That’s all good advice and I agree with it all. But solely from a cost perspective (and I grant that there are other perspectives to consider), it’s probably less expensive to fly/drive to Colorado and spend a few nights in a motel if the need arises.
Literally anyone who helps a woman do that can be sued.
What’s especially bad is that if a woman miscarries, she and her doctor and everyone else can be sued, too, forcing her to prove that it wasn’t an abortion under the threat of having to pay out the bounty.
Outrage won’t work. For over 6 years now, I’ve been as outraged as I’ve ever been over politics. Those who aren’t thoroughly outraged by now, never will be
What we need is for Democratic legislators to grow a pair, get rid of the filibuster, pass HR4, and get down and dirty in the mud with Republicans and rip away the power from their evil, fascist, seditious hands. But of course, we know that’s never gonna happen. Too many neocon corporatists in the Democratic party who couldn’t care less about any of this as long as they maintain their grift
exactly. That’s why all of Dr. Kass’s tips are within the bounds of the new law.
I just skimmed the act and it speaks to aiding women in the performance of an abortion in violation of the Act. Since the Act only regulates actions in Texas, I think flying someone out of state would be fine - a Texas resident getting an abortion in Colorado doesn’t violate the Act because the Act doesn’t regulate Colorado abortions.
Of course, since this Act sets up a framework for cost-free and fact-free whistleblowing, that’s going to be cold comfort for the people who will be sued even when they prevail.
I mean, we can’t be far from ghouls at 4chan looking to make a quick buck teaming up with anti-abortion fanatics to scour the social media postings of Texan women for mentions of miscarriage and then shooting 10000 lawsuits at each one.
The woman can go on her own, right? Or can someone sue for that too.
I should probably read the text of the law.
As a practical matter I think even 3rd party helpers can be sure that it will be tough for any one to find a jury of 12 people to convict on this. But that easy for me to say as a dude, not in Texas, sitting on my couch.
Sure seems to me that e.g. buying someone a plane ticket (while you’re in Texas) is aiding the woman in the performance of an abortion. The abortion doesn’t have to be in Texas, but aid in getting the woman out of Texas for an abortion sure sounds like it counts as aid.
It’s not a criminal matter. You only have to convince one Texan judge that she’s liable for the bounty.
If I remember correctly the woman can’t be sued.
Sounds like we’re gonna need a lawbro for this. Where are they? Don’t we have like a hundred of them?
What about a team scouring the social media postings of prominent Texas Republicans and the women in their lives for mentions of miscarriages.
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So there is no way for the helper to get it to a jury even it if is a civil matter?
Also is there a limit to how many people can sue for the 10K or is it just the first to do it? There would have to be, I’d imagine. If one fails, can others keep trying until one is successful?
I like it.
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I see what you’re saying, but the abortion itself has to be in violation of the Texas Act. Texas doesn’t have jurisdiction over Colorado abortions, so there’s no aiding or abetting, because there’s no underlying violation of the law.
This interview suggests as much:
The ban, though, will likely mean a lot of questions from patients about how they can get an abortion outside of Texas, Kumar said.
“I know that there are many people who don’t have to ability to make it out of state … The logistics and ability to do so is not an option for them,” he said. “So I’m really concerned about what’s going to happen to people.”
and it seems pretty well documented that state restrictions on abortion lead to a ton of traveling for out-of-state abortions, which wouldn’t happen so publicly if the state restrictions were actually a ban on state residents getting abortions rather than abortions occurring in the states.
But I also would like an official lawyer view.
Well, part of the issue is that the law specifically forbids that courts award attorneys’ fees to the defendants in the case of a spurious lawsuit, so even malicious lawsuits brought against people going out of state can be absolutely ruinous to a woman who wants to.
Oh, absolutely. That’s why I said even if I’m right, it’s cold comfort for the people who are sued.
Well, they can’t sue the woman, right?
Setting that aside, I think this makes NBZ’s idea even better! Just sue prominent republicans repeatedly. It doesn’t even matter it the woman they allegedly helped was pregnant or if they even knew her. Just make them lawyer up and use the “she wasn’t even pregnant” or “I didn’t know her” defense. Sure, it’s frivolous, but they can’t do shit about it.
Someone could literally sue Greg Abbott multiple times a day for a different woman. What is his recourse?
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We really need a law bro in here stat.
What do we think of this scenario:
I am assuming that only one person can sue for the bounty
A, B, and C are all working together.
A needs an abortion
B helps
C files a lawsuit against B the minute after abortion is complete
B does not contest suit
Judge orders B to pay C 10K (or whatever)
B pays C 10K
C refunds 10K back to B
Since only one person can sue B, B no longer has to worry about lawsuit in this matter.
I assume there is a problem with this. What is it?
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What a fucking dystopian shitshow!
Christ!
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