Senator Tina Smith, alongside Congressional Democrats and commentators like James Hohmann from the Washington Post and RepBeccaB, is focusing on the potential misuse of the Comstock Act, an anti-vice law from 1873, by Republicans to enforce a nationwide abortion ban. They are preparing to fight back by pushing for the repeal of the Act, as echoed by the Washington Post Editorial Board and others. This effort is in response to concerns that conservative activists may leverage the outdated law to override state protections for abortion, aiming to enact a ban across the United States.
Let's talk about the Comstock Act. The Comstock Act is an arcane and discredited law from the 1870s. Today in 2024, Republicans want to use it to ban abortion nationwide. Even in states where abortion is protected. I'm ready to fight back and repeal it.
Congressional Democrats are strategizing over legislation to repeal the Comstock Act, the 19th century anti-vice law that’s being eyed by conservative activists to potentially enact a national abortion ban. https://t.co/m5t84l2dto
Repeal the Comstock Act before the GOP tries using it to ban abortion, the Editorial Board writes. https://t.co/GKXCKPQ5TD
New Washington Post Editorial: Repeal the Comstock Act before the GOP tries using it to ban abortion https://t.co/OXvwuKTm31
Very few Republicans will publicly admit they want a total abortion ban in every state, but if they try to misuse the Comstock Act (an anti-vice law from 1873) to stop people from accessing medication abortion, that’s what they’ll achieve. I’m prepared to fight back… https://t.co/pgMjWBR4pr