Could abortions lead to jail time? Haley references proposed SC bill in GOP debate
Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis had an exchange in Wednsday’s debate over whether some conservatives really want to punish women who have abortions.
DeSantis said Haley was engaged in “left-wing tropes” by saying conservatives want to put women in jail for having an abortion.
“That’s a trope, no one I’ve ever met thinks that that’s something that’s appropriate,” DeSantis said. “These women are in vulnerable situations. They don’t get any help a lot of times from from these fathers who don’t want to be there, supportive.”
However, a bill sponsored by state Rep. Rob Harris, R-Spartanburg, would characterize abortion as murder and could lead to women who have an abortion being charged and facing jail time or even the death penalty. The bill is stuck in committee and has not moved in the South Carolina Legislature.
Lawmakers in the South Carolina Legislature don’t expect abortion to come up this year after passing a six-week abortion ban that bans abortion after cardiac activity can be detected.
Haley has she is “unapologetically pro life,” because her husband, Michael, was adopted and they had challenges conceiving their two children.
“These fellas don’t know how to talk about abortion. I have said over and over again,” Haley said. “The Democrats put fear in women on abortion, and Republicans have used judgment. This is too personal of an issue to put fear or judgment.”
“Our goal should be how do we save as many babies as possible and support as many moms as possible. That’s what we’re going to focus on,” Haley said. “We’re not going to demonize this issue anymore. We’re not going to play politics with this issue anymore. We’re going to treat it like the respectful issue that it is.”
