The GOP Shell Game

This week, instead of focusing on jobs, raising wages for American workers or rebuilding our nation's crumbling infrastructure, House Republicans planned to vote on a Nationwide 20-Week Abortion Ban Bill, a radical Tea Party assault on women's health freedoms.  The bill was one of six bills to undermine women's constitutional rights under Roe v. Wade and endanger women's health introduced by Republicans in the first few days of the new Congress.

When faced with a revolt from a small group of Republicans necessary for the bill to pass, Speaker Boehner and House GOP leaders pulled the bill late Wednesday night.

POLITICO: Several GOP sources estimate that up to two dozen Republicans — many of them women — might vote against the 20-week abortion ban, whose critics call the measure politically wrongheaded and harsh.

TPMDC: Tuesday on the House floor, Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-NC) and Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-IN) asked to remove their names as cosponsors of the bill… ‘I have urged leadership to reconsider bringing it up next week [Ellmers said].'

But in this GOP shell game, watch for the sleight of hand...

Ellmers admitted she would have voted for the bill anyway.

TPM: In a second reversal of her position in as many days, Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-NC) said Wednesday afternoon that she would support a routine anti-abortion messaging bill after previously raising objections over rape-related language in the legislation, which she had originally co-sponsored.

And the House Republican leadership has promised to bring this very bill back to the floor:

THE HILL: House Republican leaders say they are committed to bringing back a controversial abortion bill that was abruptly pulled from floor consideration late Wednesday…"We're going to bring this bill back. This is a fight that's not over. We're going to continue working to get this bill passed," House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) told The Hill on Thursday…Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.), one of the sponsors of the pulled bill, said leadership gave him a "word of honor" the measure will get floor action.