Chris Matthews on Thursday, filling in for Andrea Mitchell on Andrea Mitchell Reports, interviewed Congressman Jason Chaffetz. Rather than discussing the current investigation, which the Congressman leads, into Planned Parenthood's finances, Matthews grilled Chaffetz on his opinion of the stillborn footage included in a Center for Medical Progress video.
"What do you make of the mother who came forward and said that the picture used to attack Planned Parenthood by the pro-life forces was actually a stillborn child of hers after 19 weeks of pregnancy and had nothing to do with Planned Parenthood and what do you make of that acknowledgment?"
While Chaffetz explained the Committee is examining the finances of Planned Parenthood, Matthews pressed Chaffetz, "isn't that important to try and find out?" The mother and child being referenced are the mother and fetus shown in the CMP videos, Mother, Lexi Oliver Fretz, and son, Walter.
As if Chris Matthews had not seen Thomas Roberts interview with Mrs. Fretz, while Mrs. Fretz did not give permission initially for the video to be used, she had agreed to its usage by CMP later on.
That being the case, that didn't stop Chris Matthews from trying to get Chaffetz to admit that Fiorina was lied to or was deceived by the Center for Medical Progress. Matthews went so far as to state, "Well, you missed Hardball two nights ago, and you have a perfect right to miss it, but we covered it thoroughly, and please check the tapes."
See the relevant transcript below.
2015-10-01
MSNBCAndrea Mitchell Reports
CHRIS MATTHEWS: What do you make of the mother who came forward and said that the picture used to attack Planned Parenthood by the pro-life forces was actually a stillborn child of hers after 19 weeks of pregnancy and had nothing to do with Planned Parenthood and what do you make of that acknowledgment?
JASON CHAFFETZ: I don't know many details about that, the hearing that we held was about the financing of Planned Parenthood, we tried not to get into the videos, and I have not reviewed the details of that picture.
MATTHEWS: Well, it is astounding for the mother to say it had nothing to do with Planned Parenthood, and yet it was used by Carly Fiorina, and I thought that if she believed in it, an appropriate attack on Planned Parenthood, but it was not accurate. It had nothing to do with Planned Parenthood, and she was misinformed, isn't that important to try and find out?
CHAFFETZ: I have not been involved in that in any way, shape or form, your bringing it to my attention, it's the first time I have heard that, and we've been looking at the finances of how Planned Parenthood is funded. That is where I have focused my attention.
MATTHEWS: Well, you missed Hardball two nights ago, and you have a perfect right to miss it, but we covered it thoroughly, and please check the tapes. Thank you so much, Jason Chaffetz from Utah.
