ATLANTA — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp was trending on Twitter Thursday as thousands of users continued to repost an audio recording of him questioning his stance on contraception.
The inquiry was related to contraception and Georgia's 'heartbeat' abortion law, which went into effect in July. The law bans abortion at six weeks when a fetal heartbeat can typically be detected. The recorded conversation also nodded to the Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade, determining the medical procedure is no longer a protected right and ultimately open to the states to legislate.
11Alive has transcribed the audio recording which can be read at the bottom of this story.
A person asks the governor if he has the power to ban Plan B, an emergency contraception known as the morning-after pill.
Another voice, confirmed to be Kemp, said it's possible but clarified Georgia's General Assembly must be in a legislative session. He explained how it's a possibility, but cited that lawmakers had to support the idea. However, the governor pointed out that since states have the power to construct policies around abortion, there are possibilities.
11Alive reached out to the governor's campaign team. They verified that the audio was recorded at a University of Georgia football tailgate last week and that the voice is Kemp.
When asked about the governor's stance on Plan B and contraception, a spokesperson with Kemp's campaign said, "The Governor has never opposed access to contraception."
The Kemp campaign team also criticized Democrats and journalists for sharing the audio without a response.
Transcription below:
Unknown Speaker: I got to ask in my in my Constitution class, we're talking about how like the Dobbs decision went back to the States. During that, can you like ban plan B in that process, since everything is now at the state level. Because, now I mean.
Gov. Kemp: Well you can...yea. You can you can take up pretty much everything. You know, you got to be in a legislative session to do that and that's not until January.
Unknown Speaker: Is that something it...is that something you could do? I mean, obviously, after you win and everything.
Gov. Kemp: Just depends on where the legislators are.
Unknown Speaker: But if they're on board, they can do that. Because, I mean.
Gov. Kemp: I think. I'll have to check and see. I mean, there's a lot of legalities.
Unknown Speaker: I mean, it's like we've got abortion. Like we got it was so great because Roe v. Wade is overturned. Now we have all these problems, you know.
Gov. Kemp: Well, the thing was, its allowing other states, they can still do whatever they want.
Unknown Speaker: Unfortunately.
Gov. Kemp: Well, that's just the way the Constitution. Yeah. Like...
Unknown Speaker: I appreciate it.
Gov. Kemp: The other side, right? Like, it's all gone and they're scared.
Unknown Speaker: Yeah. Fear tactics, you know. Thank you.