Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

In It to Win It

(12,651 posts)
Thu Jul 14, 2022, 12:25 AM Jul 2022

Republican AG says he'll investigate Indiana doctor who provided care to 10-year-old rape victim

Politico via Yahoo News

Indiana’s Republican attorney general said on Wednesday that his office planned to investigate the Indiana doctor who helped a 10-year-old rape victim who crossed state lines to have an abortion.

Dr. Caitlin Bernard, an obstetrician-gynecologist in Indianapolis, has told multiple outlets that she provided care to the 10-year-old after a child abuse doctor in Ohio contacted her. The child was six weeks and three days into the pregnancy, Bernard said. After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last month, a wave of state-level abortion restrictions took effect, including in Ohio, a state that bans abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy, with no exceptions for rape or incest.

“We’re gathering the evidence as we speak, and we’re going to fight this to the end, including looking at her licensure if she failed to report. And in Indiana it’s a crime … to intentionally not report,” state Attorney General Todd Rokita said on Fox News on Wednesday night. “This is a child, and there’s a strong public interest in understanding if someone under the age of 16 or under the age of 18 or really any woman is having abortion in our state. And then if a child is being sexually abused, of course parents need to know. Authorities need to know. Public policy experts need to know.”
49 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Republican AG says he'll investigate Indiana doctor who provided care to 10-year-old rape victim (Original Post) In It to Win It Jul 2022 OP
Is this the hill Republicans want to die on? OAITW r.2.0 Jul 2022 #1
She was on television, fool. vanlassie Jul 2022 #2
"Not yet" illegal to provide abortions... regnaD kciN Jul 2022 #18
The party of forced birth for 5th graders. MontanaMama Jul 2022 #3
Very sick Demovictory9 Jul 2022 #20
+1, they've gone ghoulish and reveling in it uponit7771 Jul 2022 #27
Keep yapping. This is a story that deserves to have legs, and his lunacy will help that. Midnight Writer Jul 2022 #4
OMG . I am appalled. skylucy Jul 2022 #5
Jesus Fucking Christ. nolabear Jul 2022 #6
Gloves off. Start call republicans rapist defenders, and child abusers JohnSJ Jul 2022 #7
Pedophile supporters wnylib Jul 2022 #21
That is even a better description JohnSJ Jul 2022 #22
Attorney General Todd Swastika Blue Owl Jul 2022 #8
"If child is being sexually abused, of course parents need to know." Hugin Jul 2022 #9
The mom knew. She was the one seeking help. scarletlib Jul 2022 #29
Right, there is something really disturbing about his mindset. Hugin Jul 2022 #31
I know, right? ShazzieB Jul 2022 #41
This country is chock full Meowmee Jul 2022 #10
Why is there a need to know? Deuxcents Jul 2022 #11
I think he is referring to the laws requiring reporting child abuse bt fudging his language. Shrike47 Jul 2022 #12
Ok.. but he sounded threatening Deuxcents Jul 2022 #15
Ohio's AG was the prominent story krkaufman Jul 2022 #25
Kind of reminiscent of witch trials. nt BootinUp Jul 2022 #13
The face of the republican party...don't let anyone unsee it!! PortTack Jul 2022 #14
He's on Twitter if you want to tell him directly what you think - Maraya1969 Jul 2022 #16
The crime took place in Ohio, not Indiana Retrograde Jul 2022 #17
I suspect Indiana law requires it in any case when the medical examination takes place there... regnaD kciN Jul 2022 #19
She could report to the Indiana authorities all she wanted. scarletlib Jul 2022 #28
the new pu$#y police! what a proud A.G. he is ! cloudboy07 Jul 2022 #23
Know your enemy: conservative, republican, white evangelical protestant Hermit-The-Prog Jul 2022 #24
If I was a doctor in Indiana I'd leave and go to a state where GoodRaisin Jul 2022 #26
Didn't the Biden administration - or the DOJ - say that they'll go after anyone who prosecutes ... Novara Jul 2022 #30
They're saying they're going after her for not reporting the rape. WhiskeyGrinder Jul 2022 #32
She did report it though. LisaL Jul 2022 #48
Any chance he's going to pay for this "investigation" out of his own pocket? MissMillie Jul 2022 #33
They aren't investigating ForgedCrank Jul 2022 #34
It's bullshit political posturing Novara Jul 2022 #35
Absolutely. ForgedCrank Jul 2022 #36
It's dangerous political posturing. It creates too much uncertainty in law In It to Win It Jul 2022 #38
And that is exactly why it's dangerous Novara Jul 2022 #39
Fuck this clown. Oneironaut Jul 2022 #37
They just don't know when to stop. This will not go well for them. Martin68 Jul 2022 #40
And I would guess that the fact that the doctor is a woman just adds to niyad Jul 2022 #42
In many of these laws taking effect Mr. Evil Jul 2022 #43
The doctor is a mandatory reporter ripcord Jul 2022 #44
You are not correct. LisaL Jul 2022 #47
Why is the mother of the ten year old now saying the criminal didnt do it? BlackSkimmer Jul 2022 #45
DNA doesn't lie. LisaL Jul 2022 #46
Exactly. This story makes my skin crawl. BlackSkimmer Jul 2022 #49

vanlassie

(6,248 posts)
2. She was on television, fool.
Thu Jul 14, 2022, 12:30 AM
Jul 2022

And she herself mentioned that it was NOT YET illegal in Indiana. He’s full of hot air and shit.

regnaD kciN

(27,639 posts)
18. "Not yet" illegal to provide abortions...
Thu Jul 14, 2022, 01:41 AM
Jul 2022

...but, apparently, illegal to not have reported the rape of a child to authorities. Who, undoubtedly, would have taken custody of the child "for her own protection" before the procedure and sent her back to Ohio.

In any event, this is what we should expect from the dominionists: when cases like this come up, deny their existence; then, when that becomes impossible, swing into action...to punish the victims and those who came to their aid. (And, obviously, from what some of them have been saying, there should be no questioning that justice is fully-served if the man responsible is arrested and punished, while the 10-year-old is still forced to carry his child. Actually, that's likely an interim solution for them. In the America to come, once they have taken control and put us under Biblical law, the proper way to bring about justice in this case would be to require the guy to marry her.

I'm expecting that, soon, in the interests of "full disclosure," some holy pro-lifer will leak the identity of the 10-year-old...

wnylib

(26,014 posts)
21. Pedophile supporters
Thu Jul 14, 2022, 01:52 AM
Jul 2022

Remember when they accused Justice Jackson Brown of that during her hearing?

Hugin

(37,848 posts)
9. "If child is being sexually abused, of course parents need to know."
Thu Jul 14, 2022, 12:40 AM
Jul 2022

Stupidest statement I have ever personally read. Hey, Pud, in cases of incest. They already know.

This is an AG? No wonder Jordan is a free man.

Hugin

(37,848 posts)
31. Right, there is something really disturbing about his mindset.
Thu Jul 14, 2022, 08:25 AM
Jul 2022

With the small group of associations most pre-teens have it would be unusual for someone in the family not to be aware of a problem.

ShazzieB

(22,590 posts)
41. I know, right?
Thu Jul 14, 2022, 05:58 PM
Jul 2022

The whole time I was reading this, I kept wondering why that AG seemed to know SO little about this case that's been ALL OVER the news media in recent weeks. If he'd actually read even one of the many news stories about this that I've read, he'd already know the answers to most of the issues he raised. Authorities don't "need to know" those things; the ones that actually keep up with the news already do know.

Personally, I think he DOES know and is just putting on a big show to impress anti-abortion voters in his state and help himself get reelected in November. It's obvious that he doesn't give a fat rat's ass about that CHILD and all the crap she's been through. All he wants to do is use her as a pawn in some holy crusade that he's ginned up to make himself look like some righteous antiabortion crusader to anti-choice voters. If he makes her life even more difficult in the process, that's just peachy keen and hunky-dory as far as he's concerned, because he is a disgusting piece of trash.

I'm thinking about sending this assipe a little gift from this website: https://dicksbymail.com/collections/bags-of-dicks

J/k; I'd rather donate the money to Stacey Abrams or Beto. But it's fun to fantasize!

Shrike47

(6,913 posts)
12. I think he is referring to the laws requiring reporting child abuse bt fudging his language.
Thu Jul 14, 2022, 12:46 AM
Jul 2022

He’s posturing.

Deuxcents

(26,915 posts)
15. Ok.. but he sounded threatening
Thu Jul 14, 2022, 12:52 AM
Jul 2022

Isn’t he the one who denied the story to begin with?
I think he has alternative motives

Retrograde

(11,419 posts)
17. The crime took place in Ohio, not Indiana
Thu Jul 14, 2022, 01:19 AM
Jul 2022

IANAL, but wouldn't the Ohio child welfare people/doctors/teachers be the ones to report the rape? As far as I can tell the doctor in Indiana performed a legal procedure.

But I'm not a showboating Republican Attorney General either.

regnaD kciN

(27,639 posts)
19. I suspect Indiana law requires it in any case when the medical examination takes place there...
Thu Jul 14, 2022, 01:47 AM
Jul 2022

...no matter in which state the actual crime took place.

scarletlib

(3,568 posts)
28. She could report to the Indiana authorities all she wanted.
Thu Jul 14, 2022, 08:09 AM
Jul 2022

The most that Indiana could have done is let Ohio know. That is where the crime took place.

Finally, maybe her Mom had already reported this to th police in Ohio.

Hermit-The-Prog

(36,631 posts)
24. Know your enemy: conservative, republican, white evangelical protestant
Thu Jul 14, 2022, 03:02 AM
Jul 2022
https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/fact-sheet/public-opinion-on-abortion/

Look through all the charts on the above page and the only ones with a majority who think abortions should be illegal in "all / most cases" are

By religion: white evangelical protestant

By party identification: Republican / lean Republican

By political party / ideology: conservative Republican / lean Rep.

All other religious affiliations, including Catholic and especially Unaffiliated, have a majority believing abortions should be legal in "all / most cases".
For political party / ideology, the two columns represent the percentages of people who believe abortion should be (1) legal in all / most cases, and (2) illegal in all / most cases:

60% 38% Moderate/liberal Republican/lean Rep.
72% 26% Conservative/moderate Democrat/lean Dem.
90% 9% Liberal Democrat/lean Dem.

GoodRaisin

(10,922 posts)
26. If I was a doctor in Indiana I'd leave and go to a state where
Thu Jul 14, 2022, 03:47 AM
Jul 2022

RW extremists aren't out to get me. Especially OB-GYN. I wonder if real doctors have thought about that. Could create a shortage of real doctors in Indiana? Then the christo-fascists would pray over the patients?

Novara

(6,115 posts)
30. Didn't the Biden administration - or the DOJ - say that they'll go after anyone who prosecutes ...
Thu Jul 14, 2022, 08:15 AM
Jul 2022

... doctors for LEGAL abortions in states where it is not illegal? Didn't that EO just happen in the last day or so?

MissMillie

(39,652 posts)
33. Any chance he's going to pay for this "investigation" out of his own pocket?
Thu Jul 14, 2022, 08:30 AM
Jul 2022

According to the article, before 22 weeks of pregnancy abortions are legal and absolutely no excuse is required. End of story.

So is this guy planning of spending taxpayer dollars to investigate legal activity?

Someone should investigate him.

ForgedCrank

(3,096 posts)
34. They aren't investigating
Thu Jul 14, 2022, 08:31 AM
Jul 2022

the doctor because she performed an abortion. They are investigating whether or not the incident was reported to the authorities as a potential crime since a 10 year old girl was pregnant.
However, other reports I've read stated the criminal investigation was initiated well over a month ago if my memory is correct.
So it sounds to me like the case was properly reported a long time ago as perpetrator was also arrested long ago. This will not go anywhere, it's just public posturing by the authorities in that state.

In It to Win It

(12,651 posts)
38. It's dangerous political posturing. It creates too much uncertainty in law
Thu Jul 14, 2022, 09:01 AM
Jul 2022

...which I would assume is the point.

The doctor who, by all appearances, did everything legally and it's put out into the press by the state AG that she'll be investigated.

Novara

(6,115 posts)
39. And that is exactly why it's dangerous
Thu Jul 14, 2022, 09:05 AM
Jul 2022

They think by going after doctors, they will become too afraid to administer abortions where it is still legal. I think though, it may backfire. I can imagine doctors getting more determined to provide care.

This fucking right wing bullying is so damn tiresome. They employ it everywhere they are losing. Let's never give in. We need to punch the fucking bullies in the throat.

Oneironaut

(6,299 posts)
37. Fuck this clown.
Thu Jul 14, 2022, 08:51 AM
Jul 2022

Imagine being upset that a 10-year-old child who was raped didn’t have an infant rip through her body?

Go fuck yourself you bloviating shithead!

niyad

(132,440 posts)
42. And I would guess that the fact that the doctor is a woman just adds to
Thu Jul 14, 2022, 06:05 PM
Jul 2022

the idiot's POUTRAGE.

Mr. Evil

(3,457 posts)
43. In many of these laws taking effect
Fri Jul 15, 2022, 12:18 AM
Jul 2022

after the Extreme Court's ruling on Roe, abortions are prohibited even in the case of rape or incest. So, the Death Party (formerly known as the GOP), by excluding rape and incest as reasons for allowing an abortion, tacitly approve of rape and incest. Especially if it results in a pregnancy.

So, the Death Party is ok with Daddy raping and impregnating his own daughter. Wow... just let that sink in.

 

ripcord

(5,553 posts)
44. The doctor is a mandatory reporter
Fri Jul 15, 2022, 12:29 AM
Jul 2022

The law says a doctor has to report any instances of suspected child abuse within 3 days and that wasn't done. We have mandatory reporting laws for a reason and the doctor failed to follow them, has she said why she ignored the law? I honestly don't know why people are so upset, this is an obvious violation of the law.

 

BlackSkimmer

(51,308 posts)
45. Why is the mother of the ten year old now saying the criminal didnt do it?
Fri Jul 15, 2022, 06:13 PM
Jul 2022

This is a weird story.

LisaL

(47,423 posts)
46. DNA doesn't lie.
Fri Jul 15, 2022, 06:31 PM
Jul 2022

They are doing DNA test on the suspect, so they will know if he is the father of the aborted fetus soon enough.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Republican AG says he'll ...