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FACT CHECK: Did Doug Jones Say, ‘Even After Birth A Mother Has The Right To Decide Whether A Child Lives Or Dies’?
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An image shared on Facebook claims Democratic Alabama Sen. Doug Jones said, “It is my honest opinion that even after birth a mother has the right to decide whether a child lives or dies.”
Verdict: False
There is no record of Jones making the statement. A spokesperson for Jones confirmed he never said the quote.
Fact Check:
Jones was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2017 following a special election to fill the seat vacated by former Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions, who was appointed attorney general. An image on Facebook appears to show a picture of Jones paired with an alleged quote from him that reads, “It is my honest opinion that even after birth a mother has the right to decide whether a child lives or dies.”
There is, however, no evidence that Jones made the remark. Had the senator done so, media outlets would have almost assuredly reported on it, yet no reports appear to exist. The quote could not be found on either of Jones’ verified Twitter accounts, @SenDougJones and @DougJones. A search of the congressional record likewise showed no instances of Jones making the comment.
“No, Senator Jones did not say that,” Jones’ press secretary Caroline Stonecipher said in an email to the DCNF. “In fact, he was one of three Democratic senators to vote for the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act.”
The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act was a bill that sought to “penalize physicians who don’t provide medical care to a baby born after an abortion attempt,” according to The Associated Press. It was voted down in February.
Jones appears to supports the rights of women to have an abortion, but told the Montgomery Advertiser in October that he opposes “late-term abortions, which are extremely rare, except for instances of rape, incest, or when the life and health of the mother is in jeopardy.”
Such a comment appears to be inconsistent with the alleged quote attributed to him in the post. We rate this claim false.
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