Headlines

Two Legislators Banned from Speaking after Debate on Abortion Bill

Posted: 8:29 PM Jun 15, 2012
Reporter: Fay Li

A story out of the Michigan legislature is making national headlines.

Rep. Barb Byrum, D-Onondaga, and Rep. Lisa Brown, D-West Bloomfield, were banned by Republican leaders from speaking during session on Thursday after a debate over a bill to regulate abortions.

Since the story broke, both legislators say they've received an outpouring of support from people around the nation. This is what Rep. Brown said in an interview with WDIV in Detroit.

"From my side of the aisle I've had a lot of support and outcry from people really across the country just thanking me for being a voice for women."

Republican leaders accused the representatives for behaving unprofessionally, while critics call the leaders' action a 'War on Women.'

Republicans deny the sanctions had anything to do with gender, arguing a male representative was stripped of his committee assignments just last week due to unprofessional behavior on the House Floor.

Regardless, Bill Ballenger from Inside Michigan Politics sees it as a bad political move.

"We've already had one case here earlier in the year where Gretchen Whitmer, the Senate Democratic leader accused a Republican state senator of sexism...Republicans politically should've realized that they were just throwing gasoline on the fire of an already raging controversy," said Ballenger.