Texas businesses are rebelling against draconian GOP rule

The anti-abortion laws being passed in red states are so draconian that even some prominent anti-abortion Republicans, including firebrand author Ann Coulter and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (a GOP presidential hopeful), are calling for restraint.

Texas is such a state. Lone Star Republicans have been drawing vehement criticism over the fact that Texas resident Kate Cox has been denied access to abortion in the state despite the fact that the fetus she's carrying has a fatal genetic condition and she is suffering health complications of her own.

On December 12, Coulter tweeted, "The prolife movement has gone from compassion for the child to cruelty to the mother (and child)."

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According to Newsweek, Texas' anti-abortion extremism is hurting businesses in the state.

"A coalition of Texas businesses have said ambiguity over abortion bans in the Lone Star State is making recruitment harder, following the near all-out ban enacted by Republicans," Newsweek reports in an article published on December 16. "An amicus brief originally filed by law firm Reed Smith and signed by 40 Texas companies was filed in support of 22 women who are suing the state of Texas over its abortion laws. Numerous businesses have endorsed the letter."

Newsweek adds, "These include dating platforms such as Bumble and Match Group, owner of Match.com and Tinder; prominent advertising agencies Preacher and GSD&M; event organizers SXSW; and the United States Women's Chamber of Commerce, along with various Texas real-estate companies, law firms, and restaurant groups."

These companies, according to Newsweek, are warning "that Texas abortion laws render the state less appealing for families considering relocating to a place where they can comfortably start a family."

READ MORE: 'Toxic partisan culture': Tensions among state lawmakers are going from bad to worse

One of the execs who is speaking out is Whitney Wolfe Herd, founder and former CEO of Bumble. In an amicus brief in the case Zurawski vs. Texas, Heard argues, "As a multinational, publicly traded tech company led by many women, we feel it's our duty not just to provide our workforce with access to reproductive health care, but to speak out — and speak loudly — against the retrogression of women's rights. Texas' confusing medical exceptions increase business costs, drive away talent, and threaten workforce diversity and wellbeing."

Herd added, "We must unequivocally support equal rights for our employees and customers to make their own reproductive choices."

READ MORE: Some Republicans were willing to compromise on abortion ban exceptions — but activists made sure they didn't

Newsweek's full report is available at this link.