Republicans and Pro-Life advocates Friday lauded the U.S. Supreme court decision to strike down Roe v Wade, and to leave it to individual states to decide how to deal with the controversial issue of a woman’s right over her own body versus the rights of fetuses, including what constitutes when a fetus becomes a living person.
The 6-3 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, the court upheld a Mississippi law banning abortion after 15 weeks. The court’s six conservative justices led by Alito – Justices Brett Kavanaugh, Clarence Thomas, Amy Coney Barrett, Neil Gorsuch and John Roberts – voted in favor of the ruling. While its three liberal justices – Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Stephen Breyer – dissent.
“Today is a victory for life, for family, for the constitution, and for federalism. When my daughters, Mikayla and Arianna, were born 14.5 weeks early, I had the opportunity to witness life in the second trimester and it was absolutely beautiful,” said Congressman Lee Zeldin (R-LI), the Republican Party and Conservative Party designee for governor.
“In a state that has legalized late term partial birth abortion and non-doctors performing abortion, in a state that refuses to advance informed consent and parental consent, and where not enough is being done to promote adoption and support mothers, today is yet another reminder that New York clearly needs to do a much better job to promote, respect and defend life,” Zeldin added.
Zeldin’s Republican opponent in the gubernatorial primary, Andrew Giuliani, said as a a pro-life New Yorker, he celebrated the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe vs Wade. “It’s a victory for states’ rights but more importantly, the sanctity of life. This protection for our most vulnerable New Yorkers is the enduring legacy of President Donald J. Trump.”
Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island, Brooklyn) noted the Supreme Court ruling will not affect New York.
“Sadly New York’s radical late-term abortion law will be unaffected by this decision. Like an overwhelming majority of New Yorkers, I oppose New York’s law allowing abortions up until birth, non-doctors to perform them, and removal of the homicide penalty from the penal code in the event that a woman is assaulted and loses her unborn baby as a result,” said Malliotakis.
State Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt (R-Orleans and Niagara Counties) echoed Malliotakis’ comment, saying the SCOTUS ruling returns authority over reproductive health laws where they belong – to the states, and will have no impact on New York’s laws.
“Despite this reality, Albany politicians will sadly use this ruling to fear-monger and weaponize this issue for their own political gain. They will also attempt to expand abortion laws even further, forcing taxpayers to fund abortions, including late term abortions, for non-New Yorkers,” said Ortt.
