Abortion

Is McDonnell Now Backing Away From a State-Sanctioned Rape Bill?

Virginia Governor McDonnell earlier signaled his intent to sign one of the most despicable laws in the country forcing women to undergo an vaginal ultrasound to obtain an abortion, or in other words, a state sanctioned rape bill.  But now it seems the Governor is not so eager to go on the record with his previously held position.

VA Governor Bob McDonnell. [orgnl img src[

See our earlier reporting on Virginia’s state-sanctioned trans-vaginal rape bill here.

Virginia Governor McDonnell signaled his intent to sign one of the most despicable bills in the country that would force women to undergo a trans-vaginal ultrasound against her will in order to obtain an abortion.  Or in other words, a bill authorizing state-sanctioned rape.  But after speaking with Jeff Caldwell, McDonnell’s press secretary, it seems the Governor is not so eager to go on the record with his previously-held position.

I asked Caldwell if the governor really intended to sign a bill that met the standard of Virginia’s rape statute.  When put in those terms it seemed the Governor’s office balked.

“The governor will review it if it passes and will see what the final language of the bill is,” said Caldwell. 

I pressed and asked Caldwell if this is a new position for McDonnell, if he was backing off a bit as his statement suggested.  Mr. Caldwell flatly said, “No, he’s generally a pro-life candidate, I don’t think we are being inconsistent.” (Generally?)

Caldwell refused to say if Governor McDonnell would sign the state-sanctioned rape bill or not.  

I asked a handful of other questions:

Q: Would the governor consider taking the forced vaginal probe out of the bill with an amendment?

A:  They would have to review it.

Q:  Would a woman who became pregnant through rape or incest be granted dispensation from the law if she were seeking abortion to avoid another traumatic event only this time inflicted by the state? 

A:  They would review the final language of the bill and wouldn’t comment until it came to McDonnell’s desk.

Q:  What do you think is behind this bill (and personhood) – is the Governor operating behind the scenes to make Virginia the most anti-choice state in the nation or is it his shot at being VP?

A:  We just want to make sure that pregnant women have all the required information.

(However insufficient we may find Mr. Caldwell’s answers it is important to note many people in Caldwell’s position just simply don’t call back.)

Caldwell wouldn’t address how the state-sanctioned rape bill would stand up to scrutiny under Virginia law.  He instead directed me to Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli.  I called the AG’s office and was passed through to a legislative specialist’s voicemail. 

Cuccinelli is fresh off a public appearance endorsing Virginia’s egg-as-person bill (naturally) also working its way to Governor McDonnell’s desk:

The measure extends fundamental rights claimed in the Declaration of Independence to unborn children, both Cuccinelli and Staver said.

“This personhood bill recognizes a scientific reality. Life begins at conception,” said Cuccinelli, a candidate for governor.  “Make sure you talk to your senators. Advocate for this issue.”  The bill, officially called House Bill 1, sponsored by Del. Bob Marshall, R-Fairfax, passed the House on a Republican-led, party-line 66-32 vote.

Interestingly rape is on Bob Marshall’s mind as well these days.  Of course he uses rape in a grotesque manner, demeaning the actual act of violence against women.  (I wrote a piece about this very thing yesterday: men using rape as a way to describe their personal economic and tax-related woes.)

This is an excerpt from the Washington Examiner in which Marshall takes on dreaded Obamacare:

Del. Bob Marshall, never one to shy away from controversial statements, told the U.S. Supreme Court Monday that the federal health care law was “akin to forcible economic rape.”  And; “The individual mandate is not regulation of voluntary commercial intercourse; it is more akin to forcible economic rape,” Marshall wrote.

This is not surprising coming from Marshall, who has his sights on the Senate.  After all, he is the guy who called disabled children God’s punishment for abortion.