Action hoax was designed to show that Planned Parenthood systematically fails to report suspected sex trafficking rings to authorities, that is belied by the fact that Planned Parenthood did report suspected sex trafficking rings to the federal authorities.
That said, to the extent that certain chapters or employees of Planned Parenthood failed to “do the right thing” — and that certainly seems to be the case — those chapters and individuals ought to be universally condemned. What’s more, I think Planned Parenthood ought to be doing a better job of ensuring that its employees report illegal activity of any kind.
Like Patterico, I also wonder if PP had any involvement with these sex trafficking rings, even tangentially. If they did and PP was aware of these rings, I hope they sought out the authorities. I suppose we’ll know soon enough.
Kman (d30fc3) — 2/18/2011 @ 8:35 amoh. carry on then and let us all endeavor not to allow a wee small contretemps to impinge on incipient President’s Day merriment!
happyfeet (ab5779) — 2/18/2011 @ 8:37 amDmac is absolutely correct. Organizations rot from the top down. Always.
Bar Sinister (fca054) — 2/18/2011 @ 9:16 amGreetings:
Los ilegales: Doing the smuggling/pimping/assualting Americans won’t do.
Planned Parenthood: In his “The Road to Serfdom”, F.A. Hayek asserts that evil people rise to the top of organizations because they are willing to do evil things.
11B40 (85ffa5) — 2/18/2011 @ 10:23 amDid they go to Planned Parenthood for the abortion?
The serious answer to your question is “most likely not.” The article notes these girls were kept on the poorer east side of the city, and all the Planned Parenthood offices are, as you might expect, in the wealthier central and north sides of the city. As someone’s whose lived in Houston off-and-on for fifteen years, I can assure you that getting from one part of that city to another is a road-trip long enough to be prohibitive.
SEK (1d9681) — 2/18/2011 @ 12:04 pmLet us also not forget that Houston’s Planned Parenthood has the largest abortion clinic in the nation, encompassing a 6 story building. And Houston’s Mayor, Anise Parker’s life partner happens to be it’s treasurer.
Rorschach (c5574d) — 2/18/2011 @ 12:21 pmSEK, not true, there is one on 4600 Gulf Freeway, it is the 6 story building I was speaking of, just blocks from the University of Houston
Rorschach (c5574d) — 2/18/2011 @ 12:24 pmIf they -did- to to Planned Parenthood for an abortion, should it be part of Planned Parenthood’s charter to investigate whether they became pregnant through an illegal enterprise? I don’t understand how you come to the link between criminal sex slavery and Planned Parenthood.
htom (412a17) — 2/18/2011 @ 12:25 pmI’m pretty sure any health care professional is required to report suspected child abuse. Forcing underage girls into prostitution would fall under that.
Some chump (4c6c0c) — 2/18/2011 @ 12:27 pmI’ve lived in Houston, too, SEK, and Rorschach is right. Mapquest shows a Planned Parenthood location providing women’s health services and abortions that is 7.89 miles from the La Costenita bar where the victims were being held.
DRJ (fdd243) — 2/18/2011 @ 12:28 pmI blame Google. Strange that it showed ones as far north as the Woodlands, but not ones an equivalent distance to the east. Never mind, then, I stand corrected.
SEK (1d9681) — 2/18/2011 @ 12:43 pmI think it’s a new location. Apparently Google Maps hasn’t added it yet (although it does appear on the sidebar), or it could be listed under its official name: Prevention Park Health Center.
DRJ (fdd243) — 2/18/2011 @ 12:59 pmam I correct in understanding that Planned Parenthood reported Live Action to the DOJ after they realized it was a sting operation, and failed to report to police several times before, when they thought it was just child sex slaves?
did they ever present a police report, or anything like that?
Dustin (b54cdc) — 2/18/2011 @ 1:03 pmhtom – I don’t know how it works in Texas but in Connecticut a Doctor is a required reporter. If he suspects or has reason to suspect a minor is being abused or is the victim of a crime he must report that fact to the authorities. PP routinely does not do so with little in the way of legal reprecussion.
A girl under the age of consent who is pregnant is absolutely evidence of both abuse and a crime.
Several years ago two doctors were charged (don’t recall if they were convicted) of not reporting the pregnancy of an eleven year old girl. She eventually gave birth and it was revealed she had been impregnated by a man in his 80’s.
Have Blue (854a6e) — 2/18/2011 @ 1:13 pmAs expected, Indiana Rep. Mike Pence’s (R) amendment to strip federal funding for Planned Parenthood passed the House by a 240-185 vote. Ten Democrats joined the GOP majority, while seven Republicans voted against the measure.
(Yes, it most likely will not pass in the Senate, but still…).
Dana (8ba2fb) — 2/18/2011 @ 1:16 pmDustin – It is my understanding that PP reported a suspected “thought crime” (specifically breathing while not believing in unrestricted abortion)to the federal authorities. They did not report suspected child sex slavery. But PP has a long history of supporting stautory rape.
Have Blue (854a6e) — 2/18/2011 @ 1:16 pmspeaking of lefty smears of the people uncovering it…
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/article/38044_Planned_Parenthood_Under_Attack_by_Extremist_Lila_Rose
Aaron Worthing (e7d72e) — 2/18/2011 @ 1:18 pmI think the Pence amendment is lame cause it doesn’t cut any actual spendings. So the sugar is still there, and the ants will find it. That’s one of Ric’s Rules you know.
happyfeet (a55ba0) — 2/18/2011 @ 1:27 pmHappy
Just because you “can” (it’s legal) doesn’t mean you should. I like what Michael Novak argued.
It pains me that I have to say this since it is self evident, it is morally responsible to report sexual abuse of a minor. It is morally reprehensible to help the perpetrator (even is the person is just pretending to be so) by giving advice on how to hide the abuse and not reporting sexual abuse of a minor.
Tanny O'Haley (12193c) — 2/18/2011 @ 1:38 pmI think Planned Parenthood should follow the rules. The rules exist to protect Planned Parenthood. It’s just that some of their employees are not so much morally irresponsible as dumb, going by the videos so far. They should have more better recruiting procedures and screenings and such.
happyfeet (a55ba0) — 2/18/2011 @ 1:52 pmoh. looks like Team R is more comfortable enacting the Lila Rose agenda than the spending-cutting they were tasked with in the election.
That’s very clarifying as to their priorities.
happyfeet (ab5779) — 2/18/2011 @ 2:52 pmoh. looks like Team R is more comfortable enacting the Lila Rose agenda than the spending-cutting they were tasked with in the election.
That’s very clarifying as to their priorities.
Well…I guess I don’t see how protecting the unborn (and to be fair, it’s hardly Lila Rose’s agenda; efforts have been under way since long before she was born) and being fiscally responsible are mutually exclusive.
A great example is the long-sought defunding of Planned Parenthood. Two birds with one stone (whoops, was that violent rhetoric? God forbid I use a metaphor to oppose actual violence).
no one you know (e7daa1) — 2/18/2011 @ 3:11 pmWhat, pray tell happyfeet, is the “Lila Rose agenda”? That federal dollars not pay people to support statutory rape enablers?
Have Blue (854a6e) — 2/18/2011 @ 3:13 pmShould have added: people are well aware of the plank of the Republican party which opposes abortion. If they are that committed to abortion that they don’t want the package deal which every candidate is (IOW if they are the mirror image of the “single issue” prolife voter, not to put too fine a point on it) they were perfectly free to vote Democrat.
no one you know (e7daa1) — 2/18/2011 @ 3:13 pmthe Lila Rose agenda is while your little country is awash in debt and fail you vote for silly symbolic abortion measures instead of actually cutting spending
does anyone think when the day soon comes when America is broke and squalid and desperate and hungry that the fetuses will roam free happy and unmolested cause of Team R’s solicitous panderings?
we’ll soon see
happyfeet (ab5779) — 2/18/2011 @ 3:19 pmHave never heard Lila Rose say one thing about spending happyfeet. Thank you for pointing out her position on that. Of course you might also see that the Republican party just zero’s out PP funding thus saving some of that green you’re so worried about.
Am sorry to see you have an issue with opposing those who champion people who rape 11 year old girls. I would have wished only trolls would hold that position.
But then again maybe, in this case, “Pretty is as pretty does.”
Have Blue (854a6e) — 2/18/2011 @ 3:25 pmMr. Blue this doesn’t save a dime it just prevents the PP people from getting any federal money – that money is still allocated though.
It would be different if this was a bill to get the government out of the family planning business altogether, but that’s not DeMint’s aim. He’s just defunding PP.
happyfeet (ab5779) — 2/18/2011 @ 3:29 pmComment by happyfeet — 2/18/2011 @ 3:19 pm
Wasn’t aware that just happened and thank you very much for the link.
Not having had a chance to read up on it yet, it certainly does look bad and I agree they should have fought hard for the cuts. (Not sure of the numbers on Obamacare but maybe you can enlighten me: how does the number on cutting that funding – compare with the 100 billion that some of them failed to fight for?)
That said, I still maintain that both can be done. I understand that your views are more prochoice than mine are but if you considered a certain area of federal funding a priority, I submit you’d want the finances paid attention to as much as prolifers want attention paid to stopping our tax dollars for paying for killing human beings. That was the whole purpose of the Hyde Amendment IIRC, after all.
no one you know (e7daa1) — 2/18/2011 @ 3:30 pmTeam R didn’t tell us in the election that their #1 priority was the fetuses not the spendings.
I wish I’d known that before I voted instead of just going to get the tasty pancakes.
happyfeet (ab5779) — 2/18/2011 @ 3:32 pmtheir #1 priority was the fetuses not the spendings.
Comment by happyfeet — 2/18/2011 @ 3:32 pm
Well, um…really? Because this sting happened and a situation came up? I truly don’t know about the timing of the events leading up to this so I’ll ask you; maybe you do:
1. when did the bill come up to defund Planned Parenthood?
2. how much time have Republicans spent, in total, since the election, on talking about pro-life matters as opposed to cutting spending?
3. How many votes have come up on cutting spending, or progress made in committees etc toward votes, as opposed to the same actions on pro-life matters?
Again, I’ll have to read up on it but it does seem more than a bit unfair to me to say it’s their “top priority” when all I’ve been hearing up until like a week ago is budget, spending, finances, defund Obamacare (which they did vote to do), more budget, more finance talk, etc etc etc.
no one you know (e7daa1) — 2/18/2011 @ 3:37 pmI don’t believe federal monies should be going to any family planning or abortion services at all. But this is silly. The PP people will eventually figure out – probably over some tasty cappuccinos – that they just need to divide into Abortion Hells Yeah Inc and Contraceptions and STDs R Us. And then they’ll have two front doors and two sets of books. meanwhile our little country has sunk deeper into the mire of debt and fail.
It’s not a conundrum it’s very simple. Stop the spendings.
Focus, Team R people.
chop chop
happyfeet (ab5779) — 2/18/2011 @ 3:37 pmit’s their top priority inasmuch as they can pass the fetus bill but they can’t muster up the votes to stop the spendings … which is what they promised to do during the camopaign – remember their little pledgey contract whatever thing? That one didn’t mention the fetuses, did it? No it was all about how intent they were on cutting the spendings.
… priorities are the parts of the agenda they get together to actually advance – the non-priorities like the deficit take a backseat
This is John Boehner’s Team R.
God help us.
happyfeet (ab5779) — 2/18/2011 @ 3:42 pm*campaign*
happyfeet (ab5779) — 2/18/2011 @ 3:44 pmhappyfeet is afraid child sex predators will have to pay themselves for their playtoys abortions.
Have Blue (854a6e) — 2/18/2011 @ 3:56 pmComment by happyfeet — 2/18/2011 @ 3:42 pm
Just read your link and the HotAir additional link to Ace about this vote. You’re right; it is extremely bad, all the defections.
And you’re also right that not cutting spending is not what they promised before the election.
I do think that the Planned Parenthood defunding vote was the right thing to do, and AFAIK it didn’t take very much time or controversy to accomplish. But you’re absolutely right that the Republicans should have made that 100 (or 83) billion in cuts happen and I can see how it looks like their priorities aren’t what they promised.
Am going to spend a little time learning the details of what’s happening on the Hill. Agree w/ you that it’s not looking good, feets.
no one you know (e7daa1) — 2/18/2011 @ 3:57 pmto be clear I wasn’t thrilled with the Planned Parenthood vote but if it came with serious spending cuts I would’ve baked it a birthday cake and taken it and all its friends out to Chuck E Cheese
remember I support Mr. Daniels, who is an ardent lifeydoodle social con… it’s just he says the spendings are job 1. That means a lot to me cause all the spendings make me anxious.
happyfeet (ab5779) — 2/18/2011 @ 4:06 pmI don’t think Live Action has ever shown any videos involving any PP clinics in Houston, so it is a bit irresponsible for Aaron or Patterico to ask those questions in this context.
And speaking of Texas, one of the first things that the Texas legislature did was to vote on an extremely restictive abortion bill that requires women to hear about the development of the fetus from a doctor on a required sonogram, rather than doing anything about the Texas budget. Another situation where the GOP clearly has its priorities wrong. People are starting to notice.
Jim (ad29d8) — 2/18/2011 @ 4:19 pmHappyfeet, PP has already divided up its operations as you indicated. No federal money under these bills go to the abortion-providing side, but the GOP is now saying that money is fungible, so a legal separation is not sufficient.
FYI, I suspect (but can’t prove) that Lila Rose posts as “tigerlily” at Hot Air. Ed protects tigerlily even when she asks pro-choicers if they are “late to snuff films” or does similarly offensive things contrary to Hot Air’s posting rules. If I’m right, she comes off as a vicious, mentally ill, dumb cu*nt.
Jim (ad29d8) — 2/18/2011 @ 4:25 pmIn response to being questioned about the veracity of the LiveAction sting and whether she believes advising pimps with underage prostitutes takes place at Planned Parenthood, former PP Director Abbey Johnson stated yes. She also stated that it is not an anomaly as PP claimed when the video was released.
“It happens all the time. It happened at my clinic, too. I let it happen for 8 years). It happens all the time. This is something that also happens at Planned Parenthood across the country. PP has created an idea of tolerance: they want to tolerate all of these different kinds of lifestyles and all of the different walks of their clients’ lives. They forget to protect these clients – who are minors – that are being abused by pimps and older men. They forget to protect the very women they are supposed to be helping.”
She also believes there is absolutely no way Planned Parenthood can survive without government funding.
Dana (8ba2fb) — 2/18/2011 @ 5:55 pmthe private sector will be able to support PP or a lot of it I think … either a foundation will step up or there’ll be a retrenchment and the business model will be tweaked … they provide services what are very much in demand, so the niche they fill right now won’t go unoccupied for long
markets are irrepressible, unless you repress them
happyfeet (ab5779) — 2/18/2011 @ 6:17 pmToo many of the old guard, thee sellouts calling the shots. occasionally Taibbi is right, Boehner
narciso (e694f9) — 2/18/2011 @ 6:40 pmwas in on every bad vote of the last decade, Cantor
only a little better
I don’t know about that, happyfeet: Ms. Johnson stated that PP doesn’t receive much monetary support from the private sector – a lot of people give vocal support but not their money. She didn’t seem to think they would be able to make up the difference if government funding was disabled.
Also, she mentioned the services they provide are very limited and reach a narrow portion of the population. When clients come in with basic things like elevated blood pressure, etc., they are sent elsewhere – outside of PP.
I’m not convinced they would be fully supported without government help.
Dana (8ba2fb) — 2/18/2011 @ 7:01 pmUPDATE: When I say “Planned Parenthood employees” I don’t mean “Planned Parenthood” and I don’t mean “all.” But I suspect that the organization’s ethics and training have something to do with the employees who have acted irresponsibly.
I note also that the House today voted to defund Planned Parenthood.
Patterico (c218bd) — 2/18/2011 @ 7:17 pmDana,
That’s because liberals don’t give to charity as much to conservatives. Religious conservatives even give more to secular charities than liberals.
Happy,
These are two different issues. First the right to life of the unborn, second the budget. I believe Planned Parenthood receives around $270,000,000.00 a year from the government. I know that 270 million is just a drop in the bucket as far as the budget is concerned, but every little bit helps.
Yes, I’m disappointed that Congress didn’t excise the money that would have been given to Planned Parenthood from the budget. I heard on the radio that there are several Republican members of the house who are not going to vote for the budget because they didn’t do what they promised.
Tanny O'Haley (12193c) — 2/18/2011 @ 7:50 pmyes tanny but this didn’t cut the spending – it just said it couldn’t be spent on PP – the money remains appropriated for “family planning” or however it’s earmarked
Dana it’s not support per se it’s the money they get for their services – not all of it’s free they charge where they can, they just try to make stuff affordable
happyfeet (ab5779) — 2/18/2011 @ 9:02 pmHow come conservative bloggers never point out that if planned parenthood reported to the police on underage girls or pimps such people would stop coming to planned parenthood and the girls would be forced to use alternative service providers which would be worse for the girls?
Even telling the pimps that the girls can work from the waste up protects the girls from having to risk harm from getting back to work sooner.
It is abhorrent, but without planned parenthood the girls would be in much worse shape.
I think conservative bloggers know this but are more interested in political points than the best interests of the girls. It is disgustingly hypocritical for conservative bloggers to hide behind moral sanctimony claiming to be concerned with the girls best interests when they are only intersted in political points.
sdbht3fw5645erjkj (72e634) — 2/18/2011 @ 11:55 pmWhoever you are sdbht3fw5645erjkj,
So 33% greater incidence of depression, long term mental distress, 144% greater risk of physically abusing their children compared to those who did not terminate their pregnancy, higher incidence of premature birth, sometimes infertile, some studies show a higher cancer rate for those who have aborted their babies, a link to domestic violence and who the hell are you to say that a minor is better off working for a pimp and getting an abortion!
There was a problem several years ago where a teacher was taking minor girls whom he sexually abused across state lines for an abortion. The abortionist helped hide his sexual abuse a minor girls. The girls were not better off.
It is in the best interest of a minor girl to not be sexually molested. That is not “moral sanctimony”, that is actual concern for the well being of a child.
Tanny O'Haley (12193c) — 2/19/2011 @ 12:19 amYeah, that’s why the Texas lege gained so many new GOP members last election that it can achieve a quorum without a single Democrat in attendance.
People noticed, all right. (snicker)
Darth Venomous (c8614a) — 2/19/2011 @ 12:54 amNobody is tarring all of their employees, happyfeet. The disease of absolutism is prevelent on the other side of the aisle.
Icy Texan (0428cb) — 2/19/2011 @ 2:15 amYou gotta give SEK credit. At least he is willing to admit when he beclowns himself.
Jim (isn’t that one of Yelvereton’s pen names? or is it imdw?) is another matter.
Icy Texan (0428cb) — 2/19/2011 @ 2:17 amI can’t think of a greater priority than doing something about the slaughter of millions. Cutting spending is important, but this is even more important.
Milhouse (dcde03) — 2/19/2011 @ 7:13 pmAre you all seriously still denying that planned parenthood contacted the fbi about possible crimes in this matter? Seriously? Or that the video was doctored, and the audio does not match on two identical videos with timestamps? Morons.
Chris Hooten (24973f) — 2/21/2011 @ 12:30 am