Arizona Republican Senate candidate Kari Lake criticized the state Supreme Court Tuesday for upholding a near-total abortion ban and called on Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs to come up with a “common sense solution.”
The Arizona Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that a law from 1864 banning nearly all abortions can take effect in a landmark decision.
With a few exceptions made to preserve the mother’s life, the law criminalizes abortions and punishes anybody found guilty of a felony that carries a maximum five-year jail sentence.
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“In addition to covering the state of Arizona as a fair and honest journalist for 27 years, I have traveled to every corner of this state on the campaign trail. I speak to more Arizonans than anyone and it is abundantly clear that the pre-statehood law is out of step with Arizonans,” said Lake.
“I am the only woman and mother in this race. I understand the fear and anxiety of pregnancy, and the joy of motherhood. I wholeheartedly agree with President Trump — this is a very personal issue that should be determined by each individual state and her people,” Lake said. “I oppose today’s ruling, and I am calling on Katie Hobbs and the State Legislature to come up with an immediate common sense solution that Arizonans can support.”
Despite a legal challenge from Planned Parenthood, the state Supreme Court’s 4-2 ruling upheld the law’s implementation.
“We conclude that [the law] does not create a right to, or otherwise provide independent statutory authority for, an abortion that repeals or restricts [the law], but rather is predicated entirely on the existence of a federal constitutional right to an abortion since disclaimed by Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization,” the opinion reads. “Absent the federal constitutional abortion right, and because [the law] does not independently authorize abortion, there is no provision in federal or state law prohibiting [the law’s] operation.”
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In a video message published on Truth Social on Monday, former president Donald Trump declared his support for state-level control of abortion and the availability of in-vitro fertilization (IVF).
The Presumptive Republican presidential nominee had previously stated he would release his views on abortion-related legislation.
In a video posted on Truth Social on Monday, Trump said that he thought states should have the authority to enact abortion legislation.
This is in contrast to the idea of a nationwide abortion limit that has been supported by some Republicans but assailed by Democrats.
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“My view is…the states will determine by legislation or vote or perhaps both, and whatever they decide must be the law of the land. In this case, the law of the state. Many states will be different, many will have a different number of weeks or some will have more conservative than others, and that’s what they will be. At the end of the day, this is all about the will of the people,” Trump said in the statement. “You must follow your heart or, in may cases, your religion or your faith. Do what’s right for your family and do what’s right for yourself…do what’s right for our country.”
In addition, Trump applauded the accessibility of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and other fertility procedures, which some conservatives have criticized after the Alabama Supreme Court issued a decision on February 19 severely restricting the practice.
“We want to make it easier for mothers and families to have babies, not harder. That includes supporting the availability of fertility treatments like IVF in every state in America.”
Trump applauded the legislature of Alabama for acting swiftly to overturn the ruling.
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