This Group Won An Award For Spreading The Most Abortion BS In 2015

Medical misinformation can be humorous. Dr. Oz's claim that green coffee extract is a "magic weight-loss cure for every body type"? Mm-hmmm. The infomercial that swore an electrostimulator would give you flawless abs? If only. Some misinformation is more insidious, though. Every year, the nonprofit watchdog Media Matters names a "Misinformer of the Year" to call out the most egregious purveyor of conservative BS. The 2015 title goes to The Center for Medical Progress, the anti-choice group that brought us the deceptively edited videos that falsely accused Planned Parenthood of selling "baby parts" — and triggered a protracted witch hunt by abortion opponents desperate to find wrongdoing on PPFA's part (they failed on that particular mission). Past "Misinformer of the Year" recipients include some formidable fabricators, including Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and Bill O'Reilly. They pale in comparison, however, to CMP, a previously little-known organization that set in motion a series of congressional hearings, federal and state investigations, and media smear campaigns that culminated in the Senate voting to defund Planned Parenthood — an organization that serves 2.7 million men and women each year and is supported by the majority of Americans. "Rhetoric that began with an unknown organization and fact-free smear videos...found its way into Republican legislative priorities and presidential platforms, and may have helped inspire acts of violence against reproductive health care providers," Media Matters states. "While not a traditional media outlet itself, CMP produced its own content that it used to infiltrate a fractured media environment and receptive conservative echo chamber, creating a feeding frenzy to broadcast their deceptive message loud and clear." View Media Matters' video above for a look at the damage that The Center for Medical Progress inflicted this year.