NAMPA, Idaho — After Supreme Court documents on Roe v Wade were leaked last week, an edited 10-second clip from Idaho Reports is being shared across social media, the clip is causing concern for Idahoans that worry the state could ban things like contraceptives or drugs prescribed to end a pregnancy.
The man quoted in the clip, Nampa Rep. Brent Crane, says there is more explanation needed and the popular clip being shared misses the crux of his answer.
The exchange in the edited clip is between Rep. Crane and Idaho Reports host Melissa Davlin.
As a follow up to a conversation about penalizing women who drive to Oregon for abortion care, something Crane said would be a scary place to be and he did not believe in penalizing women who choose to do that, Davlin asked Crane: “How about abortion pills via mail or IUD’s or ‘Plan B,’ would you hear legislation to ban those?” Crane responded: “I would, absolutely,” right as the clip is cut off.
“The clip is obviously taken out of context and is being used for political purposes to derive a narrative and also to raise money. It's very unfortunate that they're using it to scare women and to try to raise money around this issue. But that's exactly what has happened,” Crane told KTVB on Monday.
Crane, who serves as Chairmen of the House State Affairs committee, says the context missed in the clip is that he was talking about medical concerns about drugs that can induce an abortion. He says he wasn’t talking about contraceptives like IUDs.
“I went on to explain that what I was concerned about was the abortifacient piece, then the health of the mother, the concerns. There are rumors that are out there that some of these abortifacients, that women have complications. And so, my feeling is, is that we should probably have a hearing to let both sides come and present the evidence to the committee and then let the committee decide how they want to handle the issue of abortifacients,” Crane said.
Abortifacients are substances that induce an abortion.
After the edited clip was posted and shared over the weekend, some spoke out on social media about fears of losing options when it comes to contraceptives and specifically emergency contraceptives. Idaho Democratic Party Chairwoman Lauren Necochea put out a statement in response to the clip saying in-part :
“The admission that Idaho’s Republican lawmakers may outlaw safe and effective forms of birth control is our worst fear realized. It proves this was never about abortion. It is about enacting extremist views and stripping away Idahoans’ most basic freedoms. This declaration should serve as a wake-up call for every Idahoan, and American, that our right to privacy and the very control of our bodies and lives are in their crosshairs.”
Crane says the short clip simply misses the point of the conversation.
“It's unfortunate that that got taken out of context that Representative Crane would have a hearing and he's going to ban IUD. That's not true. That is false. I have absolutely no plans to do anything that is going to outlaw or ban IUDs. My wife and I, in our own personal family, planning how to use contraceptives. And so I don't have any plans to outlaw it. I will not be bringing the legislation. And if a legislator comes and wants to propose legislation that bans IUDs, I have no desire or intent to move that legislation forward or to allow it to have a hearing,” Crane said.
To be clear, Crane says he is a pro-life lawmaker who believes abortion should be outlawed.
“Abortifacients for me are something that I would actually hear legislation, to outlaw pills that perform an abortion. However, I believe a woman has the right with regards to contraceptive care and the choice of the contraceptives that they are going to use. And so, we will have that debate should this ruling get passed down. We will have that debate in committee, and we will determine where the Idaho legislature feels like Idaho should be with regards to that issue,” Crane said.
Crane says he has heard from constituents over the weekend and understands concerns.
“The way that was characterized, it caused a lot of women to be concerned that their contraceptive care was going to be taken away. And that is simply not true. And so I appreciate the opportunity to clear this up,” Crane said. “I don't have any concerns that Idaho lawmakers are going to be taking away your access to contraceptives.”
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