Fri May 17 2019

Alabama has adopted a law that would criminalize nearly all abortions and make the penalty for providing one up to 99 years in prison. The man who wrote the law knew it was unconstitutional — and did it anyway. We asked him why. Guests: Eric Johnston, a lawyer in Alabama who has spent more than 30 years trying to ban abortion, and Sabrina Tavernise, a national correspondent for The New York Times. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background reading: States across the country are passing some of the most restrictive abortion legislation in decades, setting up court battles that could profoundly reshape abortion access in America.On Wednesday, Alabama’s governor signed into law a measure to ban most abortions in the state. Here’s what’s likely to happen next.Among residents of Alabama, opposition to abortion is widespread.