Indiana GOPer: Pregnant Women Will Lie About Rape to Get Abortions

On Wednesday, House Representatives of the Indiana state considered a controversial anti-abortion bill, introduced by state Rep. Eric Turner (R), that would make abortions illegal in the state after 20 weeks. Representatives were also considering a bill amendment, proposed by Rep. Gail Riecken (D), that would make exceptions for “women who became pregnant due to rape or incest, or women for whom pregnancy threatens their life or could cause serious and irreversible physical harm."

You know, pretty common sense exceptions.

There's just one problem with the amendment, argued Turner, the original bill's sponsor: Women would then have a "giant loophole" where they could simply lie about being a rape or incest victim and procure an abortion anyway. After Turner's incredibly callous, wrong-headed argument (if he truly believes there will be an epidemic of Indiana women pretending to be raped by strangers or family members in order to get abortions, isn't that a striking testament of how vital access to the procedure is?), Rep. Linda Lawson (D)—who spent six years as a sex crimes investigator in Indiana—rightly freaks the fuck out:

But common sense loses again—Riecken's amendment was voted down 42 to 54. The anti-abortion bill itself passed the House overwhelmingly—72 votes in favor, 23 against.

Curtsies to mr. herriman for the tip.