Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton unveiled a scheme to use the coronavirus pandemic as an excuse to ban abortion in an executive order that strips women of their right to choose.

President Donald Trump and Attorney General Bill Barr are already using the pandemic as an excuse to justify eliminating due process and allowing indefinite detention, thus suspending constitutional rights during the national emergency.

So, now Texas Republicans are copying the same concept, only they are targeting women’s rights, specifically abortion rights.

“Health Care Pro­fes­sion­als and Facil­i­ties, Includ­ing Abor­tion Providers, Must Imme­di­ate­ly Stop All Med­ical­ly Unnec­es­sary Surg­eries and Pro­ce­dures to Pre­serve Resources to Fight COVID-19 Pandemic,” the order reads, going on to explain that banning abortion during this time will “expand hospital bed capacity as the state responds to the COVID-19 virus.”

“All licensed health care professionals and all licensed health care facilities, including abortion providers, that, pursuant to Executive Order GA 09 issued by Gov. Greg Abbott, they must postpone all surgeries and procedures that are not immediately medically necessary,” the order continued. “We must work together as Texans to stop the spread of COVID-19 and ensure that our health care professionals and facilities have all the resources they need to fight the virus at this time. No one is exempt from the governor’s executive order on medically unnecessary surgeries and procedures, including abortion providers. Those who violate the governor’s order will be met with the full force of the law.”

In other words, Republicans aim to imprison health professionals who perform abortion services as long as the state deems necessary. Frankly, Texas officials could drag their feet in rescinding this order long after the pandemic passes.

The fact is that most abortions don’t even require the use of hospital beds.

This is nothing more than a blatant attempt to ban abortion under the cover of a national crisis, which really only makes the crisis worse, especially for women. Texas Republicans should be ashamed of themselves for taking this clearly unconstitutional action, and you can bet it will be immediately challenged in court. As it should be.

Featured Image: Wikimedia