Texas GOP Meets Group Suggesting Death Penalty for Women Who Seek Abortions
By: Khaleda Rahman (Newsweek)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Texas Democrats have released a leaked video, saying it shows Texas Republicans supporting the death penalty for women who seek abortions at a meeting held by an anti-abortion group.
The video shows Hood County Constable Scott London, Hood County GOP Chair Steve Biggers and Hood County GOP Chair candidate Greg Harrell attending a meeting held by Abolish Abortion Texas (AATX) in Granbury in January, according to a news release from the Texas Democratic Party.
Newsweek has contacted London, Biggers, Harrell and the Texas Republican Party for comment via email. AATX has been contacted through a contact form on its website.
The video, which was originally streamed on Facebook, was obtained by Hood County Democrats Chair Adrienne Quinn Martin.
This is video I put together from a 2 hour meeting held in Granbury. If you want to know where the " pro-life" movement is headed, watch this. Warning, it is disturbing. Many of our elected officials were in attendance. Including school board, constables and at least one county… pic.twitter.com/vHPl5aZQBn
— Adrienne Quinn Martin (@MrsAMartini) March 28, 2024
"If you want to know where the 'pro-life' movement is headed, watch this," Martin wrote on X, formerly Twitter, alongside a seven-minute video consisting of clips from the meeting.
"Many of our elected officials were in attendance. Including school board, constables and at least one county commissioner. Not one person pushes back or questions an agenda that advocates women possibly receiving the death penalty for abortion, including pregnant minors."
Texas is among 14 states that have banned abortion in almost all circumstances since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. In Texas, doctors who provide an abortion can face criminal charges that carry penalties of up to life in prison. They can also face lawsuits from private citizens, who are empowered to sue a person who helps a woman obtain an abortion. The laws do not threaten the mother with any legal consequences.
The video appears to show Paul Brown, the director of policy for AATX, saying the group wants women who have abortions to be prosecuted for murder. Newsweek has not independently verified the video of the event.
"Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, life for life," he said, per the video. "The same penalty for harming or killing a born person is also imposed by God in his law for killing a preborn person."
At another point in the video, he said: "If someone came in here and murdered one of people here, they should be charged with murder. We simply take the exception that currently exists under the Texas penal code that defines murder and then says abortion is not murder, we removed that."
He said women who seek abortions are "real human beings," but that "their lives don't matter more than the babies they are killing."
Several audience members also suggested that pregnant women and doctors who perform abortions should be "held accountable" to the highest extent of the law, according to Texas Democrats.
Brown is heard saying the AATX is against emergency contraception like the Plan B pill, saying that it is used "to terminate or kill a baby prior to implantation—that is an abortion."
He said that IVF should also be considered a form of abortion, saying that those who destroy fertilized eggs are "terminating or destroying a human life."
He said the group would also "never endorse or be OK with abortions in the instance of incest or rape."
Addressing concerns about prosecuting women who seek abortions, Brown said: "No, I don't want any women to have abortions. And the good news is that when you treat abortion like murder, that we should expect it to decrease significantly."
Touting AATX's support of a number of candidates this election season, Brown added: "We have a whole bunch of candidates who are running today who have expressed their willingness to sign on to abolition [of abortion] as well. I am very excited about the upcoming session."
In a statement, Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa said: "The fact that Texas Republicans are meeting with people willing to send pregnant women and doctors to Death Row should terrify every person in Texas.
"Make no mistake: Texas Republicans will strip women of their basic healthcare rights and will not stop at just banning abortion. They will punish women and doctors for seeking and performing basic health care, they will ban IVF and they will create a hostile and inhumane state. All of these candidates should be ashamed of themselves. This isn't Texas, but this is the Republican party of Texas."
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The extremists are now mainstream in the Texas Republican Party.
The video can be seen on the linked "seeded content".
"Mainstreaming" the TRP?? A population of 61,000 - 81% white, 12% Hispanic - 81% Republican, 17% Democrat - The county is named for John Bell Hood, a Confederate lieutenant general and the commander of Hood's Texas Brigade.
Population of Texas 30.03 Million - Hood County Pop is 61K - 00.002003333% the size of Texas - 52% are Repubs and 46% are Dems.
Apples and Oranges - Apples and Oranges. 61,000 ARE NOT going to sway the other 29,996,800 with this ridiculous idea.
What's your next new story???
You're obviously unaware there are Republicans in Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri and South Carolina, among other states, that have also been pushing to pass laws making abortion murder.
Try and keep up.
Since Texas has one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the US who in the hell do you think supported it, the moon fairy, it was the government and people of Texas. If you don't think that they will push until the most crazy restrictive law governs the state you best think again.
Sorry - thought the thread was dealing with Texas - didn't know we had to discuss each of the other 14 states.
Yeah - and that was when the Dems had control of the state.
So?
You made your point about Texas, and I disagree. Republicans are mainstreaming extremism. And, read the question you asked at the end of your Comment 1.1. You were asking to expand the topic.
Why try and keep up when all they have is projection, deflection, and denial + delusion.
Similar garbage happened in Arizona where they are trying to ban abortions and there were a bunch of freak show extremists anti-abortionists in their senate house along with a 1/6 traitor sen. Kern the day before having some kind of religious freakshow
I wonder if some of these "pro-life" people would want to kill anybody who wants to discuss those other states?
Yup-- now you know-- we definitely have to discuss those other 14 states-- you have no other choice!
Makes perfect sense (well, at least to the pro-lifers)
???
Seems the sun is just too bright in many Southern states and fogs the brains of some.
Some people watch Eclipses without the special glasses.
thumper nationalists are so f'n stupid. they remind me of those amateur bomb defuser videos on youtube.
no problem, I got this ... >ka-boom<
no texas republican that expects to still be breathing in the next decade will support this...
I'm guessing his great grandfather was a scout for the sand creek massacre.
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The hysteria is coming from the extremists trying to enact laws to make abortion murder.
This is your former 'president's' gop/gqp/freakshow/magatcult in action/majorityrepublicanfreakshow/not a single DEMOCRAT to be found amongst these freakshows.
I totally agree-- being killed by members of a majority group is OK-- but being killed when the killing is done by a minority-- especially a "fringed minority" {gasp} should be illegal!
Let's sick the "pro-life people on 'em-- let the "pro-life" types kill 'em!
Actually it defines the whole of the GOP these days.
Far right wing fascism is what they are all about.
If they weren't, they'd do something about it.
Seems that there are no moderate republicans these days.
Well, there's always Mitt Romney.: ("Human Gumball Machine")
There are many moderate republicans! They are the ones leaving the party (in droves) and being called "RINOs" (Republicans In Name Only) by the new GOP/MAGAs.
There are very few republicans with a spine nowadays, that is obvious. Those who dare speak the truth are kicked to the curbl
curb
to them, that's a bonus. 80+ years ago they were losing their iron crosses and getting a blindfold and cigarette ...
those holes in the concrete wall are easy to patch...
OMG! Do you think that puts Texas more in play for Dems or less?
One thing we know for sure is that this article is NOT SATIRE.
Mmmmkay... and then?
Well, what do you think?
I believe that the Republicans' moves on abortion will affect voters all over the country. As for Texas, who knows? Maybe you do. I wouldn't pretend to be able to unlock that enigma wrapped in a mystery.
I will tell you this. I am not in Texas, but I will fight alongside of any Texan woman who wants to take back her freedom (and privacy) from those other Texans whom wish and insist on her not having privacy to decide when it is her time to conceive and whom have the audacity to suggest that the state shall empower itself to label her a murder and imprison her over an aborted fetus.
If its trouble "True Texas" is looking for, well. . some of us, hell, a lot of us, will be looking at Texas from 'across the street' - if Texas starts to mess with its good girls and good women who are equally citizens of the United States and calling them 'bad'. . . this will blow up in Texas' face and its "explosion" could not happen to a more deserving group of meddlers in the affairs of girls and women.
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Only Austin seems to deal with reality.
have played at SXSW 4 times now.
Will never go again
Have come to hate crowds
Shortly after the Supreme Court voted on Roe v, Wade, there were a few state votes... Kansas was the first, shortly thereafter. (And as people may be aware, Kansas is a pretty conservative state):
Kansas was the first state to vote on abortion rights since the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson's Women's Health Organization.
The "free state" actually has a democrat for a governor.
it also has more than 4 comments...
the truth hurts...
tsk, tsk, tsk, poor maga ...
maybe this time, you think? thumpers have got republicans by the short hairs...
And some of them are just starting to wake up to that fact:
Kari Lake lobbies Arizona lawmakers to overturn abortion ban she once supported
(She was for it before she was against it...)
nice one
If an embryo is going to be a "sacred" creature, then I think these people should continue that "sacred" theme through the age of 18 years old for every child born in Texas! That is, no divorce between married couples with children before 18 years of age; no family separation before a child's age of 18 years of age; no adoptions permitted of children with living parents; no abandonment of a child with family members, on church doorsteps, or hospital thresholds.
If some have to be inconvenienced by all these 'essential' babies, then let all be inconvenienced!
I sympathize with your righteous indignation.
Why do you think that continuing a dysfunctional family relationship is to the “sacred creature’s” advantage?
Is “sacred creature” your way of dehumanizing the unborn?
Continuing a dysfunctional family is obviously not to anyone's advantage or benefit. Clearly, CB was speaking rhetorically, and, as I indicated, expressing his righteous indignation.
the continued stalking and intimidation of members across the forum doesn't fly in this group. your only warning.
Yes. And so since these "righteous Texans for life" want to wield control over what 'outside' girls and women do for their lifetime (because a child/ren is for life!), then I think nothing should be permitted to disturb the 'cement' that binds family together. If no 'egg' should be left 'uncovered' in the womb, then a child/ren should NOT be left 'uncovered' after debut!
Make a law that all the 'right' parents in Texas (especially MAGAs) should stay together through a child's eighteen birthday. It is not enough to just get a child here and then 'desert' it and leave it to catch as catch can. Indeed, since Mr. P. Brown (man in the video) is 'straightening' out some things in the pro life/pro choice stratagem. . .'dad' should be compelled to work, but not just at any oh job: Insist that he get a high-paying job and keep his family off the state welfare rolls.
The crazies are in charge in Texas/Republicans.
trump flags on golfcarts were rare on the beach when I left texas....
the gop will be losing their majorities in the texas statehouse.
... and hopefully a senate seat from an anchor baby.
... the cuban cuckold.
the texas thumper...
The last time I was in Texas Anne Richards was the Governor, and she was the keynote speaker at an event I attended. I thought she was so fantastic she should have been a great POTUS. How can people go so far downhill so fast?
I remember her well. She was an exceptional person!
she was the last texas governor that had a spine.
What a wonderful and decent woman. Anne Richards! She is sorely missed.
she knew how to put bush jr in his place...
back before texas was over run with maga dipshits...
If a good percentage of women support this; if a good percentage of women let this happen TO Texas - shame on those women and those women will deserve whatever comes from it. (There are women sitting and 'engaging' in the discussion positively with Paul Brown.) Enough is enough already!
Apparently, the remainder of my, some of our lives, will be dedicated to helping put out political flames and fires for the duration.
If the Texas women don't vote against their slavemasters on this, the next thing they may find is a law being passed requiring them to be chained to their beds.
Or maybe Texas will institute the so-called "honor-killings" that are so popular in some parts of the world???
"Honor killings":
An honor killing ( American English ), honour killing ( Commonwealth English ), or shame killing is a traditional form of murder in which a person is killed by or at the behest of members of their family, due to culturally sanctioned beliefs that such homicides are necessary as retribution for the perceived dishonoring of the family by the victim.
Honor killings are often connected to religion, caste , other forms of hierarchical social stratification , or sexuality.
Most often, it involves the murder of a woman or girl by male family members, due to the perpetrators' belief that the victim has brought dishonor or shame upon the family name, reputation or prestige
no worries. texas republicans have no honor...
Well, I guess Texas has to be bigger and better than anywhere else so it's got to be even more primitive than where people practise honour killing.
Don't give them any ideas.
... when they'll eventually steal them anyway.
the majority of them don't possess any
dumb asses...
window lickers...
Excuse me! Every last one of us is here because of the love and grace of a girl or woman who took the time. . . no matter what it cost her to get us here. . . and she did it for a sum total of: "No charge."
One would think at the least some of us need to look around this world at all the means of destruction which befall beautiful boys , girls , women , and men from pestilence , violence , sickness , to wars , and nature . . . and yet some how each succeeding generation of girls and women. . . always with a smile and obligation serve with everything that is with her. "SHE" is willing to do 'it" all over again by giving more children to the world's causes.
Because for females, because of the birthing bond—a child/children is for LIFE! The decent thing to do is to let girls and women (alone) to figure out how to get the generations here. . . as our females, our mothers, have populated, repopulated, populated som' mo,' and repopulated our world without fail.
And so, when it comes to a 'world full of babies' our girls and women have never failed any nation on the planet yet! All nations are reasonably full because of being brought to us by. . . women.
And, so this low-down, wretched, group of people, who want to repress and imprison (for murder) a girl or woman - or worse - cause her to harm herself through unscientific and poor medical assistance activities, is wrong-headed, vindictive, and oddly enough smacks of a sicken-ly form of "green" jealousy!
MAGAs stop "demonizing" girls and women just to get an imaginary "win" over and against them. You do this when you call girls and women horrible labels. And now some of you MAGAs are proposing criminalizing a girl or woman, even as you question her motive for not wanting a child—every time she has an accidental fertilization.
And, by the way, only a girl or woman knows for sure how often those "accidental" fertilizations happen. . .as the boy or man presents as. . . 'gone' on his way .
Shirley Caesar NO CHARGE
How Abortion Laws Shaped the Roe Decision
This is the same meddler , Paul Brown, that this article is about (because of another video). The man is a grifter. As he can't be the 'lead' on the affairs unique to girls and women. He simply can't be allowed to be the deciding arbiter on whether abortion should be legal or not. . .and if a girl or woman in Texas should be persecuted first and prosecuted (along with other agents that help her) second
This man being the image of girls and women going to jail over abortions can't be allowed to stand.
Wow, the Texas GOP is so pro-life, they'll kill any woman who has an abortion.
Admirable, aren't they?
They probably think they are. I don't.
They're not. Not in the least bit admirable.
fucking nazis with a goober drawl...
that's the kind of carnage that comes back 100x...
when others act uncivilized, let them be the first victims of uncivilized acts...
ironic
they don't know what that word means...
... along with 99.9% of the words listed in a dictionary.
What about ectopic pregnancies? Those aren't really pregnancies if you think about it. If the embryo is not immediately removed it will cause the mother's death
... god's will be done. forget about science and medical technology...
somebody needs to come up with a list of life saving medical procedures, treatments, and medicines that will create severe mental conflicts for moronic thumpers when they have to make their own life or death decisions regarding medicine vs spirituality, and then make them publicly renounce their cult before receiving any of them...
due to an exodus of medical professionals in red states, thumpers will be opening up neighborhood emergency clinics where they can pray away family catastrophes, for a small donation...
always ready 24/7/365 with a band-aid, an aspirin, and a prayer...
sorry about the massive blood loss, but I've got my church clothes on ...
I used to work at McDonald's when I was 18 and on Sunday mornings after church there were always a bunch of them being shitty to the staff, after they repented for their sins a little while ago.
Starting fresh . . . to repent next week
Phony assholes
rude and cheap thumpers were the worst thing about working restaurants on sundays. it's where I learned to make their repeat dining experiences memorable, to me...
"take this draft beer back to the bar and tell the bartender to put a head on it"
yes sir! >snicker<
maga thumpers make change in the collection plate...
and palm the fifty's...
"friends and neighbors, this fifth and final offering for today is for the armed guards around our sanctuary and the full time security detail for the pastor and his family. amen."
... those of you that wish to contribute to the church's executive jet fund can do so online...
the pastor's wife is also very thankful to our members for the $1.6 million dollar remodel on the parsonage...
along with her face, chest, and butt...