Ted Cruz Says Planned Parenthood Responsible for Multiple Felonies, Deserves Jail Time

2016 presidential hopeful Ted Cruz has spoken out against Planned Parenthood, arguing that executives with the abortion provider have violated several felonies and deserve jail time.

Cruz made his comments in a recent conference call hosted by the American Family Association's American Renewal Project, during which the Texas senator argued that recent videos released by the Center for Medical Progress show Planned Parenthood executives discussing the sale and profit of aborted fetal body parts.

The abortion provider has repeatedly denied that it profits off of any of the aborted fetal body parts it donates to science. It is a felony in the U.S. to profit off of human body parts.

"The videos not only show the face of evil, they also appear to demonstrate an ongoing pattern of criminal conduct," Cruz said. "There are multiple federal laws that appear to be broken on these videos."

"It is a federal crime, a felony with up to 10 years jail time, for anyone to sell body parts of unborn children for a profit," Cruz added.

Eric Ferrerro, vice president of communications for the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, released a statement reiterating the abortion provider's claim that they do not profit from the donation of aborted fetal body parts.

"At several of our health centers, we help patients who want to donate tissue for scientific research, and we do this just like every other high-quality health care provider does -- with full, appropriate consent from patients and under the highest ethical and legal standards," The statement reads.

"There is no financial benefit for tissue donation for either the patient or for Planned Parenthood. In some instances, actual costs, such as the cost to transport tissue to leading research centers, are reimbursed, which is standard across the medical field," the statement adds.