Many State Legislative Democrats did not have kind remarks toward the Arizona Supreme Court after that body dealt a potential death blow to women’s reproductive and healthcare freedoms by reaffirming that a Civil War Era ban on abortion was still the law of the land now that Donald ‘I Killed Roe v Wade’s’ Supreme Court picks helped overturn abortion rights nationwide.
Two leaders in the fight for reproductive freedom at the State Capitol, State Senator Priya Sundareshan and Representative Stephanie Stahl Hamilton, both offered their reactions.
Senator Sundareshan, who is also a Co-Chair of the Arizona Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, posted on social media:
“The Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the 1864 ban turns back the clock more than 100 years for Arizonans. In the last century, we have achieved women’s suffrage, passed historic civil rights legislation, and achieved historic victories in the fight for equality. We have moved the needle forward for progress, but this court’s decision ensures that half of Arizonans are relegated as second-class citizens, without the personal autonomy to make their own medical decisions, and it criminalizes the actions of health care providers. Arizonans will not go back, they will voice their opposition to this ruling and support the ballot initiative, and elect pro-choice majorities in our State
House and Senate.”
She also added:
“The AZ Supreme Court, packed by former Gov. Ducey, chose the cruelest path today. This archaic abortion ban puts doctors etc in danger of jail time for providing healthcare. The #AZLeg needs a Dem majority to repeal this and many other restrictive laws on the books.”
Representative Hamilton, who attended both the Hobbs and Arizona Democratic press events condemning the Supreme Court decision, issued several posts on social media, relaying:
“My response to the Supreme Court’s ruling. “Let’s put our anger to work. Find a friend, grab a neighbor or relative to sign the petition & put Arizona Abortion Access on November’s ballot! Remind our state Government that the extremists DON’T have the final word!”
Democratic Senate Whip Eva Burch, a legislator who earned national acclaim by recounting the recent experiences she had to endure to get an abortion after learning the fetus was not viable, also posted a clip of her presentation at the Arizona Democratic press events, calling for now discarded pro-choice Republicans to join the pro-reproductive freedom team.
“We need you to understand that this is the issue of our times and if you feel like your political party has been hijacked by radical extremists, that’s because it has. It’s because there isn’t a place for you there anymore. And I’m telling you right now that if you are voting pro-choice, there’s a place for you here…Please consider your loved ones. Consider the reality of the consequences of these decisions and join us and be with us and vote in November up and down the ticket for pro-choice candidates…The time is now and we need you.”
In her posting Democratic Senate Leader Mitzi Epstein notified her viewers that the Democrats are pushing for a vote tomorrow morning (April 10) to start the process to repeal the Civil War-era abortion ban and allow people to “make their own life decisions.”
Senator Epstein also called for people to sign the petition to put the Constitutional Amendment restoring reproductive freedom on the ballot, calling it “the much better solution and we still need it. If we don’t have the right in the Constitution, we don’t have the right.” She also warned that extremist Republicans will continue to chip away at reproductive freedom rights if pro-choice advocates do not rise to the occasion.
In a fundraising letter, Arizona State Representative and State Senate Candidate Judy Schwiebert called the Supreme Court decision “horrifying.” She wrote:
“The Arizona Supreme Court’s decision to allow a 150-year-old territorial-era ban on abortion to take effect is horrifying. This antiquated law precedes women’s right to vote – to use our own voice – by 48 years.
Beyond that, it is not only an attack on our freedom but outright dangerous to women across Arizona. The decision to have an abortion is one of the most personal, private decisions we can make – and it’s one we might make for any number of reasons that are no business of anyone but the person making that decision. Yet, today, our state Supreme Court took our very autonomy from us and gave our most basic personal freedom away to politicians.
While Republicans rejoice at rolling back the clock on women’s reproductive rights by over 100 years, essentially making them second-class citizens, Arizona Democrats and I will not let this stand. It’s horrifying that people’s very lives have become part of the Republican political agenda, but with our basic freedom on the line, we are already mobilized to make sure that the citizens of Arizona get their say this November. We will not go back.”
In a joint statement among the Legislative District Four Candidates, Christine Marsh, Kelli Butler, and Karen Gresham, they relayed:
“This morning, the Arizona Supreme Court allowed a ban on abortion from 1864 to take effect.
This bill—with no exceptions for rape or incest—takes us back to territorial times from before women could even vote. To say we are furious is an understatement. But we are more determined than ever to fight for women’s reproductive rights.
Republican legislators have been working towards this day for decades. One of our Republican opponents, Matt Gress, has even sponsored legislation to enshrine fetal personhood into law and celebrated the Dobbs decision on the day it came down.”
House Democratic Whips Nancy Gutierrez and Melody Hernandez issued a joint statement that read:
“The Arizona Supreme Court chose chaos over reason and common sense today,” said House Democratic Whip Nancy Gutierrez. “This is outrageous, extreme, and devastating because we know Arizonans overwhelmingly support the right to obtain an abortion and other reproductive healthcare. We must take immediate steps to repeal this archaic and cruel law, and to expand our rights. Our caucus stands with the vast majority of Arizonans who support these basic rights, and we won’t stop fighting to expand them.”
House Democratic Whip Melody Hernandez added, “Women will die if this law stands and medical professionals could be jailed. That is unimaginable, it is not supported by our constituents and it cannot be allowed to stand. Every Republican in the Legislature supported this total abortion ban passed during the Civil War, decades before we even became a state and women gained the right to vote. We know this because the Speaker and Senate President submitted an amicus brief on their behalf asking for exactly that result. We hope they will acknowledge their mistake and work with us to repeal this law before anyone is harmed.”
State Representative Consuelo Hernandez, in a video posting on Facebook, told Arizona women that “the right to an abortion was just taken away from us. The Arizona Conservative Supreme Court and Arizona Republican politicians are playing with our reproductive rights and our health care choices. They turned the clock back and put everyone on notice: Doctors, women, families. We need to elect more Democratic and progressive pro-choice women up and down the ballot.”