President Joe Biden is blaming Republicans’ “extreme agenda” for Tuesday’s Arizona Supreme Court decision upholding an 1864 law that restricts nearly all abortions.
“Millions of Arizonans will soon be living under even more extreme and dangerous abortion bans that put women’s health at risk and lead to horrific incidents like rape and incest,” Biden said. Even if they do, women will not be protected.” stated in a statement After receiving the verdict.
“This cruel ban was first enacted in 1864, more than 150 years ago, before Arizona became a state, and long before women had the right to vote. “This is the result of the extreme agenda of Republican elected officials who are dedicated to dispossessing the United States of America,” he continued. “Vice President Harris and I stand with the majority of Americans who support a woman’s right to choose. We will continue to fight to protect reproductive rights and urge Congress to pass laws that restore protections for women. I ask. Roe vs. Wade For women in every state. ”
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The 1864 law bans all abortions except to save the mother’s life and imposes prison sentences of two to five years for those who perform abortions. The judges heard arguments in the case, Arizona Planned Parenthood v. Mays/Haysarigasked in December and asked to answer whether Arizona’s 15-week abortion limit, passed in March 2022, overrides the old law.
The court did not rule on the constitutionality of the 1864 law, but did issue a 4-2 decision. decision One of the vetoers on Tuesday found the 1864 law to be “enforceable” beyond the new 15-week limit.
“We will consider whether the Arizona Legislature will be abolished or limited. [the old law] “By enacting a law that prohibits physicians from performing elective abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy,” Justice John Lopez wrote for the majority opinion. “This case involves legal interpretation and is not based on the justices’ moral or public policy views on abortion. [the old law’s] Constitutionality is not before us. ”
“Because there is no right to abortion enshrined in the federal constitution, [the fifteen-week limit] It does not independently sanction abortion, and there are no federal or state laws prohibiting abortion. [the 1864 law’s] Surgery. Accordingly, [the 1864 law] Now it’s enforceable,” Lopez continued.
The Arizona Supreme Court ultimately upheld the lower court’s decision to vacate the injunction against the near-total ban, but did not require full enforcement of the law to allow the parties to decide how to pursue further action. It was postponed for 14 days. The state high court also remanded the case to the trial court for possible consideration of remaining constitutional issues.
Vice President Kamala Harris, who has been designated by the Biden re-election campaign as a woman promoting abortion, is also It is scheduled She plans to attend a “reproductive freedom” event in Tucson on Friday following the ruling.
Harris is reportedly returning to Arizona after appearing in Phoenix in early March as part of her national pro-abortion tour in the run-up to the November presidential election. During the tour, Harris criticized Arizona’s 15-week abortion limit passed in 2022 and called pro-life advocates “extremists.”
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The state Supreme Court’s decision comes as pro-abortion activists are working on an amendment that would create a constitutional right to abortion in Arizona.
Access to abortion in Arizona — union Groups including the ACLU of Arizona, Sexual and Reproductive Health Affirming Arizona List, Healthcare Rising Arizona, NARAL Arizona, and Arizona Family Planning Advocates far exceeded the 383,923 letters needed for the proposal. It was announced last week that it had collected more than 500,000 signatures. Amendment to qualify for November ballot. If the abortion bill passes on the November ballot, it would require a simple majority for passage.
Arizona is one of about a dozen states where pro-abortion activists are active. work Codifying the right to kill the unborn child.
Katherine Hamilton is a political reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her at @thekat_Hamilton.
