An unprecedented leak of a purported U.S. Supreme Court draft majority opinion striking down Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey published Monday night by Politico has dominated political discussion in the hours since. Maryland candidates for governor weighed in on the document, which Politico claims it has confirmed was authored by Justice Samuel Alito. Voters in Maryland approved a ballot measure in 1992 that preserved abortion on-demand up until the point of viability if Roe were to be overturned. Democrats in Annapolis widely expanded the number of healthcare professionals who could perform abortions in the General Assembly's 2022 session, over the objections and veto of Maryland's Republican Governor Larry Hogan.
Despite those legal precedents, Democrats running for Hogan's job aggressively responded to the potential SCOTUS decision. Wes Moore called it "deeply disturbing and dangerous," in a statement. "It cannot be overstated how many people will die as a result of this decision," Moore added, promising he would press for an amendment to Maryland's constitution, among other efforts.
"It will be the duty of Maryland's next Democratic governor to unapologetically protect and expand a pregnant person's right to an abortion," John King tweeted. "This assault on women, on a woman’s right to abortion care, is absolutely abhorrent," King wrote.
Candidate and current Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot called on lawmakers to "enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution" in a tweet. "But we must not stop there. It is not enough to preserve the status quo in the face of attacks on reproductive healthcare. So much more must be done to expand the accessibility of abortion care services."
Rushern Baker, former Prince George's County Executive now running for governor, considered the nationwide impacts of the possible Supreme Court decision. In a tweet, he exhorted state lawmakers to "prepare NOW for the many who may soon have to travel here for care."
Jon Baron also called for amending the state constitution. "This ruling, if made official, would cause immeasurable harm to millions around the country. It’s appalling — and a reminder of the imperative of state-level leadership on abortion rights," Baron tweeted.
"Guns have more rights than women in America," former Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler tweeted this morning. He promised to be a "brick wall" against any reduction of abortion rights. Like Baker, he forsaw Maryland becoming a destination for women in other states seeking abortions if such a ruling passed.
Ashwani Jain joined Baker and Gansler in seeking to position Maryland as an "abortion sanctuary." He tweeted that "There’s no such thing as 'Pro-Life.' You’re either FOR safe abortions or AGAINST healthcare access."
"I'm disgusted. And infuriated," former Montgomery County Councilmember and U.S. Labor Secretary Tom Perez tweeted. "This is another step toward the Court forfeiting legitimacy. Make no mistake: people will lose their lives. Abortion and reproductive freedoms are fundamental freedoms—and always will be. We're going to fight like hell."
The only Republican ticket to speak on the leak so far was that of Delegate Dan Cox and his running mate Gordana Schifanelli. " I pray God it’s true," Cox posted on Facebook. "And because of the three SCOTUS seats appointed by President Trump, Roe v. Wade and abortion on demand are no more. May it ever be forgiven our land and may the blood of the innocent be part of the cloud of witnesses that triumphantly proclaim with all Americans 'we are endowed by our Creator with unalienable rights…of Life…!' And may the healing of women who’ve been lied to or overwhelmed by their decision, overflow with grace."
"Leaking draft opinion from the Supreme Court is another example of destructive behavior of the radical left - the fascists and haters of our country," Schifanelli tweeted.
Republicans Robin Ficker and Kelly Schulz have yet to publicly comment on the potential SCOTUS decision.
Unaffliated candidate Kyle Sefcik tweeted his support for the "weakening and overturning of Roe v. Wade."
12 comments:
Shocked? No one.
"May the great white man in the sky deemeth such and thou beholdeth to the might that is the vasteth minority of men who wanteth you to bow to our righteous fantasy." What a moronic statement from the "only Republican" to say anything. From the same moronic people who were butthurt about a cloth over a face, 'thou shalt do with your body what I prescribeth.' Where's the Freeeeeeedummmmmbbbbb people when the State is attempting to write into law how citizens make decisions about their bodies?
How completely pompous and theocratic of a statement from that Republican. VOTE THEM OUT. The American Taliban has no home in MOCO.
The Carhart clinic should and likely may indeed, close finally. It's outrageous that our great state of MD would allow abortion up to term which the vast majority of all Americans and Dems in particular do not support. Hogan will have to answer God himself on why he did nothing to try and stop the infanticide taking place on Old Geo'twn Rd.
Facemasks are completely different. The government can't tell ME what to do. But the government helping control my wife? That sounds good to me. I'm not quite sure why they started letting her vote in the first place TBH.
I couldn't agree more with the statements above. Republicans are freaking crazy.
6:30 thinks others are going to have to "answer to God" when s/he is the one hoping women are risk of dying in childbirth are unable to secure a late-term abortion.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/29/us/politics/biden-abortion-rights.html
Your body your choice unless we are forcing vaccines down your throat
What a bunch of hypocrites
You know who doesn’t believe in choice - the babies who die
Just so all of you understand
Abortion not outlawed
Supreme ct in,y stating it belongs to states
Meanwhile potatohead president is flying around doomsday planes that can fly through a nuclear Holocaust
Democrats want to distract by having to travel out of state in order to kill babies
Wake-up if democrats maintain power we will all incinerate by potato head dementia brain
6:30 Being disingenuous, as religious whackjobs usually are. There is no "allowance of abortion up to term" in Maryland. The law in MD is abortion to viability (way before term), and only beyond if there is genetic or physical abnormality. I know, that's science and facts and they aren't typically a part of anti-rights peoples thoughts.
Hogan will answer to God "him"self? Your patriarchy is showing. That white bearded man in the sky you envision is a myth. And regardless, we all answer to each other first here on earth (that's an actual fact), try to not take other people's rights away or you're going to be judged badly here on earth.
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