Georgia Republican state representative Ed Setzler got hammered on CNN Monday when he refused to say whether women would go to jail as a result of the state’s new “fetal heartbeat bill” — which is on its way to the governor‘s desk, where it is anticipated it will be signed into law.

Host Alisyn Camerota cut right to the chase, and asked Setzler, who co-sponsored the bill, “let me get this straight — a woman who seeks an abortion after six weeks, when most women do not know yet that they are pregnant, would go to jail?”

ADVERTISEMENT

“No. As a matter of fact, we recognize that the life inside of a mother that has a human heartbeat is a living distinct human being, and we believe it should be worthy of full legal protection,” Setzler said. “There’s nothing that in our law that changes any circumstances in which a woman could go to jail.”

Camerota tried three more times to nail Setzler down on whether women would go to jail for obtaining an abortion, but the congressman refused to answer, prompting a response from Georgia Democratic state senator Jen Jordan.

“The very fact that they had to put in an affirmative defense from prosecution shows that this is a sea change in the law with respect to criminalizing women with respect to abortion,” said Jordan. “If you’re not going to prosecute women, there’s no need to have an affirmative defense.” She called the new law “chilling.”

“We recognize that Georgia law provides vast protections for women seeking an abortion,” tried Setzler again, but Camerota wasn’t having it.

“How? I’m sorry, I just want you to answer that,” she said. “It’s moving up the date. Women and the doctors can be prosecuted now. What are the protections for women?”

ADVERTISEMENT

Setzler repeated his line about protections again, but Camerota cut him off, saying “Go ahead Senator Jordan. That’s not how you saw it.”

Watch the video below.