A Texas abortion doctor repeatedly dodged questions about the ethics and morality of the procedure while speaking to a House committee last week, telling a U.S. representative that such an inquiry could lead to violence against her.
The hearing by the House Judiciary Committee examined the impact of a new Texas law that prohibits abortion if an unborn baby's heartbeat is detected.
When confronted with simple, direct questions about whether abortion takes a human life, Democrats never give a straight answer, because the truth is devastating to their cause.
— Rep. Mike Johnson (@RepMikeJohnson) November 5, 2021
We will continue to expose them.
This is how we will win the abortion debate. https://t.co/6Z1Chpt1bT
U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.), a committee member, asked Ghazaleh Moayedi – a witness who performs abortions – whether the procedure kills "something that's alive." Moayedi, an OB/GYN, is a board member of Physicians for Reproductive Health.
"Sir, the way that you're asking these questions actually intentionally invite[s] violence and harassment to both of us, to all of us," she answered, referencing her and another witness who supports legalized abortion.
"I'm sorry," Johnson replied, "that's an absurd response. You're a medical doctor."
Johnson then rephrased the question, asking, "When you dismember something in the womb – is that a human being or not? It's a living being – yes or no?"
"I'm here to talk about medical care," Moayedi answered.
"Yes – this is a direct question about medical care, ma'am," Johnson told her. "You positioned yourself as an expert on the issue.
"Are we taking a life or not? Is it a life? Yes or no?" Johnson asked.
"What you are discussing is not the reality of how abortion care is delivered," Moayedi answered before Johnson interrupted her.
"You know, if we were in a courtroom, I would say that that's non-responsive," Johnson said. "And I think we all know why you don't want to respond to that. Because the obvious fact here is that you're taking a human life. It's a small human life. It's a human being."
Moayedi also dodged a question about sex-selective abortion.
"Let me ask you, doctor, should abortion be allowed because of the sex of the preborn child in your medical opinion?" Johnson asked.
"I do not believe that there should be any restrictions to bodily autonomy," she replied.
Johnson tried, twice more, to get a response to his question before his time expired.
"I'll just note," he concluded, "that no one answered the question."
Photo courtesy: ©Getty Images/Pool
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
