THROWBACK THURSDAY: In 2021, Greg Abbott Promised to Eliminate Rape after Texas Enacted Abortion Ban, New 2024 Data Counters that Promise
AUSTIN, Texas – Yesterday, the Houston Chronicle reviewed a published study conducted by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) estimating that more than 26,000 rape-related pregnancies have occurred since Texas’ outright abortion ban went into effect after Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court in June 2022.
In 2021, Greg Abbott vowed to “eliminate rapists from the streets of Texas” after the state's 6-week abortion ban was enacted and received backlash for intentionally excluding exceptions for victims of rape or incest. Watch now.
Reminder: This is the same outright abortion ban that Ted Cruz has always supported.
Texas Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa issued the following statement:
“Despite Gregg Abbott’s 2021 promise to eliminate rape in the state of Texas, it is clear that Texans remain unsafe three years later. No child or adult should be forced to give birth against their will. Full stop. I am truly horrified by this report and suspect that it only tells half of the story. This is only a conservative approximation of how many women and children were forced to carry rape-related pregnancies – and doubles down on the cruel consequences set forth by abortion bans supported by all Texas Republicans.
“Greg Abbott has absolutely failed in his fake commitment to create a justice system that protects victims and prevent any case of rape or incest-related pregnancy since the outright abortion ban was enacted. And this statistic serves as another reminder of the consequence of broken promises made by MAGA Republicans. It shows that Greg Abbott has failed at his most fundamental responsibility as Governor: to protect his constituents. Victims of rape in this state deserve more than broken promises. They deserve a choice in their healthcare, they deserve justice, and they deserve a government that protects them.”
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