On September 1, a Texas law banning abortion after six weeks went into effect due to inaction from the Supreme Court. The law -- which makes no exception for incest or rape -- effectively bans abortion in the state because abortions before six weeks are nearly impossible, partly because many people do not even know they pregnant at that point. In addition, the law allows citizens to collect a minimum $10,000 bounty and recoup their legal costs if they are found successful in a suit against anyone who aids in obtaining an abortion in Texas after six weeks.
There has been a flurry of recent activity that cable news could have covered as a case brought by pro-choice groups to try to halt the law wound its way through the courts.
On August 25, a federal district court denied Texas’ motion to dismiss the case. Just two days later, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals stopped all proceedings in the district court, which canceled that court’s preliminary injunction hearing, and denied the plaintiffs’ request to expedite the appeal. On August 29, the plaintiffs filed for emergency relief, and on August 30, they filed an emergency request with the U.S. Supreme Court, asking it to block the law before it went into effect.
But, it wasn’t until late last night, as people waited to see whether the Supreme Court would intervene, that cable news first covered these events.
