NEW REPORT: Kemp Could Direct Abortion Investigations

Local Law Enforcement Will Refer Potential Violations of Kemp’s Abortion Ban to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation

A new piece from The Columbus News reveals that Gov. Brian Kemp could direct state law enforcement to investigate potential violations of his extreme abortion ban. The Taylor County Sheriff’s Office said they will refer potential violations of Kemp’s ban on abortion to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), opening the door for Kemp to direct investigations and “potentially prosecute women and doctors.”

The GBI’s organizational chart shows that the governor is the chair of the Board of Public Safety, which oversees the GBI. By directive of the governor, the GBI can get involved in an investigation, meaning that when local law enforcement agencies refer potential violations of Kemp’s abortion ban, Kemp could direct the GBI to take action and investigate.

The news comes as Kemp has been relatively quiet on how his abortion ban will be enforced and a Kemp campaign advisor recently told NBC News: “We don’t want this debate [on abortion]. It doesn’t help.”

Read More from The Columbus News: Kemp Could Potentially Direct Abortion Investigations 

• Earlier this summer, after the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Georgia’s new abortion law went into effect which banned abortions after 6 weeks, typically the time cardiac activity is detected.

• The Columbus Police Department has said that they would investigate potential violations of the law. In fact, Sgt. Aaron Evrard said “the Columbus Police Department will investigate violations of Georgia Law that we are aware of,” he said in an email. He also added that “criminal charges may be made when and if evidence exists to support those charges as outlined by Georgia law.”

• Previously, the Columbus District Attorney Stacey Jackson said that he would deal with these violations on a case-by-case basis, still allowing potential prosecutions. The decision to prosecute would come down to arrests and investigations by the Columbus Police. 

• More shockingly, the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office said that all potential violations and cases would be referred to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation which would open the door for Governor Brian Kemp to direct the investigation and potentially prosecute women and doctors. 

• Kemp, however, has been relatively quiet on how the state intends to enforce the law, including both in cases of emergency care and potential criminal charges for attending nurses and physicians. And his staff is similarly mum on the matter ahead of the election, saying in regards to abortion law, “we don’t want this debate.”

• The law is unclear about what will happen to a person who has a miscarriage, whether law enforcement is empowered to investigate abortion-led rape and incest cases, and who makes the report on cases of rape or incest? These questions leave room for potentially dangerous consequences, harming women and doctors across the state.

###