Melissa Gira Grant: Two things: 1. This doesn’t sound like a full repeal? Rather, it’s focused on the language in Comstock that the bill’s backers argue could possibly be misused to criminalize mailing items used for abortion.

Sen. Tina Smith announced her “Stop Comstock Act” today—I’ve been trying to get a copy of the actual bill from her office or elsewhere, will hold my take until then! Bill summary here: smithsenate.app.box.com/s/lukg6iugfe...

Two things: 1. This doesn’t sound like a full repeal? Rather, it’s focused on the language in Comstock that the bill’s backers argue could possibly be misused to criminalize mailing items used for abortion.

2. Longtime readers will share my lol (and my lmao even) at Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, both anti-Backpage crusaders, now co-sponsoring the repeal of a law that was used to censor sex ads

"Misused" lol

the debate on this is WILD and seems kind of hung up on “what laws say” vs “what prosecutors will try” and above all “really you trust the courts????”

@susanrinkunas.com mentioned the reason it’s not full repeal may be because of how Comstock is used in CSAM prosecutions

That’s what I have heard and also I am not convinced a full repeal would harm CSAM law

That’s what NOTUS and WaPo said and personally I think that’s just because Dems don’t want GOP attack ads on CSAM

this this this

how do they not realize the attack ads are going to happen anyway? why is the democratic party's mascot Sisyphus

like, even if it was a full repeal, it is almost entirely a symbolic act, in order to get Rs on the record as pro-Comstock and campaign for Biden, who is really the only one who could realistically block enforcement! it’s about making ads and making hay. and yet—

hmmm so it's less Sisyphus and more Prometheus

I'm not convinced this is Dems in Disarray (favorite narrative at NYT/WaPo) so much as a long-awaited development of message discipline? At the last possible moment, DC insiders may have figured out that ONE message on abortion access works better than 19 policy positions. That would be swell.

Meanwhile if you do full repeal, you can run attack ads on Republicans for saying they want to criminalize abortion pills, sex toys, and more

I can’t help but see a connection between Blumenthal and Klobuchar being attached and a “repeal” that tries to avoid touching obscenity

it would be political malpractice to file a message bill that doesn't target abortion brings me no joy, etc Biden polls are 6% lower w white women vs 2020 so the message is: Republicans want to outlaw Shirley*'s abortion in your state *surely my daughter/wife/gf will be able to get her care

Do you mean because of KOSA?

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