Conservatives have rightly criticized Martha Coakley for distorting Scott Brown’s record on emergency contraception for rape victims. But it might be worth pointing out that it is not at all clear that emergency contraception ever acts as an abortifacient. (Wiliam Saletan has summarized an analysis of the research.) If it does not have such an effect, then I see no reason a Catholic health worker (or hospital) would have to refrain from dispensing emergency contraception to rape victims; and no reason — again, if emergency contraception really acts contraceptively — for the law to carve out a conscience exemption from a mandate that emergency contraception be provided to rape victims.