Texas GOP Website Allegedly Hacked By Anonymous in Protest Over Restrictive Abortion Law
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Earlier, the US Justice Department sued the state of Texas over a restrictive abortion law, following the Supreme Court's 5-4 ruling in favour of the constitutionality of the bill banning the termination of pregnancy after the sixth week in the Lone Star State.
The website of the Texas Republican Party was hacked Saturday by a group claiming to protest the state’s restrictive new abortion law, reported Texas Public Radio. Jon Cooper, a former New York financial adviser to President Joe Biden and ex-President Barack Obama, rushed to applaud the fact on Twitter, exclaiming that the news “made my day”.
It made my day to see the Texas GOP’s website hacked today by Anonymous in support of @PPFA. pic.twitter.com/1YgnNmZlrc
— Jon Cooper 🇺🇸 (@joncoopertweets) September 11, 2021
Hacking group Anonymous claimed responsibility for the hack, as the website is said to have featured the group’s banner across the top of the page, a Rick Astley music video, and an obscene photo for several hours. It also carried a statement saying the GOP was “taking voices from women to promote theocratic erosion of church/state barriers", according to the outlet.
Official press release from Operation Jane.#OperationJane #TexasAbortionLaw pic.twitter.com/BfC11BODsD
— Operation Jane (@OperationJane) September 3, 2021
Anonymous launched “Operation Jane” after the anti-abortion legislation went into effect, targeting web sites purportedly established to identify people assisting those seeking an abortion after six weeks, added Texas Public Radio.
Controversial ‘Heartbeat’ Bill
This comes as the Texas Senate Bill 8, dubbed the "heartbeat bill", effectively bans abortions after six weeks and allows suing abortion clinics or those who help women get abortions in the state. The legislation took effect on September 1 after being passed by the state’s GOP-led Legislature and signed into law by Republican Governor Greg Abbott. Reproductive health physicians insist the term “fetal heartbeat” used in the legislation is misleading as there is no cardiovascular system or a functional heart six weeks into pregnancy.
Earlier, the US Supreme Court voted 5-4 not to block the law, however, on September 3rd a Texas judge issued a temporary restraining order to protect the state’s abortion clinics from facing lawsuits. A hearing in the case is set for Monday. The US Justice Department (DOJ) on Thursday filed a lawsuit against Texas over the legislation, which President Joe Biden slammed as an "unprecedented assault on a woman’s constitutional rights."
Attorney General Merrick Garland said at a press briefing on Thursday that the law is "clearly unconstitutional under longstanding Supreme Court precedent." He warned it may" become a model" for similar action in other states.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and other Republicans have vowed to defend the new law.
TEXAS ABORTION LAW
— The National Desk (@TND) September 9, 2021
"We're talking about a heartbeat here. The heartbeat of a baby," said Texas AG @KenPaxtonTX.
"I think elected representatives in each state should decide whether they want to protect that heartbeat." pic.twitter.com/bS1jmcTb9e
Today the Biden Administration sued every individual in Texas. Biden should focus on fixing the border crisis, Afghanistan, the economy and countless other disasters instead of meddling in state’s sovereign rights.
— Texas Attorney General (@TXAG) September 9, 2021
I will use every available resource to fight for life.
Paxton responded to DOJ's lawsuit, saying on Twitter that the administration should be focusing on the “border crisis, Afghanistan, the economy and countless other disasters” instead of “meddling in states’ sovereign rights."
