Thread by @chgrimaldi

Covering this morning's House hearing on a TOTAL abortion ban. Stay tuned for more info from me and @Rewire_News. #NoAbortionBan

The panel's chair, Rep. Steve King (R-IA), an unabashed white nationalist, has called the hearing to order. #NoAbortionBan

Like three sentences into his statement, King is already crowing about the Supreme Court. CC: #TeamLegal @AngryBlackLady @Hegemommy

King touts Health and Human Services' plan to define life at contraception and promote rhythm method. #NoAbortionBan crooked.com/article/leaked…

King: Life can't be taken w/o due process. 👀 CC: #TeamLegal @AngryBlackLady @Hegemommy

Rep. Steve Cohen (TN), the top Democrat on the panel, is up, defends Roe. #NoAbortionBan

Reminder from your friendly reporter: The total abortion ban, like other anti-choice restrictions, is mired in junk science. #NoAbortionBan

To wit. #NoAbortionBan huffingtonpost.com/entry/heartbea…

Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), chair of full House Judiciary Committee, drops in to make an anti-choice statement. #NoAbortionBan

Reminder: Goodlatte values lives of the "unborn," but not those of immigrants. CC: @TheTinaVasquez #NoAbortionBan rewire.news/article/2017/0…

Democrats' sole witness, Yale's Reproductive Rights and Justice Project's Priscilla Smith, outlines why ban unconstitutional. #NoAbortionBan

Smith: "This Congress should spend its time trying to improve health care for women and infants." #NoAbortionBan

Smith reminds the panel that the U.S. has worst rate of maternal mortality in developed world. #NoAbortionBan npr.org/2017/05/12/528…

Now on to the GOP witnesses, starting with David Forte, who helped write Ohio's ultimately vetoed total abortion ban. #NoAbortionBan

Congressional Republicans seem to be lifting Ohio playbook: Pursue total (six-week) ban to make 20-week ban more palatable. #NoAbortionBan

Kathi Aultman, an ACOG fellow who is NOT testifying on behalf of the org, is using her credentials -- and junk science -- to slam abortion.

Her testimony is disturbing to the point that I'm concerned for her own well-being. I can't bring myself to Tweet it.

Now, Star Parker is up, and she's co-opting and misconstruing NICKI MINAJ'S abortion story to make her case. HELP. #NoAbortionBan

Slavery and abortion, here we go. #NoAbortionBan

KING IS PROJECTING A SONOGRAM OF A WOMAN IN THE ROOM ON A BIG SCREEN AT THIS HEARING. HELP. @Rewire_News #NoAbortionBan

WHITE NATIONALIST STEVE KING IS NARRATING A WOMAN'S LIVE SONOGRAM. HELP. @Rewire_News #NoAbortionBan

.@RBraceySherman asks if fetus will have Children's Health Insurance Program coverage. Capitol Police escorts her to seat. #NoAbortionBan

Reminder: "Pro-life" congressional Republicans have allowed Children's Health Insurance Program funding to lapse. vox.com/policy-and-pol…

.@RepJayapal is here! She's not on this Judiciary panel but came over from the full committee to kick some ass. #NoAbortionBan

.@RepJayapal: "Do you not believe women's rights are human rights?" GOP witness Aultman: "Ask your question one more time." #NoAbortionBan

Aultman equivocates: "I think women have human rights, but I don't think that our right to convenience" trumps life.

It's not about that.

Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ) gets up and says that he's never heard a more eloquent testimony than the sonogram...

...

...

#NoAbortionBan

Franks tries to undermine Smith, the Dems' witness, by attacking her on a safe, common second-trimester procedure. #NoAbortionBan

Smith: "A D&E abortion is not what we're talking about here." She repeatedly tries to answer Franks w/o being baited. He talks over her.

Eventually, Franks moves on from "m'lady." He actually told "m'lady," a Yale University professor, that he was done with her. #NoAbortionBan

.@RepRaskin (D-MD) is really good at questioning GOP's witnesses. Skilled, sharp but compassionate -- listens, unlike Franks. #NoAbortionBan

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) is ready to spread some lies about Margaret Sanger. CC: @AngryBlackLady @Rewire_News #NoAbortionBan

Read the read deal, from @AngryBlackLady: rewire.news/article/2015/0…

King enters testimony of anti-choice extremist Janet Porter into the record. Porter lobbied VP Pence last month. rewire.news/article/2017/0…

Back to conservative, racially biased anti-abortion myths that don't bear repeating. #NoAbortionBan

Uhhh Steve Cohen almost just fought Steve King and it was amazing. And now, the hearing is over. #NoAbortionBan