Hillary Clinton Panned For Spreading Debunked Abortion Claim About Brett Kavanaugh

Hillary Clinton is getting a lot of grief on Twitter today for advancing the debunked talking point Democrats have been holding up as proof that Brett Kavanaugh is opposed to abortion.

The former Democratic presidential candidate posted a Twitter thread in which she lambasted Kavanuagh for what he said about “abortion-inducing drugs” during last week’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearings.

I want to be sure we’re all clear about something that Brett Kavanaugh said in his confirmation hearings last week. He referred to birth-control pills as “abortion-inducing drugs.” That set off a lot of alarm bells for me, and it should for you, too.

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 12, 2018

Kavanaugh didn’t use that term because he misunderstands the basic science of birth control—the fact that birth control prevents fertilization of eggs in the first place. He used that term because it’s a dog whistle to the extreme right.

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 12, 2018

When Kavanaugh called birth control “abortion-inducing drugs,” he made it clear that safe and legal abortion isn’t the only fundamental reproductive right at grave risk if he is confirmed. Access to birth control is, too.

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 12, 2018

Imagine an America in which women are barred from getting IUDs or birth control pills, and doctors are criminalized for prescribing them. It’s an America in which women would be punished for insisting on being full and equal partners in society.

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 12, 2018

Sen. @kamalaharris asked Brett Kavanaugh last week: “Can you think of any laws that give the government the power to make decisions about the male body?” He said he was not. Because there are none.

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 12, 2018

Let’s be clear: Women have just as much right as men to make the most personal health decisions without government interference. We are equal citizens and we will insist on nothing less in this country.

Please call your senators and relay the message: (202) 224-3121

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 12, 2018

Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) and other Democratic figures have been pushing this narrative about Kavanaugh recently, even though multiple fact-checkers called foul on the claim — concluding that it takes the aspiring Supreme Court nominee’s words out of context. As such, Clinton is getting an earful from media figures and political observers:

Fact checkers at both Politifact and Washington Post have rated this claim about Kavanaugh false.

Sources: https://t.co/pBHZd0NRDphttps://t.co/4u2EB0LXrFhttps://t.co/cSZHnqImGz

— andrew kaczynski? (@KFILE) September 12, 2018

This thread is incredibly dishonest. To see why, read this PolitiFact article:https://t.co/3JUy8qGIC6 https://t.co/eljeYC4ltw

— George Conway (@gtconway3d) September 12, 2018

Fact checkers have already said this is a lie, but that hasn’t stopped Hillary from joining Kamala Harris in pushing it. https://t.co/AMmvsXgV0G

— Ronna McDaniel (@GOPChairwoman) September 12, 2018

This isn’t accurate. Kavanaugh was saying that the the Catholic charities involved in a lawsuit against Obamacare viewed some kinds of birth control as “abortion-inducing drugs” https://t.co/TFd5QMTz4g https://t.co/o5y0J539DY

— Anthony Zurcher (@awzurcher) September 12, 2018

Complete and utter dishonesty about Bret Kavanaugh from Hillary Clinton. This is shameful and should be called out for what it is. https://t.co/37ZMhe5ElD

— Mark Hemingway (@Heminator) September 12, 2018

Liar. ?https://t.co/Kr0FZko7HR

— Adam Baldwin (@AdamBaldwin) September 12, 2018

There is no way Hillary Clinton and her staffers didn’t know when they penned this tweet that multiple fact-checkers have found this is false https://t.co/wqcx76JAQ6

— Alex Griswold (@HashtagGriswold) September 12, 2018

Nope. Lie. https://t.co/c9bzYXIsZ6

— David Rutz (@DavidRutz) September 12, 2018

FWIW, the Washington Post gave Kamala Harris’ claim that Kavanaugh offered a “dog whistle” to abortion foes 4 Pinocchios.

WaPo: “Kavanaugh was simply using the same language that was included in the dissent. There’s little indication he thinks birth control is up for debate.” https://t.co/gYX6scy6wz

— Kathryn Watson (@kathrynw5) September 12, 2018

This claim received Four Pinocchios yesterday. No excuse to repeat it today, @HillaryClinton https://t.co/gCJG1bFGuf https://t.co/dfkOvKnJ7v

— Glenn Kessler (@GlennKesslerWP) September 12, 2018

[Image via screengrab]

— —

>> Follow Ken Meyer (@KenMeyer91) on Twitter

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!