MAGA in the States: MAGA Republicans Choose Trump’s Extremism Over the American People Arrow

From the dangerous consequences of their extreme abortion bans to attacks on democracy, the extremism and hate of Donald Trump and his MAGA party were on full display this week. MAGA Republicans continue to carry water for Trump's dangerous agenda as Trump drags the GOP deeper and deeper into dysfunction.

Take a look at the latest:

Donald Trump and his MAGA allies continue their assault on women's fundamental freedoms, even as women suffer the potentially lethal consequences of Trump's extreme abortion bans.

U.S. News & World Report: "I'm a Doctor Who Swore a Hippocratic Oath. Florida Is Forcing Me to Break It."

"Last week, the strictest ban on abortion in Florida's history went into effect. It's now illegal to terminate a pregnancy after six weeks - before many people even realize they're pregnant.

"Floridians now have fewer than 14 days after a missed period to confirm if they have an unintended - or potentially dangerous - pregnancy.

"As a board-certified physician specializing in reproductive health and family planning at Planned Parenthood of South, East and North Florida, I swore a Hippocratic oath to my patients to protect their interests, to do no harm and to give them the best care possible.

"Florida's new six-week abortion ban will force me to break that oath. Contrary to what its supporters say, this law endangers lives.

"Not every person has a straightforward pregnancy - far from it. Draconian restrictions like Florida's ignore just how quickly things can go from bad to worse in pregnancy-related emergencies."

Associated Press: "Louisiana lawmakers reject adding exceptions of rape and incest to abortion ban"

"Despite pleas from Democrats and gut-wrenching testimony from doctors and rape survivors, a GOP-controlled legislative committee rejected a bill Tuesday that would have added cases of rape and incest as exceptions to Louisiana's abortion ban."

"The bill attracted dozens of people to testify, including rape survivors who shared their own stories and doctors who argued that their hands are tied by the current law.

"OB-GYN Dr. Neelima Sukhavasi told lawmakers that since the abortion ban has gone into effect, she and other colleagues have delivered babies who are birthed by teenagers who have been raped.

"'One of these teenagers delivered a baby while clutching a Teddy Bear - and that's an image that once you see that, you can't unsee it,' Sukhavasi said."

WVEC: "Florida's 6-week abortion ban putting strain on Virginia clinics"

"'In Virginia, over the last seven to ten days, we have seen about a 10% increase in out-of-state patients. The bulk of which are coming from Florida,' explained Pickett. 'That brings our total out-of-state total to about 30% of our patients.'

"Abbey says her clinics have seen a similar trend. 'Really, almost all our patients are from out of state,' she said.

"To cope with the influx, Pickett says Planned Parenthood has expanded telehealth services for primary care and gender-affirming care to create more space in its clinics. Also, patient navigators help those from outside Virginia with funding and travel arrangements.

"'It's an incredible strain on all abortion providers in Virginia,' said Pickett. 'It also puts people who live here in an additional predicament because care just might look differently.'"

Michigan Advance: "After being denied health care, women detail 'emotional and psychological toll' of abortion bans"

"Joshua told Nessel about finding out she was pregnant weeks after Louisiana enacted its near total abortion ban. … But from the start, she was denied reproductive health care, having been told she'd have to wait a month before getting a prenatal appointment at more than two months pregnant."

"She was having a miscarriage. But instead of being allowed to technically have an abortion in order to safely pass her pregnancy, Joshua said she was sent home."

"Nessel said that she's terrified at the prospect of a Trump presidency. She argued that any cryptic claims that he's not interested in implementing a federal abortion ban go against what voters know: Trump takes gleeful responsibility for the fall of Roe.

"And with states attacking in vitro fertilization (IVF) and questions being raised surrounding surrogacy, the path to parenthood for many people isn't clear under Republican leadership."

"'It just really opened my eyes that these laws and the way that they're written really have no limits. And we know that MAGA Republicans will take them as far as possible to control women up and down the United States,' Zurawski told the Advance. 'To anyone living in any state where they think they're safe, they think they're protected. If Donald Trump is reelected, no one is safe.'"

MAGA Republicans continue to spiral into chaos and conspiracy thanks to Donald Trump.

Rolling Stone: "Tim Scott Embraces Trump's Election Denialism, Won't Commit to Accept Results"

"Sen. Tim Scott declined multiple times to commit to accepting the results of the 2024 election, regardless of who wins. Appearing on Meet the Press, the South Carolina Republican repeatedly dodged host Kristen Welker's attempts to pin him down and get him to agree to accept the results of the election - a basic tenet of democracy. In doing so, Scott may be currying favor with Donald Trump, who is already pushing the false rhetoric that Democrats 'cheat' in elections, and hoping to be Trump's VP pick.

"When Welker asked Scott again if he would accept the 2024 results, he replied: 'President Trump himself said he expects this election to be fair, he expects it to be honest, and he expects to win. That's what the presidential candidate should expect, and I expect the exact same thing. And frankly the American people agree with him. This is an issue that is not an issue, so I'm not going to make it an issue.'

"Welker gave Scott at least six more opportunities to just say he will accept the results of the election regardless of who wins, and he refused each time."

Slate: "Even Donald Trump Doesn't Know What He Created in the MAGA Swamps of Michigan"

"This scene was a small expression of the absurd dysfunction that has characterized the operations of the Michigan GOP for nearly a year. It is also a window into the problems of the current Republican Party writ large-one of many intraparty conflicts at the state and local level that are exploding across the country.

"The problem, in short, is that the MAGA activists in charge are eating each other alive. States in which old-guard 'establishment' Republicans were run off-seemingly paving the way for unified efforts on behalf of Trump-are instead beset by resignations, lawsuits, and financial crises. Conflicts are ongoing in Nevada, Idaho, Arizona, and Georgia as well as Michigan, and are tearing apart smaller chapters at even more local levels."

Across states, MAGA Republicans buddied up to dangerous extremists and spewed hateful rhetoric to further their out of touch agenda…

AZ Mirror: "Anthony Kern Can No Longer Use Broadcast Facilities After Using Them to Join a Pro-Hitler Talk Show"

"A Glendale Republican lawmaker is no longer allowed to access legislative broadcast equipment after the Arizona Mirror reported on May 3 that he used the Senate's broadcast studio to appear on a far-right talk show last week with a host who has declared Adolf Hitler a 'hero.'"

"Peters, a conspiracy theorist, has been increasingly showcasing antisemitism on his social media profiles and on his show. In promotional material, Peters has praised the mass book burning conducted by the Nazis in the lead up to World War II."

"Kern, who was present amid the violence at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, said that God was 'raising up' people like himself, Peters and Trump. He encouraged Peters' viewers to get involved and for churches to 'rise up.'

"Peters has called for violence at the U.S.-Mexico border, used racist terminology and has spoken at a white nationalist conference."

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