Abortions for me, but not for thee
by David Atkins
Do career conservatives actually believe in anything, outside of their own sense of entitlement? Apparently not:
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Republican U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais of Tennessee testified during divorce proceedings that he and his former wife made a "mutual" decision for her to have two abortions, according to divorce transcripts released Thursday.
The 2001 court transcripts were released by the state Democratic Party, which had tried to air the documents before the Nov. 6 election. A DesJarlais spokesman didn't immediately return a message seeking comment.
DesJarlais easily won a second term despite revelations that he once urged a patient with whom he was having an affair to get an abortion. DesJarlais, whose campaign platform opposed abortion, acknowledged the conversation but said he was only trying to get her to admit she wasn't pregnant.
The transcripts show that woman testified under oath that she had been pregnant. She declined to elaborate on the outcome of the pregnancy.
On his campaign website, DesJarlais espoused an anti-abortion position, saying: "All life should be cherished and protected. We are pro-life."
One was an abortion of choice due to problems in their marriage, while the other was because his ex-wife was on experimental drugs that could negatively impact a pregnancy.
One wonders what The DesJarlais couple would have done if his Republican colleagues had been successful in outlawing abortions. Presumably they'd have still gotten the abortion, even if they had had to travel to another state or country to do so. It's too bad the poorer and less fortunate wouldn't have the same luxury.
Or maybe that's all part of the plan.
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