So, with all their criticisms and wild hyperbole about pro-choice Democrats, what do REPUBLICANS support exactly when it comes to third-trimester abortions? At a press conference a bit earlier today (see video, below), they were asked that very question by reporters. And their answer was…as you can see below, a NON-answer. That’s right, neither House Speaker Kirk Cox (R) nor House Majority Leader Todd Gilbert (R) would say that they opposed CURRENT Virginia law governing late-term abortions, which in fact permits such abortions under certain conditions.
Reporter to Speaker Cox: “Do you support the current law governing late-term abortions?”
Cox: “It’s pretty clear where I am on various life issues. The question before us today is what the Democrats have proposed and where they are trying to take us…”
Reporter to Cox: “Do you think third-trimester abortions should be banned entirely or do you agree that in some cases they’re necessary?”
Cox: “I would say that this debate today is what I just said.”
P.S. Note that current Virginia law, as this explains very well, “allows a team of three physicians to approve third-term abortions for women whose health would be ‘substantially and irredeemably’ harmed by continuing their pregnancies.” Note that Tran’s supposedly (according to Cox, Gilbert, etc.) “extreme” bill simply reduces the number of physicians from three to one. So Cox and Gilbert are cool with third-trimester abortions as long as three doctors sign off, but not if only one doctor signs off? Is that their moral line in the sand?
At abortion presser just now, Speaker Cox and Majority Leader Todd Gilbert refused to say whether they support banning third-trimester abortion entirely
— Graham Moomaw (@gmoomaw) January 31, 2019
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