The GOP's Version of Moral Lawmaking

guestblogger:  Lauren of Feministe

Representative Louise Slaughter:

The Rules Committee discovered yesterday that the Judiciary Committee Report on this very bill, which was authored by the Majority Staff, contained amendment summaries which had been re-written by committee staff for the sole purpose of distorting the original intent of the authors. This Committee Report took liberty to mischaracterize and even falsify the intent of several amendments offered in Committee by Democratic Members of this body. At least five amendments to this bill, which were designed to protect the rights of family members and innocent bystanders from prosecution under this bill, were rewritten as amendments designed to protect sexual predators from prosecution and were then included in the committee report as if that was the original intent of the authors. The thing is, sexual predators were not mentioned anywhere in any of these amendments.

Republican lawmakers thought it ethical to not only change the wording of the bill, but to do so after it had been voted on.

Not only do they threaten women's reproductive rights, and aim to smear our names, they believe it kosher to say we are friends to sexual offenders.

Get the word out.  Immediately.  I have a feeling this will not reach the public unless we make an enormous stink.

Comments

[PSoTD]

There's just no limit with these guys.

[Michael Hussey]

This was a smear tactic against Democrats on the committee. Pure and simple.