Ranking committee member Elijah Cummings (D-MD) had asked Issa to include a female witness at the hearing, but the Chairman refused, arguing that “As the hearing is not about reproductive rights and contraception but instead about the Administration’s actions as they relate to freedom of religion and conscience, he believes that Ms. Fluke is not an appropriate witness.” (via Democratic Women Boycott House Contraception Hearing After Republicans Prevent Women From Testifying | ThinkProgress)

This makes my brain feel like it’s on fire. In an “oh my goodness, I think I’m going to explode from the crazy” way. While the issue at hand (systematic destruction of access to contraception) is bad enough, the fact that the process is not being allowed to reflect the voices of all those affected is infuriating.