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Appeals Court Reinstates Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's Coronavirus-Related Abortion Ban

By Sanford Nowlin

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott - FLICKR / GAGE SKIDMORE

Flickr / Gage Skidmore
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott

Well, that didn't last long.

A day after a federal judge blocked Gov. Greg Abbott's coronavirus-related abortion ban, an emergency stay from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has reinstated the order.

The court voted 2-1 for the stay so it could give consideration to an emergency appeal from Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The two judges in the majority were appointed by presidents Donald Trump and George W. Bush.

Abbott last week issued a controversial order barring most abortions in the state, purportedly to free up medical resources during the COVID-19 pandemic. The ban immediately drew fire from women's health groups, who pointed out that abortions are time-sensitive procedures and that the vast majority are performed by clinics that won't be treating pandemic patients.

Abortion providers sued to stop the ban and won a temporary restraining order from a federal court in Austin Monday, which Paxton immediately appealed.

Stay tuned, the legal wrangling is far from over.

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Tags: coronavirus, corona virus, covid-19, covid 19, pandemic, outbreak, abortion, abortion providers, clinics, women's health, Planned parenthood, planned parenthood South Texas, Austin, Federal appeals court, George W. Bush, Donald Trump, 5th U.S. Circuit, Texas, Greg Abbott, Ken Paxton

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