Pro-Life Congressman Seems To Have No Problem Pressuring His Mistress To Have An Abortion
Politics is full of hypocrites on both sides of the aisle. But I’d like to see conservatives line up to revoke Rep. Scott DesJarlais‘s pro-life member card for doing what some people do when they find themselves confronted with an unplanned pregnancy: he chose abortion. For his mistress, of course. But don’t mistake the Tennessee congressman for being any closeted women’s advocate either as he is pressuring his mistress to have the abortion. So much for a woman’s choice in the matter.
The Huffington Post obtained a phone transcript from 2000 in which DesJarlais and his completely not legally wed to lady friend play the whole “you need to come with me to my abortion” script. He encourages the woman to have the procedure even when he suspects the child is his own. Some sanctity of life:
“You told me you’d have an abortion, and now we’re getting too far along without one,” DesJarlais tells the woman at one point in the call while negotiating with her over whether he’ll reveal her identity to his wife. They then discuss whether he will accompany her to a procedure to end the sort of life the congressman now describes as “sacred.”
“You told me you would have time to go with me and everything,” the woman complains.
“I said, if I could, I would, didn’t I? And I will try,” DesJarlais says. “If I can [find] time, you’re saying you still will?”
“Yeah,” the woman answers.
The “family-values” Tea Party-supported congressman reportedly met his lady friend back when he was a doctor and she had a foot problem. Not the sexiest ailment, I suppose, but nevertheless, pregnancy followed. During the call befit for a cheesy movie, mistress and congressman reportedly attempt to set a date to “hash out a solution.” Then he maintains that a delay on this problem will negatively affect his marriage (which ultimately did end in 2001). All the more reason to tidy this up quickly with an abortion:
“If we need to go to Atlanta, or whatever, to get this solved and get it over with so we can get on with our lives, then let’s do it,” DesJarlais says.
”Well, we’ve got to do something soon. And you’ve even got to admit that because the clock is ticking right?” he says at another point.
DesJarlais apparently taped these phone calls himself and “did not deny its contents” when presented with the transcript. He did, however, suggest that this matter strays from what we should really be discussing:
“Desperate personal attacks do not solve our nation’s problems, yet it appears my opponents are choosing to once again engage in the same gutter politics that CBS news called the dirtiest in the nation just 2 years ago.”
Not if you’re looking to actively dismantle the means by which other people are able to access that abortion that you so eagerly helped yourself to.
While certain politicos and high-powered men may always have means to make unwanted pregnancies disappear, us ladies are highly dependent on those resources being available. News to DesJarlais but not all of us have power-saddled boyfriends who can make secret phone calls for us. Some women would like to consider that option on their own terms, and maybe even turn it down, without pressure from the man who so graciously booked the appointment.
(photo: Elizabeth Chapman/ Shutterstock)
