MAGA Republicans stooped to new lows this week with their extremism, hypocrisy, chaos, and — as President Biden would call it — malarkey. In case you missed it: Donald Trump’s Supreme Court picks led to the devastating Alabama Supreme Court IVF ruling; MAGA Mike Johnson tried to walk back his extreme IVF agenda despite co-sponsoring the Life of Concept Act with NO exceptions for IVF; Senate Republicans proved they’re all hat and no cattle by stopping an IVF protection bill from getting a vote; and Trump expressed support for a national abortion ban.

Trump also traveled to the border and reminded the American people about his role in blocking the bipartisan border bill – while new polling has found the border deal Trump killed is popular among all Americans; Trump continued to campaign on racist tropes toward Black Americans in front of Black voters *during* Black History Month; Trump’s takeover of the RNC became imminent with RNC chair Ronna McDaniel’s official resignation; the Michigan GOP continues to be an active dumpster fire as it scrambles to select delegates in the midst of a messy leadership feud; and House Republican Maria Salazar once again took credit for district funding that she voted against. 

Americans trying to start a family are facing a horrifying reality because of Donald Trump —  whose hand-picked Supreme Court justices provided the deciding votes to overturn Roe v. Wade and set the stage for Alabama’s Supreme Court ruling that halted IVF treatment.  

Associated Press: “Alabama IVF patients describe heartbreak, anger after ruling”

“In vitro fertilization patients in Alabama described postponed pregnancies, canceled appointments and the uncertainty surrounding if they will be able to access frozen embryos already created in the hopes of growing their families.”

New York Times: “[The Alabama ruling was] made possible by the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade in its 2022 Dobbs decision, which was a result of Mr. Trump’s appointment of three justices.”

Trump: “For 54 years they were trying to get Roe v. Wade terminated, and I did it, and I’m proud to have done it. … Nobody else was going to get that done but me, and we did it, and we did something that was a miracle.”

MAGA Mike Johnson said he wants to protect IVF from anti-choice extremists like … Mike Johnson.

The New Republic: “Watch: Mike Johnson Desperately Tries to Avoid Talking About IVF”

“Like many other anti-abortion lawmakers, Johnson has a long record of arguing that life begins “from the moment of fertilization.” And that’s the exact same logic the Alabama Supreme Court used when ruling that even embryos created through in-vitro fertilization are protected under the Wrongful Death of a Minor Act.”

“Johnson has used this logic to oppose nearly every form of reproductive rights, including contraception. Along with most other Republicans in the House, Johnson has also co-sponsored the Life at Conception Act, which would grant legal personhood to fertilized eggs.”

Business Insider: “Most House Republicans have cosponsored a bill declaring that life begins from the moment of conception, a position under increased scrutiny after the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos are ‘unborn children.’”

“This Congress, 125 House Republicans — including Speaker Mike Johnson — have cosponsored the ‘Life at Conception Act,’ which states that the term ‘human being’ includes ‘all stages of life, including the moment of fertilization, cloning, or other moment at which an individual member of the human species comes into being.’”

Senate Republicans blocked basic protections for IVF as fundamental reproductive freedoms are being stripped away across the country because of Trump and his MAGA allies. 

Associated Press: “Republicans block Senate bill to protect nationwide access to IVF treatments”

“Still, this is the second time Republicans have blocked Duckworth’s bill. By Bringing it up again, Democrats said they are challenging GOP senators to display real support for IVF access after many this week issued statements criticizing the Alabama ruling. Democrats held the Senate floor for 45 minutes Wednesday with a series of speeches deriding the overturn of Roe v. Wade.”

Trump, who claims he is “on the side of women,” doubled down on his commitment to a national abortion ban this week.

The Hill: “Trump on abortion limits: ‘I’m hearing about 15 weeks. I haven’t decided yet’”

Rolling Stone: “Trump Floats National Abortion Ban After Claiming He’s ‘On the Side of Women’”

“When discussing support for in vitro fertilization (which GOP lawmakers claimed to support, then blocked a bill this week to protect IVF access nationwide), Trump insisted ‘we’re on the side of women.’ Shortly after his declaration, the former president told host Sean Hannity, ‘More and more I’m hearing about 15 weeks. I haven’t decided yet.’ Trump continued, ‘The number 15 is mentioned. I haven’t agreed to any number. I’m going to see.’”

Trump’s visit to Texas spotlighted the fact he continues to choose chaos over solutions —  after he killed a bipartisan deal that would secure the border. 

Politico: “Republicans are ‘caving’ — Biden blames Trump as border deal falters” 

CNN: “Senate Republicans block bipartisan border deal and foreign aid package following months of negotiations”

“Senate Republicans blocked a major bipartisan border deal and foreign aid package with assistance for Ukraine and Israel in a key vote on Wednesday amid a torrent of attacks on the bill by former President Donald Trump and top House Republicans.”

“Democrats have expressed outrage at Republicans for lining up in opposition to the border deal, arguing that they cannot be trusted as negotiating partners and saying that they are bowing to pressure from Trump to keep the border in the political spotlight.”

Meanwhile, new polling shows that the majority of Americans support the bipartisan legislation that Trump killed to secure the border. 

Navigator Research: “Two in Three Americans Support the Bipartisan Immigration Deal”

“Two in three Americans supported the bipartisan immigration deal reached in the Senate, but that will not be taken up for a vote in the House. … On the Republican approach to the recent immigration package, Americans’ greatest concerns are that they are focused on the wrong issues and playing politics.”

Third Way: “Voters like the deal, both as a whole and individual components. … Across the board, both swing and base voters are remarkably aligned in favor of the big security components of the deal. It’s not just the tough on the border policies that voters like—they also understand that a major piece of restoring order must be providing orderly pathways for people to come to this country in other ways.”

Trump peddled racist tropes and jokes about Black Americans for the umpteenth time — in front of Black voters during Black History Month.

Trump, claiming the Black community “embraced” him because he was indicted on criminal charges: “You see Black people walking around with my mugshot.”

Trump: “Would you rather have the Black president or the white president? … I think they want the white guy.”

Trump claimed he knows Black people because they built his buildings.

Trump: “These lights are so bright in my eyes that I can’t see too many people out there. … I can only see the Black ones. I can’t see any white ones, you see. That’s how far I’ve come. … That’s a long way, isn’t it?”

Trump said Black people like him because he is “being discriminated against.”

McDaniel is Ronna-ing away from the RNC as it prepares for a new slate of Trump loyalists including his daughter-in-law.

Associated Press: “RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel will leave her post on March 8 as Trump moves to install new loyalists”

Politico: “Lara Trump officially announces for RNC co-chair, as Trump tightens grip on GOP” 

“Donald Trump’s daughter-in-law Lara Trump officially kicked off her campaign to be Republican National Committee co-chair on Tuesday, the latest step in the former president’s takeover of the RNC.”

“The move comes as Trump embarks on a sweeping effort to fuse his campaign with the RNC ahead of the general election.” 

The chaotic Michigan Republican Party continues to rip itself apart as a part of a messy leadership battle, and now threatens to interfere with its delegate selection process.

Craig Mauger, Detroit News: A ***third*** convention location for Michigan Republicans is now in the works:

For the second time this year, House Republican Maria Salazar publicly touted securing funding for her district – conveniently forgetting that she voted no and took credit for the dough anyway. 

HuffPost: “Rep. Maria Salazar (R-Fla.) this month celebrated delivering $1.4 million to a children’s hospital in her district, even attending a photo op where she handed over massive checks to leadership and staff at the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.”

“Except Salazar voted against the bill that provided this money.”

“She took credit for securing this money on Twitter, too, and shared a photo of herself handing over the big checks.”

“But as her own press release states, this money came from the Fiscal Year 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act ― a bill she opposed. Virtually every House Republican voted against this bill, which provided $1.7 trillion to fund the federal government.”

“What’s strange is that Salazar is not just taking credit for money that she voted against, she openly cites where this funding came from — and it’s very easy to look up her vote on this bill. It’s as if she is just hoping nobody notices.”