Summary: Governor Andrew Cuomo wants to pass an abortion bill for New York state.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said that he will sue the federal government if the Supreme Court were to overturn Roe vs. Wade, according to WRVO Public Media.
This week, President Donald Trump announced his pick of Brett Kavanaugh to fill the vacancy of the US Supreme Court. Justice Anthony Kennedy resigned and his last day will be July 31st.
Kavanaugh is a staunch conservative, and critics worry that he may vote against abortion rights in future cases, which could lead to Roe vs. Wade becoming overturned. Kavanaugh and other conservative judges on the high bench have not expressed a desire to overturn the landmark case, but Cuomo wants to take preemptive measures to protect abortion by codifying the 1973 decision into state law.
The bill, the Reproductive Health Act, has been one of his major topics during his three days of campaign rallies.
“I want to get it done before the Supreme Court does that because I don’t want any gap in a woman’s right to protection, and we have a better legal case when the Supreme Court acts because I will sue when the Supreme Court acts,” Cuomo said on Wednesday.
Cuomo is campaigning to keep his governor seat, and he is up against Sex and the City actress Cynthia Nixon, who has been adamant about the need to protect abortion seekers.
“This is something that women in this state and in this country were driven to use out of fear and desperation — performing abortions on themselves, often with devastating effects to their health and sometimes to their life,” said Nixon.
Cuomo and Nixon are both supported by pro-choice groups, and Planned Parenthood has endorsed Cuomo. The reproductive health organization said that they wanted an experienced politician to fight for the right to choose, and they said that Cuomo has been a “national leader in the fight for reproductive health rights.”
“The landscape has changed; due to the Supreme Court nominee, Roe v. Wade hangs in the balance. Now more than ever we need experienced leaders who understand the importance of protecting access to abortion in New York state,” said Robin Chappell Golston, president of Planned Parenthood’s New York State political arm.
Nixon has been endorsed by #VOTEPROCHOICE.
The Democratic primary is set for September 13, according to the New York Post.
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