An Alabama abortion provider accused Congressman Chip Roy (R-TX) of using “inflammatory language” after he literally described her job during a congressional hearing.
Roy began with a simple question — asking Dr. Yashica Robinson when was the latest she had performed an abortion based on gestational age — and Robinson made it clear from the start that she did not like the line of questioning.
Rep. @chiproytx: "What is the latest you have performed an abortion?"
Dr. Robinson: "20 weeks"
Roy: "Have you had baby parts that you've had to discard or store?"
Robinson: "You have used inflammatory language." pic.twitter.com/g94XX7bxQH
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) May 18, 2022
“What is the latest you have performed an abortion in terms of weeks of the unborn child?” Roy asked.
“Yes, my name is Dr. Robinson and I provide abortion care in Alabama,” Robinson replied. “So Alabama has restrictions —”
“What is the answer to the question, the latest that you have performed an abortion?” Roy asked again.
“I’m going to answer your question,” Robinson said, adding, “So unfortunately my state is one of those states —”
“It’s a number of weeks,” Roy protested.
“It’s one of those states that has passed bans or restrictions on abortion care,” Robinson continued. “Which limits physicians like myself —”
“In other words, you’d like to do it later,” Roy interjected, asking a third time. “What is the latest you have performed an abortion?”
“Well, since I will always follow the law and I live in the state of Alabama, I provide abortion care up until 20 weeks gestational age,” Robinson answered.
“Ok, so you performed an abortion at 20 weeks,” Roy moved on then, noting the proper procedure for abortion at that stage of fetal development was dilation and extraction and asking how the process worked once that was underway. “Have you performed abortions at that stage, and in doing so, have you had baby parts that you’ve had to discard or store in some capacity … legs … arms?”
“One of the things that you all have done throughout this hearing is use inflammatory language as you talk about —” Robinson pushed back.
Roy did not let her finish: “No, it’s a question. Ma’am … Ma’am, it’s a simple question. Have you had human parts, baby parts, arms, legs, as a result of an abortion performed, at the time you just acknowledged you perform abortions, up to 20 weeks?”
“I am a physician and a proud abortion provider,” Robinson insisted. “There’s nothing that you can say that makes it difficult for me to talk about the care that I provide to my patients.”
“Have there been baby parts, yes or no?” Roy asked again. “And where and how have they been stored?”
Robinson continued to deflect, saying that she would be happy to discuss how she provided abortion care — while continuing to refuse to answer direct questions about how she provided abortion care.
“So the answer to the question is fairly obvious,” Roy concluded. “There are baby parts, and you don’t want to talk about how they’re being stored. You don’t want to talk about putting them in freezers, you don’t want to talk about putting them in Pyrex dishes, you don’t want to talk about the videos we have from Planned Parenthood … you don’t want to talk about the reality of what actually happens.”