look what we created. this is now sarah palin's party. its not john mccain's party. this say different party. >> david jolly and monya sharon, thank you for joining me tonight. that is "all in" on this wednesday night. good evening, rachael. >> good evening, chris. thank you, my friend. much appreciated. thanks for joining us this hour. 1973. s. when the united states supreme court guaranteed abortion rights nationwide. that, of course, is the landmark roe versus wade decision. that law blocked states, any state in the country from banning abortion. it said american women have a right under the united states constitution to get an abortion if they want one. and that right can't be infringed even if politicians in individual states feel differently. after that ruling in 1973, the very first abortion clinic to open its doors in the great state of texas was a clinic in the city of mcallen.

mcallen is a small city on the very southern tip of texas, right on the border of mexico. the first abortion clinic in texas opened there in 1973 and it served women in the rio grande valley in that part of south texas for decades. even as anti-abortion republicans started to cement their control over the government in texas and year after year they devised ever more creative and draconian ways to make abortion as hard and as dangerous to get as possible in texas, that clinic in mcallen kept going. and republicans really did keep passing more and more restrictive laws making it more impossible for clinics to stay open and making it more impossible for doctors to provide that service. in recent years texas republicans passed new abortion restrictions regularly, at least every two years with each new session of the republican dominated state legislature. and as a result of those

restrictions, every couple of years more clinics in texas would close. by the end of 2013, so 40 years after roe, that one clinic in mcallen, texas, was the last and only abortion clinic serving the entire rio grande valley in texas. and i single out 2013 because thanks to the round of new restrictions that were enacted by texas republicans that year in 2013, that mcallen clinic finally after withstanding 40 years of restrictions, that mcallen clinic was no longer able to perform abortions. and so thanks to that 2013 law passed you about texas republicans, the rio grande valley, an area the size of connecticut with over a million americans in it had no abortion providers at all. that 2013 anti-abortion law in texas is one that prompted

something -- a plul effort that got a lot of attention at the time. it was an 11 hour standing filibuster from texas democratic state senator wendy davis. with that one woman filibuster, she did manage to block that abortion bill for a short time. ultimately, texas republicans passed it. again, this is back in 2013. and after that happened, seeing what effect that was having on clinics all over the beleaguered state of texas, we sent a producer from our show down to mcallen. down to the whole women's health clinic in mcallen, the last clinic serving that last vast area of texas after blocked from performing abortions. >> what you seen with the cumulative restrictions is in 2011, there were 44 facilities in texas. in october of 2013, there were

44. so there was a reduction. then in november of 2013 when hb 2 was in effect, it went to 22. right? that's where we're at right now. we're also seeing more and more women take matters into their own hands and, you know, this has been well publicized that people go over the border. the they get medication to self induce abortion. and sometimes they come to us afterward for an ultrasound to see if they're still pregnant. sometimes they're actively bleeding so we refer them to where they can get a dnc. we saw an increase of self induction and even greater increase now. it's pretty much like pre-roe. this law didn't do anything to sprent the need for abortion. right? and so we didn't change the amount of women in the community who are still going to need the service. we just blocked their access to getting it safely.

and so it's just, you know, it's obvious we're going have a public health problem on our hands, right? >> the law did not do anything to prevent the need for abortion. we didn't change the amount of wum in the community who are still going to need the service. we just blocked their access to getting it safely. that was the situation -- this is seven years ago this is march 2014. at that clinic in mcallen, texas, that stood for 40 years. the founder of whole women's health, what she was telling us when we talked with her is that clinic she ran, the one that had been operating for decades, the very first abortion clinic to open in texas after roe versus wade, it was shutting down. because of those restrictions passed in 2013 by the texas republican dominated legislature. she was finally being forced to close the doors of that clinic. when we spoke to amy miller of whole women's health in march of 2014, as she said, as of 2011, there had been 44 facilities in

texas providing abortion. by 2014, it wasn't 44 anymore, it was half that. 22. she told us she was in the process right then of closing two of the five clinics she ran including that one in mcallen. about it end of that year, by the end of 2014, in the great state of texas, a state of 30 million people, by the end of 2014, there were only eight clinics in texas. texas is at the forefront of this for a long time. wherever the anti-abortion movement is going in this country, you can be sure that texas will get there first. passing new and inventive ways to block women from accessing abortion. no feeling at the court saying what must past muster, what not, tweaking the law again. that meant a two decade long roller coaster for health care providers. clinics get shut down for weeks or months and then a court steps

in and blocks whatever new texas republican law had led to that shutdown. then thanks to that new court ruling, blocking that new law, then they can reopen. but with the uncertainty that, you know, when it's going to happen again, when they come up with a new way to shut us down. in texas, providers are handed scripts that they have to read. scripts written by republican legislators that they are required by law to read to patients even if the doctor disagrees with them and thinks they're giving the patient unaccurate information. patients are forced to undergo a sonogram whether they want to or not, whether it is medically necessary or not, they must do it. a simple and safe procedure is turned by law into a two or three day or more than that odyssey for both providers and patients with new arcane deliberately expensive procedures mandated by the state government. and then sometimes those burdensome requirements are struck down by the courts and providers and women that want this service, patients in texas get some relief.

sometimes that happens. in fact, that is what happened to that 2013 texas law. that brought texas from 44 clinics down to 8. that law that shut down all these texas clinics. that draconian restriction, it got struck down. the united states supreme court struck it down. took three years. but those restrictions were ultimately blocked by the highest court in the land. amy miller has talked to us many times about the heartbreak of having to turn people away. today at the united states supreme court, she definitively won her case. >> congratulations on this ruling today. >> thank you so much, rachael. i have been looking forward to the day i get to talk to you about this for a few years. >> tell me what this means for your organization, clinics, what does the future look like? >> this is fantastic. i mean, on so many levels it's a win. it shows that when you stand up to bully politicians, you can win. that you can stand up to a

government as powerful as the state of texas. and we illustrated the harm and burden this law put forward for women all throughout the state of texas. and we got relief not only for women in texas but for many states across the country. >> that was june 2016. three years after that draconian texas law had gone into effect, the one filibustered by wendy davis, the one that shuddered that clinic in mcallen and shuddered so many other clinics in the state. the one that left texas with only eight clinics for a state of 30 million people. they passed that law in 2013. three years later the supreme court struck down most of that law. a 5-3 decision in the united states supreme court. the premise of that law that it would protect women's health by denying them access to abortion, the supreme court ruled that premise was basically a sham. justice stephen breyer said in part, in that opinion, "we have

found nothing in texas's record of evidence that shows that the new law advanced texas' legitimate interests in protecting women's health." she wrote a concurrence of her own saying laws like hb 2, the law in texas at the time, laws like this that do little or nothing for health that they rather strewn impediments to abortion that cannot survive judicial inspection. thanks to that united states supreme court ruling in 2016, a bunch of texas abortion clin ukz were able to stay open or reopen after having been shut h i can tell you that the whole women's health clinic in mcallen, texas, did reopen and it is open and offering services right now today. but even on that day in 2016 when we talked to miss miller, you could hear the elation with that win from her, even on that day when the supreme court

issued that definitive ruling which was a victory for women who want that service in texas and for the providers who are willing to provide it to them, even that day there were ominous signs looming. i mentioned earlier that was a 5-3 decision. wait, 5 plus 3 is eight. in this case there were eight. antonin scalia died a few months before. and there was nobody on the court yet filling his seat. because republicans and the united states senate were at that point months into their on precedented blockade of president obama's supreme court nominee merit garland. republicans decided they would keep that supreme court seat vacancy in the hope that a republican president would win the presidential election in 2016. some republicans said if a republican didn't win the election in 2016, they might just keep that seat on court vacant another few years anyway, however many years it took to get a republican in the white house so that a republican pinted judge would hold that

seat. they would do anything, they would break any rule or norm or precedent to get a conservative republican appointed justice in that vacant seat. and honestly, to get an anti-abortion justice in that vacant seat. and, of course, they didn't have to hold that seat open for more than a year. donald trump won the election in 2016. and they let him fill that seat they held open for a year soas to deny president obama the right to fill it. that was on the abortion and he got a soot and trump got to replace anthony kennedy. why did he retire? then in the final months of trump's presidency, he replaced at one of the five justices filling the seat of the late ruth bader ginsburg, the one that written law is one in texas cannot survive judicial

inspection. as he proceeded to fill the court with could be servetive anti-abortion justices, after he explicitly prompted he would only appoint justices who would overturn roe versus wade, abortion providers and activists and even just concerned observers could see what was happening, right? people were raising the alarm that roe versus wade was in imminent danger. the right to legal abortion in this country really was coming under threat. and some people didn't believe it or they said they didn't believe it. susan collins and lisa myrrh you could ski said they were sure, convinced that all the trump nominees to the supreme court certainly recognize roe versus wade as settled precedent. they would never mess with that. let's not be melodramatic. legal abortion is safe in this country in a permanent way. well here we are. you ever wondered where you'd be and what you'd be doing, what it would be like for you when roe versus wade came to an end in america and abortion started to be banned in america?

well, wherever you were today and whatever you were doing today and whatever it was like for you today, that's your answer. >> i'd like to take a moment to share with you all what the final hours of legal abortion care looks like in texas last night. whole woman's health has staff and physicians providing abortions in texas until 11:56 is the time we finished our last abortion in ft. worth last night. our waiting rooms were filled with patients and their loved ones and all four of our clinics yesterday. we had a physician who had worked with us for decades in tears as he tried to complete the abortions for all the folks who were waiting in our ft. worth waiting room. marva sadler who was our plaintiff in this case was on suit also in ft. worth working with our physician to see every single patient. she called me at 10:00 p.m., 27

patients left in the waiting room and both she and the doctor were crying and just asking me, what can we do? how can we be sure we can see all these folks? keep in mind the anti-abortion protesters were outside this entire time, from the moment we opened up at 8:00 until we closed at midnight. and once it got dark, they got junt shining lights and shined the lights on the parking lot. we were under surveillance. this is not abstract. this is real for our team. >> amy miller of whole women's health describing the final hours of legal abortion care in texas as of last night. they provide services to patients up until 11:56 p.m. the law went into effect in midnight. as of many i had night, roe versus wade is now a dead letter. it's unoperable in the state of texas, at least. a whole women's health is among the texas reproductive health

providers and advocates that pleaded with the supreme court to issue an emergency injunction last night to stop this new texas law from taking effect, this new texas law that makes abortion effectively illegal. but the supreme court just didn't respond. they did nothing. they sat silent, let the new texas ban go into effect and in so doing as of right now, they essentially let the protections of roe versus wade come to an end. the law in effect in texas right now bans abortion after about six weeks, most women do not even know they're pregnant before six weeks, something like 85% to 90% of abortions take place after six weeks. this outlaws 90% abortions. there is no exception for rape or incest. but what that means is that a woman who is forcibly impregnated by a rapist, that woman will be forced to bear the

rapist's child against her will. see, because conservatives like small government and freedom, the thing that really sets this law apart, the thing that is actually designed to make it difficult to challenge in court is the sort of distaupian unovation that maybe only the state of texas could come up with. since they've been working for 20 years now on finding constitutional work arounds to make abortion expensive, unnecessarily dangerous, and unnecessarily hard to get. they created this weird vigilante system whereby anybody in the country, any nut anywhere has standing automatically to sue anybody in texas who abets a woman getting an abortion. they can use texas courts to sue not only a doctor who does an abortion but anybody who works in any capacity at a clinic where an abortion is provided and anybody who drives you to

the clinic for your appointment including a taxi driver or an uber driver, rape counsellor who advises you on your options, religious adviser, priest, somebody in your faith who talks with you about your decision. anybody who loans you money for the procedure, somebody who gives you a place to sleep in town in the town where your appointment is if the clinic is far away from your home and you have to travel for it. the way the law is written, a random person anywhere in the country with no connection to your abortion and having shown no injury from you having had an abortion, that person can sue anybody who not only assisted, abetted you getting the abortion, they could even sue somebody for intending to help someone getting an abortion. intent is enough. so what's that mean? if you you this good thoughts about a woman's chance of getting an abortion your in the bulls eye because you intend to maybe help her even if you

don't? that's the way this law is enforced. civil enforcement. they designed it this way to evade the federal court system. this sun constitutional under the protections of roe versus wade. it accident encourage people to hunt down people getting abortions and suing everybody around them, it pays them to do it. if a person, again, any random person anywhere in the country brings one of these lawsuits and they win one of these lawsuits, again, could be against the uber driver, the court in texas will hit the person who was sued with a $10,000 penalty that they have to pay to the random person who sued them. plus that person's legal fees they have to pay. it turns every anti-abortion zealot into a bounty hunter. it's a risk free, get rich quick scheme for hunting women in texas. and anybody who dares help them. and if a doctor or a clinic employees the person gets sued, the state gets to use that as

all the pretext they need to immediately shut that clinic down. when amy miller described those anti-abortion protesters shining bright lights into the clinics, describing her staff as being under surveillance, that's because of as of midnight, protesters no longer have to settle for just protesting and intimidating people. they're empowered by the state of texas to seek out lawbreakers and take them to court and get paid $10,000 for it if they succeed and not have to pay anything if they don't. today the editorial board of the austin statesman washed that texans should be freaked out by this law regardless of their views on abortion. the american statesman writing, the intimidation is the point. facing the prospect of costly and endless litigation, abortion providers who help women with this difficult decision will likely stand down, making abortion inaccessible for about 85% of the women seeking care. while abortion fauxes may be just fun with that outcome, we

should worry about the legal blueprint that gets us here. unable to outlaw a procedure that the courts say is protected, texas lawmakers blocked access by encouraging people to sue each other into oblivion. the latest ban hands private citizens an extraordinary power to accomplish through extortion the schutt shuddering of abortion service that's lawmakers could not under the constitution shut down themselves. such a corruption of the law should unnerve every texan. and indeed, most texans aren't even in favor of the kind of drift against abortion laws that they have been experiencing over the past couple of decades, let alone the current essentially total ban that is now in effect. a university of texas poll of texas residents says something like a third, less than a third of texas residents wanted texas' abortion laws to become more strict. doesn't matter though. they've done it anyway. and the u.s. supreme court's

continued silence on this law in texas, you know, is unnerving for texans right now but unnerving for everybody. americans have been bracing for the trump conservative supreme court to take up and perfect presumably overturn roe versus wade. the but what we were expecting is a big case, right? a big national debate? we thought it would be that mississippi case they agreed to hear this fall most likely. that would at least mean oral arguments and reporters gather outside the court and a ruling and dissent and explanation. instead, they just said nothing and let texas have their way. as if constitutional rights here are just not implicated. is this really how it ends? texas effectively outlaws abortion and the supreme court just says nothing? let's it stand? joining us now is amy miller, the founder and south korea of whole women's health and has

clinics five states including the state of texas. i know you have not slept. this has been an incredibly intense time. thank you for making time to be here tonight. >> thank you so much for your thorough coverage, rachael. i appreciate it. >> let me ask -- i know you said today that your clinics are all in compliance with the law. what does that mean? what can you still do for your patients. >> so today has been a rough day. all four of our texas clinics are open. we can provide abortions only until the point of embryonic cardiac activity which is usually about six weeks. we are providing ultra sounds for folks and providing counsel. the vast majority of people who have come into our clinics today have had to be denied abortion care services. as you covered the vast majority of people don't know they're pregnant before six weeks. and don't access abortion especially in the state of texas

with all the restrictions you described, they are not able to even get to the clinic prior to the six week in pregnancy. and so today we did have folks come in who were providing ultra sounds and support. i mean, we had i think 55 patients on our schedule in ft. worth. and only five patients are able to be seen under the new restrictions in texas. >> what do you think is going to happen in the short term? i think about the 50 of those 55 patients you just mentioned that had clinic appointmentes in ft. worth. for those who are able or for those who may not be personally able but can be helped will there effectively become a plin that tries to move texas women into other states where their rights are protected since in texas they can't access this service? >> so, rachael, this is not

first time we have experienced an abortion ban in the state of texas. as you described, what happened to hb 2 in 2013 and 2014 and then very recently last year during the pandemic governor abbott issued and executive order which virtually banned abortion in the state of texas for more than three weeks. and what we see is the vast majority of people being forced to carry a pregnancy against their will. most people can't travel out side of texas. our patients are primarily parents already. almost 70% of our patients are parenting. they have multiple jobs. they're juggling school and juggling childcare and especially in the context of this pandemic. making a decision to travel out of state has multiple risks. so what we've seen is wondering if we'll be able to knock the law down and reopen, asking us

to keep them on a call list, call immediately. and we open the clinic at 5:00. i mean, it's nuts. right? and then some people are able to travel out of state. and there is some incredible organizing happening across the state of texas. in fact, all across the country. trying to raise money for abortion funds to support people. practically support networks o support people who are able to travel out of state for care. and then another group of our patients are likely to try to self manage their abortion. and to take matters into their own hands and to try to care for themselves as really as pregnant people have done for centuries prior to the legalization of abortion in this country. and honestly, you know, what option has the state left people? so these are the cut of things that we are talking to patients about. we are hearing from our patients. another thing i just want to point out is that our staff are being really forced to be agents

of the state here. our staff are the folks who are put put in the position of informing the public of this law and enforcing this law. and they are looking right into the eyes of these women and these pregnant folks as they do this and seeing their anguish and seeing their pain and this is a staff that is there because they want to help people. they're highly trained medical professionals who are at the ready to provide the service and today they're not allowed to. yet, they have to deliver this news and sit with people as they reckon with being denied an abortion and try to figure out what the next steps are going to be. >> amy miller is the founder and ceo of whole woman's health which is an independent abortion provider in the state of texas. amy, we don't know when we're going to hear from the supreme court or what we're going to hear from the supreme court. we don't know what's going to be the short term dissemination of this law. we would love you to come back

and tell us what this means on the ground in texas. we have a lot more coverage on this tonight. the we would love to have you back in coming days. >> thank you so much, rachael. i appreciate it. >> all right. as she just mentioned there, she described some incredible organizing going on in texas and raising support for bum that may have to leave the huge state of texas if they are able to get abortion care. there is a lot more to that side of the store you. the work to get over, under, and around this ban and all the others luke it that are now sure to follow in succession, you know, from people running, you know, underground abortion access type lines to the folks arranging transportation and practical support for women trying to get across state lines if need be, the activist sued of this, they've been preparing for this for a long time. some of what they've been preparing to do is now as of today in effect. that part of the storty is going to blow your mind.

and we've got more on that ahead. stay with us. more on that ahead. st wayith us dayquil severe for you... and daily vicks super c for me. introducing new vicks super c and dayquil severe convenience pack. vicks super c is a daily supplement to help energize and replenish your body with vitamin c and b vitamins. dayquil severe is a max strength medicine for cold and flu relief. someone is feeling better. get your shoes. alright! try the new vicks convenience pack. i order my groceries online now. shingles doesn't care. i keep my social distance. shingles doesn't care. i stay within my family bubble. shingles doesn't care. because if you've had chicken pox, you're already carrying the virus that causes shingles. in fact, about 1 in 3 people will develop shingles, and the risk only increases as you age. so what can protect you against shingles? shingrix protects.

now you can protect yourself from shingles with a vaccine proven to be over 90% effective. shingrix is a vaccine used to prevent shingles in adults 50 years and older. shingrix does not protect everyone and is not for those with severe allergic reactions to its ingredients or to a previous dose. an increased risk of guillain-barré syndrome was observed after vaccination with shingrix. the most common side effects are pain, redness, and swelling at the injection site, muscle pain, tiredness, headache, shivering, fever, and upset stomach. talk to your pharmacist or doctor about protecting yourself with shingrix. shingles doesn't care. but we do. ♪ ♪ shin oh, focaccia!are. ah, there's no place like panera. enjoy the toasty, saucy chipotle chicken avocado melt on freshly baked bread. panera. order on the app today. introducing aleve x. it's fast, powerful long-lasting relief with a revolutionary, rollerball design. because with the right pain reliever... life opens up. aleve it, and see what's possible.

- [narrator] this is steve. he used to have gum problems. now, he uses therabreath healthy gums oral rinse with clinically-proven ingredients and his gum problems have vanished. (crowd applauding) therabreath, it's a better mouthwash. at walmart, target and other fine stores. introducing xfinity rewards. our very own way of thanking you just for being with us. enjoy rewards like movie night specials. xfinity mobile benefits. ...and exclusive experiences, like the chance to win tickets to see watch what happens live. hey! it's me. the longer you've been with us... the more rewards you can get. like sharpening your cooking skills with a top chef. join for free on the xfinity app and watch all the rewards float in.

our thanks. your rewards.

even before today, a big chunk texas was a desert when it came to being able to safely access legal abortion services. particularly for west texans, people in the panhandle up north and the nearest abortion clinic can be 250 miles from where you live. that means a four or fuf hour drive if you have a car. texas republicans made sure that abortion procedures in texas can't just happen in one day. they have to be a multiday affair. so multiply the cost to account for that as well. there is an organization in texas that was founded specifically to overcome that deliberate hurdle put in the face -- put in the way of women trying to access abortion services. it is called fund texas choice. one of their employees described it in 2016 interview as saying,

"i'm an abortion travel agent" and they don't pay for abortions themselves, they're paying for wum to get to where they need to get to access the service. she talked about wiring women gas money. wiring it because even though venmo is faster, a lot of the clients don't have bank accounts. she talked about booking flights, booking bus tickets, booking hotel rooms, regularly studying grey hound bus routes. for now year fund texas choice has done that kind of very granular personal logistical work to help texas women get where they need to go. actually get to the few places and n. it that stace where they can still exercise their constitutional right to get an abortion if they needed one. up until now, only 30% of the clients of fund texas choice needed to leave the state of texas in order to get an abortion. as to have day, with the united states supreme court allowing texas to effectively ban the procedure in the state, that number is likely to go way, way up.

and, of course, people who work for organizations like this who help whoim are seeking this service, they're in the absolute bulls eye in terms who have this new law targets. the essentially offers $10,000 bounty to anybody in the country who wants to try to sue somebody who helps a woman access abortion services in the state of texas if they end up getting an abortion past six weeks of jestation. in other words, the hurdles that organizations like this have to overcome just got 1,000 tombs higher overneutral while they were 1,000 tombs more needed than ever. joining us now is anna raponi, co-executive director of fund texas choice. the i appreciate you being here. this is a difficult time. >> hello. >> what do you think will happen with this new law going into effect today? what will that effect in terms of your organization's work? >> we are here. we're not leaving. the message is clear. we're going to continue fighting

and we're going to continue doing the work. but to be fair, the impact of this law is real. and we've already felt it today. we had a client cry because there was no cardiac fetal activity and today there was and she had to wait 24 hours. so she was told she can't get her abortion. now she needs time to process that. so we're going to be here. we supported her getting to her clinic appointment yesterday. getting there today and we will support her wherever she needs to go when she decides that she needs to get an abortion and work with the clinic to do so. >> the way this law is structured, we've all sort of become fast mini experts on the way that texas republicans devised this so as to avoid what happened to all the other

abortion bans they tried to pass and other republican states tried to pass, trying to avoid federal court scrutiny and that seems to have worked in the short run so that supreme court allowed this to go into effect. understanding now legally worked in order to evade court scrutiny. but the other side of it, the practical side is people that work to facilitate texas women getting to their appointments, getting to the clunic, getting to a place they can access abortion services, wait this law is structured, it puts a bulls eye on you guys and anybody that helps in any way and makes you the targets of civil suits which will effectively be the wait this law is imposed. how do you contend with that? >> you know, we have done a lot of thinking ever since the law was passed. and we've talked to lawyers. we've talked -- we read the law our self. our understanding is that if you aid and abet someone getting an abortion in texas, that's where you're really implicated. and so we intend to comply with

the law. does that mean someone can't sue us if we help someone get across state lines to other states? no. but we do believe we'll win if fight long term and we believe we're going -- we believe the work needs to be done. so here it may be that we will get sued. but we're going to continue fighting. we're going to continue being there for our clients and making sure that they know that texans can get access even if that means they have to leave texas. and even though there is a possibility of lawsuits against us. because the reality is the cruelty is the point and they want to intimidate us. we're here to say that we're not going to be intimidated and continue to fight so long as we can. >> and just a big picture here. people looking at this from across the country right now. i think the assumption is that if this works in texas, it's worked for day one, that other republican states will very quickly pass other laws like this and it may be neighboring states to texas as well.

is what you're expecting to happen as long that's holds that essentially there's going to become maybe a nationally funded effort to spirit women out of states in which abortion is illegal, effectively you will legal like in texas to have private donors around the country fund women leaving and going to states where their rights are still protected? that sounds like that's -- i mean, i feel like i can see -- i imagined the move you about. this i never imagined it would be in my lifetime. >> yeah. i mean, just speaking from today, we have seen an increase in private donations and anonymous donations. i think that's going to happen. i think folks are going to see this is a problem. they're going to work to make sure that pregnant folks can leave the state so that they can get access. i don't think that's not a reality. i think that reality is we see it today. and can i see it happening across the entire south? yes. and i think that's what is scary, right? is that we could see this

effectively banning abortion all across the south. luckily there is organizations in texas that are doing the work, grassroots work on the ground but then there is also organizations like this all across the nation that are here to support pregnant folks regardless of where they live and regardless of what they make just to make sure that they can access the care they need and that it's safe and equitable. >> co-executive director of fund texas choice which finds itself in remarkable cross hairs tonight. thank you for helping us understand and please stay in touch with us in the days ahead. this is going to be a wuld ride. thank you. >> thank you. >> we have more ahead tonight, stay with us. ead tonight, stay with us and you need it here. and here. and here. which is why the scientific expertise that helps

operating rooms stay clean is now helping the places you go every day too. seek a commitment to clean. look for the ecolab science certified seal. with relapsing forms of ms... there's a lot to deal with. not just unpredictable relapses. all these other things too. it can all add up. kesimpta is a once-monthly at-home injection... that may help you put these rms challenges in their place. kesimpta was proven superior at reducing the rate of relapses, active lesions, and slowing disability progression vs aubagio. don't take kesimpta if you have hepatitis b, and tell your doctor if you have had it, as it could come back. kesimpta can cause serious side effects, including infections. while no cases of pml were reported in rms clinical trials, it could happen. tell your doctor if you had or plan to have vaccines, or if you are or plan to become pregnant. kesimpta may cause a decrease in some types of antibodies. the most common side effects are upper respiratory tract infection,

headache, and injection reactions. ready for an at-home treatment with dramatic results? it's time to ask your doctor about kesimpta.

emergency planning for kids. we can't predict when an emergency will happen. so that's why it's important to make a plan with your parents. here are a few tips to stay safe. know how to get in touch with your family. write down phone numbers for your parents, siblings and neighbors. pick a place to meet your family if you are not together and can't go home. remind your parents to pack an emergency supply kit. making a plan might feel like homework, but it will help you and your family stay safe during an emergency. the two biggest cities in louisiana, of course, baton rouge and new orleans, directly between them lies st. john the baptist parish. the largest city in that pair itch is laplace.

29,000 population. and you can see on this map here, you can see how we're talking about here is squeezed right in between lake pontchartrain and the mississippi river. but this isn't like out at the ends of the earth. this is not remote, hard to imagine far flung america. it is 15 miles from the international airport in new orleans. it's a 40 minute drive from tulane, university. but laplace and the parish are december natured by ida. it is a town destroyed by ida. roughly 800 people have been rescued so far in st. john the baptist parish. that accounts for all the rescues statewide. the they're under 10 feet of water in some places in st. john. you mao have heard that 11,000 homes and buzzes got power restored today in new orleans. that's true. that's good. but nearly a mullon homes and businesses still don't have power including the entirety of

st. john the baptist parish. the parish president said it could be a month until the electricity comes back on. majority of the parish remaunz without running water. there is boil water advisory for the entire parish if you can get water. the parish is under a kerr few from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. the situation in laplace is dire and isn't getting better soon. not just power and water and cell phone service, sut also emergency services. here is the headline from nbc. "trapped residents in laplace, louisiana, plead for aid. please help me. people are being told they can't be rescued for several hours. shaur up did not mince words when he talked about people truing to tau advantage of this situation. >> the criminal element if you decide to come to st. john parish my jail is empty. and you're going to be in there

by yourself. we're not having it. let me saw this. 911 connections are very scarce and very hard to come by. most of the residents can't call us which means they probably going to take matters into their own hands. you may be the one needing 911. >> my jail is empty. if you come here, to loot is what he's saying, you may be the one needing 911. went on to caution local residents against contractor fraud in addition to cautioning what he called the criminal element about not coming to st. john parish right now. st. john the baptist parish is under a significant amount of water even right now. the president of st. john baptist parish is going to join us live here next. ing to join us live here next. ♪♪

♪♪ ♪ ♪ ♪♪ the light. it comes from within. it drives you. and it guides you. to shine your brightest. as you charge ahead. illuminating the way forward. a light maker. recognizing that the impact you make, comes from the energy you create. introducing the all-electric lyriq. lighting the way.

♪ ♪

introducing aleve x. it's fast, powerful long-lasting relief with a revolutionary, rollerball design. because with the right pain reliever... life opens up. aleve it, and see what's possible. liberty mutual customizes car insurance so you only pay for what you need. how much money can liberty mutual save you? one! two! three! four! five! 72,807!

72,808... dollars. yep... everything hurts. only pay for what you need. ♪ liberty. liberty. liberty. liberty. ♪ (vo) this is more than just a building. it's an ai-powered investment firm with billion-dollar views. a cutting-edge data-security enterprise. yes, with a slide. a perfect location for the world's first one-hour delivery. an inspiration for the next workout cult. and enough space for a pecan-based nutrition bar empire. it could happen. because there's space for any dream on loopnet. the most popular place to find a space. this is going to be a marathon and not a sprint. this is going to be very

difficult, worst disaster that we've all seen in st. john parrish, and it's going to take a long time. >> worst disaster we have seen. how are things in the parish tonight? joining us is jacqueline hotard. i really appreciate you making time at such a difficult, difficult time for yur parish. thanks for being here tonight. >> thank you, rachel, for having me. >> can you give us an update on the situation in your parish and with your residents right now? >> as you mentioned, it is a dire situation for our parish. we are under a boil water advisory, however, i'd like to let residents know that you will

see the pressure build a little bit and then you may lose a little bit while we get all of our infrastructure up and running. we have set up point of distribution sites on both sides of our river where we've been distributing ice, mres and water to our residents, over 1,300 groupings of those items. we also have fema that is going to begin going into our neighborhoods because we've been seriously challenged with communication, so individuals are not able to register for assistance. the american red cross is mobilizing 60 feeding sites in the neighborhoods that have been affected. it's only been about 72 hours since the category 4 storm made landfall and stayed over st. john parish for almost eight hours. so we're hopeful and moving along. >> how habited is the parish right now?

how many do you expect evacuated before or god forbid trying to get out during the storm? how many people are in communities? is there concern people may still need, 72 hours later, may still need rescuing from inside the parish? >> we've had the fire department, the national guard in our neighborhoods rescuing people who needed rescue. and some people once the conditions became so uncomfortable, no water, and it's very hot, residents were asked to be rescued at that point. i don't have a good feel on how many residents are still in the parish because we're still doing damage assessments. we do have some residents i've seen already gutting out their homes, putting tarps on their

roofs. so they're looking forward to getting back and building back and that is very reassuring. >> you know, last night around this time we spoke with the jefferson parish director of emergency management and he told us a lot of the same things that you are describing right now and he said in pretty stark terms, as far as he's concerned in jefferson parish, much of it is uninhabitable right now and that while people want to get back, the devastation is so considerable, it's going to take a long time before anybody can think about restoration and rebuilding do you feel like in st. john the baptist parish right now you're essentially in those same circumstances or do you feel you might be any better along? >> no, we're in the same circumstances. the biggest issue is electricity. i've met with our energy representatives. all of our substations in st.

john parish have been damaged. so before we can even begin to see electricity brought to homes, every substation has to be repaired. that is going to take a huge effort and that is going to take a large amount of time. so without electricity, you can't fully rebuild. so i would agree with that assessment. this is a long road ahead of us before we can get to some areas being habitable again. >> a beautiful and beloved part of that state undergoing such trial and tribulation right now. good luck to you and your team. please stay in touch with us and let us and the country know what we need to know about this. >> thank you very much, rachel. >> we'll be right back. stay with us. we'll be right bak stay with us life opens up. aleve it, and see what's possible.

♪♪ energy is everywhere... even in a little seedling. which, when turned into fuel, can help power a plane. at chevron's el segundo refinery, we're looking to turn plant-based oil into renewable gasoline, jet and diesel fuels. our planet offers countless sources of energy. but it's only human to find the ones that could power a better future.

(jackie) i've made progress with my mental health. so when i started having unintentional body movements called tardive dyskinesia... i ignored them. but when the twitching and jerking in my face and hands affected my day to day... i finally had to say, 'it's not ok.' it was time to talk to my doctor about austedo. she said that austedo helps reduce td movements in adults... while i continue with most of my mental health medications. (vo) austedo can cause depression, suicidal thoughts, or actions in patients with huntington's disease. pay close attention to and call your doctor if you become depressed, have sudden changes in mood, behaviors, feelings, or have suicidal thoughts. common side effects include inflammation of the nose and throat, insomnia and sleepiness. don't take austedo if you have liver problems, are taking reserpine, tetrabenazine, or valbenazine.

austedo may cause irregular or fast heartbeat, restlessness, movements mimicking parkinson's disease, fever, stiff muscles, problems thinking, and sweating. (jackie) talk to your doctor about austedo...it's time to treat td. td is not ok. visit askforaustedo.com. another day, another chance. make the most of it with the network that can deliver gig speeds to the most businesses. and get the advanced cybersecurity solutions you need with comcast business securityedge. ask how to get comcast business securityedge to help protect all your connected devices. and get started with a great offer on fast and reliable internet and voice for just $64.99 a month. plus, ask how to get a prepaid card up to $500. call or go online today to learn more. comcast business. powering possibilities.

that is going to do it for us tonight. the hits just keep on coming. we'll see you again tomorrow, which we expect to be a totally normal, calm news day where we'll just do feel-good stories are right? now it's time for "the last word with lawrence o'donnell." >> good evening, rachel. i'm just pondering that kind of "newsday." that's never going to happen. >> i think we did once. >> i feel like ten years ago at the beginning of the show there would be afternoons where we we