The Indiana doctor whose abortion on a 10-year-old girl was used as a talking point by the left and doubted by conservatives has hit back at her detractors – including the state’s attorney general, who she is suing for defamation.
The account asserts the unnamed girl was forced to seek an abortion in Indiana after her home state of Ohio barred abortions, and became a flashpoint in the debate over abortion rights after it was shared to a local newspaper by an unnamed source last month.
The story soon came under scrutiny – with pundits, politicians, news publications and even personalities clashing over its veracity following last month’s controversial overturning of Roe vs. Wade.
That initial doubt, however, was soon quelled, after it was revealed that the rape had taken place, and that a 27-year-old Ohio man has been charged with raping the girl.
Records further revealed that the abortion also occurred, days after the historic ruling- and that Indianapolis obstetrician-gynecologist Caitlin Bernard was the doctor who performed it.
Speaking on national television Tuesday, Bernard slammed politicians and news publications who questioned the story’s veracity, after the Supreme Court nixed federal rights for abortions in June.
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Dr. Caitlin Bernard, the Indiana doctor whose abortion on a 10-year-old girl was used as a talking point by the left and doubted by conservatives, hit back at her detractors – including the state’s attorney general – in an exclusive interview on CBS Tuesday
‘Come spend a day in my clinic,’ Bernard told ‘CBS Evening News’ Norah O’Donnell, when asked about those who accused her of making up the story – including AG Todd Rokita, who falsely said she failed to report the procedure.
‘Come see the care that we provide every single day,’ the OBGYN continued. ‘The situations that people find themselves in, and in need of abortion care are some of the most difficult that you could imagine.
‘And that’s why we, as physicians, need to be able to provide that care unhindered, that medical decisions need to be made between a physician and their patients.’
Due to privacy laws, as politicians and pundits – and even publications such as The Washington Post – debated over the story, Bernard had to keep mum about the June 30 procedure.
Speaking to CBS News’ Norah O’Donnell Tuesday, Bernard slammed politicians and news publications who questioned the story’s veracity, after the Supreme Court nixed federal rights for abortions in June
However, in early July, Ohio linked 27-year-old Columbus man Luis Fuentes to the rape, which police said took place on two different occasions.
Documents obtained by the Washington Post further revealed that Dr Bernard did report the minor’s abortion before she was legally mandated to do so – contradicting televised claims made by Rokita, who said he had not received documentation from state agencies that the abortion had been reported.
He also called Bernard an ‘abortion activist,’ casting doubt on the account, and hinted that he would personally pull her license if the story turned out to be false.
Bernard is now suing Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita (pictured) for defamation, after he threatened to pull her license after questioning the claims and launching an investigation into the Indianapolis doctor
Bernard, who told O’Donnell she has felt threatened by the claims, has since sued the Indiana AG for defamation, saying the statements he made about her were false and harmful to her reputation.
‘The situations that people find themselves in, and in need of abortion care are some of the most difficult that you could imagine.
‘And that’s why we, as physicians, need to be able to provide that care unhindered, that medical decisions need to be made between a physician and their patients.’
Bernard, who told O’Donnell she has felt threatened, moved to sue Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita for defamation, saying he made false statements about her after the June 30 case came to light.
Bernard also said the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade will have ramifications on not only abortions but other reproductive health care as well, which she asserted could endanger women’s lives.
in early July, Ohio arrested 27-year-old Columbus man Luis Fuentes and linked him to the rape, confirming Bernard’s story
‘When you take away the right to privacy in your medical decision-making, it puts you in a situation where you don’t know where to turn,’ she said.
‘And it makes it incredibly difficult, not just to provide abortion care, but full-spectrum reproductive health care. You know, this will affect our ability to take care of miscarriages.
‘This will affect our ability to take care of complications in early pregnancy that could kill someone. This will affect our ability to provide infertility treatment, contraception, the list goes on.’
Asked what she would say to those who believe abortion is immoral, Bernard said their personal religious beliefs should not impede on others’ access to medical care.
‘What I would say is if you don’t believe that you would have an abortion, then don’t have one,’ she said.
‘You cannot stop other people from accessing medical care that they need based on your personal religious beliefs. You would never want somebody to do that to you.’
Fuentes’ arrest, on July 13, came less than two weeks after the story surfaced, also came just two days after Ohio AG Dave Yost said his office didn’t hear a ‘whisper’ about the 10-year-old girl – who allegedly had to leave the state in order to get the abortion.
Speaking to Fox News on July 12, Yost, a Republican, asserted that there was ‘no biological evidence’ of the case – saying that a rape kit was not performed.
Yost, 65, went on to declare that his office ‘works closely’ with law enforcement and would have known about the incident if one was filed.
That declaration came five days after the girl reportedly identified Fuentes to authorities and weeks after a child services report was generated, and 12 days after the reported rape.
‘We have regular contact with prosecutors and local police and sheriffs, not a whisper anywhere,’ Yost told the station at the time.
Ohio AG Dave Yost also doubted the story, saying his office didn’t hear a ‘whisper’ about the 10-year-old girl – who allegedly had to leave the state in order to get the abortion
Dr Caitlin Bernard helped the rape victim obtain an abortion, and has filed a claim seeking damages. On June 25, she spoke during an abortion rights rally in Indianapolis
The very next day, Indiana AG Rokita, also on Fox News, questioned whether Bernard had actually reported the procedure to state officials – bragging that he was ‘gathering evidence’ to see if the doctor could face ‘a criminal charge.’
The appearance did not see the lawmaker provide evidence to back up his claims.
Two days later, the case was all but confirmed – smearing egg in the faces of the several politicians, pundits, personalities and even news publications who questioned the story.
Rokita, meanwhile, has 90 days to investigate or settle the claim before facing potential legal action from Bernard. After that period of time, she can file suit.
Asked Tuesday what she would say to those who believe abortion is wrong , Bernard said one’s religious beliefs should not affect others’ access to medical care.
‘What I would say is if you don’t believe that you would have an abortion, then don’t have one,’ she said.
‘You cannot stop other people from accessing medical care that they need based on your personal religious beliefs. You would never want somebody to do that to you.’