Sick. Absolutely sick. This whole bill has literally made my stomach turn and makes me feel like I want to throw up.
New Mexico House Bill 206, introduced by state Rep. Cathrynn Brown (R), has this added section:
B. Tampering with evidence shall include procuring or facilitating an abortion, or compelling or coercing another to obtain an abortion, of a fetus that is the result of criminal sexual penetration or incest with the intent to destroy evidence of the crime.
There is no playing with words on this one. To get an abortion of a rape-produced fetus will be a crime. The punishment has several different levels, but the harshest sentencing is:
(1) if the highest crime for which tampering with evidence is committed is a capital or first degree felony or a second degree felony, the person committing tampering with evidence is guilty of a third degree felony;
There is a good chance that this is a harsher sentencing than the rapist would receive – if any sentencing. Sadly, many rapists walk away free of charges.
Her defense for this is a knee-jerk comment. She states:
“New Mexico needs to strengthen its laws to deter sex offenders,” said Brown. “By adding this law in New Mexico, we can help to protect women across our state.”
Uhhh… Cathy, let me explain something to you… A rapist is already committing a crime. Do you think they really care about protecting the fetus from a baby they most likely don’t want? Rape is an act of violence. Not love, and most certainly not to share a child together.
You are a disgrace to all women. If you don’t like abortion, that is your right. But do NOT do this to women of your state. Too bad our government doesn’t have a punishment like that of “old” Russia… send you to Siberia because that is really where you belong.
UPDATE: The backlash has hit Brown hard. She has added, “In no circumstance shall the mother of the fetus be charged under this subsection,” to the paragraph in question, but this only appears on HER website. NOT on the NM government site, so the original wording is still the bill up for adoption. She also removed all her contact information. But via ProgressNOW New Mexico’s website, it’s still available.
Her office phone: 575-302-2746
Her Capitol phone: 505-986-4248
Her email: cath@cathrynnbrown.com
I firmly believe her intent was to stop any abortion. Brown was heavily attacked, and rightly so. She needed to do something to quiet everyone down. Did she really think no one would follow up on this addition to the actual bill and not notice the bill on the floor has not been updated?
A few other tidbits about Ms. Brown….
Brown is also on the board of Carlsbad NM’s Right to Life Chapter, an anti-abortion group….
Brown said in a recent interview that she’s a skeptic on global warming. “I believe it’s now a discredited theory,” she said. “I believe Al Gore’s movie An Inconvenient Truth was helpful. It gave us sources to evaluate, It was helpful in debunking the theory.”
On her Facebook page, she “liked” Paul Ryan running for VP. Well look at the graphic to the right to see this correlation.
On her Facebook page, she has the “Bible” listed as one of her favorite books. Now, don’t go ballistic on me folks. There is nothing wrong with this. But when added into some other facts about her, she is a religious zealot that only cares about doing whatever she can to stop abortion. Her whole Facebook page of likes and interests just reminds me of an old spinster (fyi, she is married) that does needlework while watching the “Sound of Music,” and ending the day with a good dose of the bible before bedtime… bible first thing in the morning… and providing biblical quotes to anyone around her throughout the day whether or not they want to hear them. Let me emphasis… this is how I picture her. I’ve never met her, nor do I care to.
Makes one question if she is indeed in touch with the average American and New Mexicoan.
All the more reason to vote her out in the next election. We voted the likes of Akin’s out and a few others. It can happen again in her next election.
References:
The Salon: Cathrynn Brown wants to abort mission
The Sante Fe New Mexican: Profiles of new N.M. state legislators
Think Progress: New Mexico Bill Would Imprison Rape Victims Who Receive Abortions
Huffington Post: New Mexico Bill Would Criminalize Abortions After Rape As ‘Tampering With Evidence’
ProgressNOW New Mexico: New Mexico’s “Kooky Conservative Caucus”
Cathrynn Brown’s website
Brown’s amended paragraph on HER site, not the NM site, is HERE
New Mexico Legislature: NM Bill 602
Facebook: Cathrynn Brown
Facebook: Rep. Cathrynn Brown should Resign
Current Argus: Carlsbad’s Cathrynn Brown under fire for bill on abortion by rape victims
Motley News 
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