Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

'Pro-Life' Republican's Bill Would Make Getting An Abortion Punishable By Death

Rob Harris
Rob Harris/Facebook

South Carolina State Rep. Rob Harris' bill would amend the state's criminal code to count abortion as homicide.

A new proposal from South Carolina Republican state Representative Rob Harris would amend the state's criminal code to count abortion as homicide.

The bill—called the South Carolina Prenatal Equal Protection Act of 2023—would make it so all references to a “person” include a fertilized egg, embryo or fetus at any stage of development.


It states that "persons" would be protected "from the moment of fertilization" though how the law would treat the disposal of eggs or embryos is unclear.

The bill's future is uncertain. Though it currently awaits action in the state’s House Judiciary Committee, South Carolina's Supreme Court has already struck down a state abortion ban on the grounds that a ban violates the state constitution’s right to privacy.

But there is no question of the proposal's draconian nature.

People convicted of murder in South Carolina for having or providing an abortion face a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years to life in prison. There are certain circumstances, such as if a child under the age of 11 is murdered, where the minimum sentence range is either life in prison or the death penalty.

The bill provides an exception for a pregnant person who underwent an abortion “because she was compelled to do so by the threat of imminent death or great bodily injury.” It offers another exception if an abortion is needed to avert the death of a mother “when all reasonable alternatives to save the life of the unborn child were attempted or none were available.”

Harris, a registered nurse who took office in January, avoidedHuffington Post reporters' questions about his stance on imposing the death penalty on people who abort their pregnancies.

He gave the following response in an email to the news outlet:

“My bill does not single out women. It prohibits everyone from committing murder. It provides the same due process that everyone enjoys under our current laws.”
“We say to the unborn, ‘Your life for mine’, most often, out of convenience."

Many have expressed outrage over legislation they say is to be expected from today's GOP, which is anything but "pro-life."



Although the bill garnered 23 co-sponsors in January and February, at least four GOP politicians have decided to withdraw their support though only one answered questions about their decision.

Republican state Rep. Randy Ligon removed his name from a list of the bill's sponsors, tellingThe Huffington Post he "did not understand" that the legislation would punish abortion patients with the death penalty and that he does not back "capital punishment for women that terminate their pregnancy."

The bill has also garnered criticism from Republican Representative Nancy Mace, who questioned why the bill does not provide an exception for rape or incest. Mace criticized the bill last week, saying she finds the debate "deeply disturbing to me as a woman, as a female legislator, as a mom, and as a victim of rape."

More from Trending

Kid Rock
Todd Kirkland/Getty Images

Kid Rock Dragged After Donning A Truly Over-The-Top Outfit For His White House Visit

Singer Kid Rock was slammed for wearing a loud patriotic costume inside the Oval Office as Republican President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday against ticket scalping.

The rocker's outfit consisted of a red, white, and blue jacket emblazoned with two eagles facing each other above the American flag with the number 250, a nod to America's upcoming 250th anniversary, and white stars on his sleeves.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Bill Cassidy
CNBC

MAGA Senator Just Said The Quiet Part Out Loud With Epic Freudian Slip About Medicare

Louisiana Republican Senator Bill Cassidy was widely mocked following his inconvenient slip of the tongue during a CNBC interview as he mused about finding ways to "cut" Medicare before quickly correcting himself.

The exchange occurred after host Rebecca Quick pressed Louisiana Republican and former physician Bill Cassidy on how his party intended to fund the “trillion-dollar tax cuts” sought by President Donald Trump.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Tim Sheehy
CNN

GOP Senator Gets Blunt Reality Check After Comparing Trump Tariff 'Pain' To Home Renovation

Montana Republican Senator Tim Sheehy was criticized after he tried to compare the "short-term pain" of President Donald Trump's tariffs to home renovation, a claim so ridiculous that CNN's Kaitlan Collins quickly pushed back on the analogy.

Trump has repeatedly referred to April 2 as “Liberation Day,” pledging to impose tariffs—taxes on imports—to reduce U.S. reliance on foreign goods. He has framed these tariffs as “reciprocal,” aiming to match the duties other nations place on American exports.

Keep ReadingShow less
Susan Crawford; Elon Musk
Scott Olson/Getty Images (left and right)

Liberal Wisconsin Judge Calls Out Elon Musk In Victory Speech—And It's Everything

Liberal judge Susan Crawford called out billionaire Elon Musk in her victory speech after winning a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, basking in successfully beating her Republican opponent Brad Schimel and ensuring that the nonpartisan court’s narrow 4-3 liberal majority remains intact despite Musk's efforts to sway the race.

Musk fueled the high-stakes race, having poured more than $20 million into supporting Schimel, according to state campaign records. That includes $3 million to the state Republican Party—$2 million of which was donated just last week. Due to state election laws, large contributions must be funneled through political parties before reaching candidates.

Keep ReadingShow less

People Describe The Worst 'Bonus' They've Ever Gotten At Work

Most of us have worked at one problematic workplace, with reasons ranging from toxic coworkers to terrible bosses to unlivable pay. Sometimes, it feels like a joke that the employees are even being paid at all!

But the biggest joke of all might be the end-of-year bonus, or lack thereof. They're at times so laughable, they take the cake for horrible work conditions, or are quite literally, a slice of cake.

Keep ReadingShow less