CBS Hypes Lawsuit by Leftist Group Against Texas Abortion Law

March 7th, 2023 8:42 PM

On Tuesday's edition of CBS Evening News, anchor Norah O'Donnell dedicated an entire segment of her broadcast to a partisan lawsuit by the radical leftist abortion-loving Center for Reproductive Rights on behalf of five women against Texas's abortion law. The lawsuit sought to "clarify" the text of the law despite it being crystal clear under what limited circumstances abortions were allowed. Mainly if the woman's life was in danger or the baby had already died inside the mother to protect her life, which many on left falsely call an abortion.

"Tonight, five Texas women are suing the lone star state after they claimed they were denied medically necessary abortions because their doctors feared being prosecuted over the state's ban on the procedure," O'Donnell hyped at the top of the segment before turning to correspondent Janet Shamlian.

For her report, Shamlian acted as the stenographer for one of the women suing Texas over the law to protect the lives of innocent unborn babies. 

 

 

"Anna Zargarian is one of five women suing the state of Texas over its abortion ban. She was denied the procedure at 19 weeks after her water broke early," Shamlian said. "She says putting her at risk of a potentially life-threatening infection. Her doctors said they couldn’t perform the abortion, so she had one in Colorado." 

This was unnecessary since any doctor in Texas who wasn't ignorant of the law knew that this woman's situation would've allowed her to receive the care needed to protect her life.

Later on in the report, Shamlian referred to the abortion-loving group, Center for Reproductive Rights as an "abortion rights advocacy group." 

Regurgitating the debunked pro-abort talking points, Shamlian huffed that "Texas is among 12 states with the most restrictive abortion rules. The procedure is banned unless a woman's life is at risk, or the fetus has a fatal diagnosis. But physicians say they’re fearful. Even when they would typically provide an abortion as a standard of care because of a law that criminalizes performing the procedure." 

Yet it wasn't until the tail end of the segment when reality was able to seep in after the President of the civil rights group Texas Right to Life John Seago explained that the "Texas law does not require for a woman to be at death's door to get involved and actually save that woman." 

This dishonest coverage of the Texas abortion law was made possible by Liberty Mutual. Their information is linked. 

To read the relevant transcript, click "expand": 

CBS Evening News
3/7/2023
6:40:33 p.m. Eastern

NORAH O’DONNELL: Tonight, five Texas women are suing the lone star state after they claimed they were denied medically necessary abortions because their doctors feared being prosecuted over the state's ban on the procedure. The women came forward to tell their stories today on the steps of the state capitol in Austin. CBS's Janet Shamlian is there. 

ANNA ZAGARIAN: And I needed an abortion to preserve my health, but couldn't get one in Texas. 

JANET SHAMLIAN: Anna Zargarian is 1 of 5 women suing the state of Texas over its abortion ban. She was denied the procedure at 19 weeks after her water broke early. She says putting her at risk of a potentially life-threatening infection. Her doctors said they couldn’t perform the abortion, so she had one in Colorado. 

ZAGARIAN: I felt like a shell of a human, but I was just like, you know, wrapped up in grief. 

SHAMLIAN: The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the women by the Center for Reproductive Rights. An abortion rights advocacy group. Texas is among 12 states with the most restrictive abortion rules. The procedure is banned unless a woman's life is at risk, or the fetus has a fatal diagnosis. But physicians say they’re fearful. Even when they would typically provide an abortion as a standard of care because of a law that criminalizes performing the procedure. John Seago helped get Texas' abortion ban passed. He says some doctors are confused about what the law requires. 

JOHN SEAGO (PRESIDENT, TEXAS RIGHT TO LIFE): Texas law does not require for a woman to be at death's door to get involved and actually save that woman.