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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhy are abortion rights groups telling Dems to not repeal the Comstock Act? WTF
https://www.notus.org/congress/comstock-repeal-planned-parenthood-aclu-democratsCongressional Democrats say leading abortion rights groups have been directing them not to talk about repealing the Comstock Act and are actively discouraging them from introducing legislation to address it, NOTUS has learned.
Even as conservatives are publicly pushing Donald Trump to enforce the Comstock Act as a national abortion ban if he becomes president in 2025, Planned Parenthood, the Center for Reproductive Rights and the American Civil Liberties Union who are all heavily involved in legal cases challenging abortion restrictions have in at least two separate instances gotten lawmakers to change a bills text or kept them from introducing legislation altogether. The groups say theyre concerned that any action could impact the outcome of ongoing lawsuits, even as bills seeking to protect abortion access are highly unlikely to be enacted.
Publicly, Democrats are standing behind abortion rights groups arguments about being careful with the law. But privately, theres frustration and a lot of internal tension, one House Democrat told NOTUS, between those who believe that lawmakers should stay away from trying to repeal Comstock while litigation continues and those who see it as a potent political message to communicate to voters as soon as possible ahead of November.
The Comstock Act is a series of 1873 laws that prohibit the shipment of every article or thing designed, adapted or intended for producing abortion. The laws were considered unenforceable when Roe v. Wade was in place, but last year, a federal judge in Texas ruled that Comstock prohibits the shipment of the two drugs used in most abortions in the U.S. bringing attention to whether the law, which some legal experts say is dormant, is enforceable or not. That case is now in front of the Supreme Court, and Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas expressed interest in reviving Comstock during those oral arguments.
*snip*
This is insane
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Why are abortion rights groups telling Dems to not repeal the Comstock Act? WTF (Original Post)
Nevilledog
Apr 18
OP
Fiendish Thingy
(15,651 posts)1. Any source besides NOTUS? (Whoever that is)
I am skeptical of this report, and expect that Comstock will be repealed at the earliest opportunity once Dems once again have a trifecta.
Nevilledog
(51,184 posts)2. If I see more sources I'll add them.
I came upon this because of the people I follow who were commenting on this article.
Prairie Gates
(1,048 posts)3. Comstock Act would also make most pornography illegal
I think it would also result in a ban of James Joyce's Ulysses.
Grins
(7,227 posts)4. It is insane.
And stupid.
From the link:
" (The Center for Reproductive Rights is) deeply concerned about attempts to weaponize this moot sexual purity law from the 1800s, and weve been clear about the need to find a solution with congressional leaders.
Moot????? What the....? It was used in TWO HUGE federal court decisions in the past 7-months!!
And the Reich-wing's endless parade of clowns and ass-backward bible-beating religious hypocrites have already "weaponized" the Act!