Missouri politicians react to Roe v. Wade ruling
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Politicians across the country and across the state have issued statements after the United States Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade Friday morning.
Missouri Governor Mike Parson
"With Roe v. Wade overturned and statutory triggers provided in HB 126, we are issuing this proclamation to restore our state authority to regulate abortion and protect life. Thanks to decades of conservative leaders, Missouri has become one of the most pro-life states in the nation, and our Administration has always fought for the life of every unborn child. Today, our efforts have produced what generations of Missourians have worked and prayed for: Today, we have won our fight to protect innocent life," said Gov. Parson.
Missouri Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe
Today we have won our fight for life in Missouri.
— Mike Kehoe (@LtGovMikeKehoe) June 24, 2022
The overturning of Roe v. Wade — one of the most unjust decisions in the history of our nation’s highest court — marks a major victory in protecting of the sanctity of life.
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt
THREAD: Today is a historic day, but we also remember over 60 million innocent lives lost. There was a lot of work behind the scenes before we achieved this incredible victory. Here are some of our efforts to protect all, including the unborn. pic.twitter.com/rI8GTLgr5r
— Attorney General Eric Schmitt (@AGEricSchmitt) June 24, 2022
Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO)
At long last, Roe is OVERRULED
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) June 24, 2022
This is a momentous day in America, when the efforts of generations of modern-day abolitionists comes to fruition. One of the most unjust decisions in American history has been overturned
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) June 24, 2022
Rep. Cori Bush (D-St. Louis)
“Today’s disgraceful decision is devastating for everyone, but its harm will fall hardest on Black, brown and Indigenous people, young people, LGBTQ+ individuals, immigrants, people with disabilities, and low-income communities. The consequences of overturning a 49-year precedent affirming our constitutional right to abortion care will be deadly.
In 1973, the leading cause of death for Black women was sepsis from unsafe abortions. At a time of rising Black maternal mortality and intimate partner violence, experts are estimating that abortion bans will result in a 33% increase in maternal deaths among Black individuals. Homicide is a leading cause of death for pregnant people and Black women are at the greatest risk. Today’s decision could be a death sentence for those in need of equitable access to abortion care.
Within minutes of this far-right extremist Supreme Court decision, Missouri became the first state to enact its trigger ban and outlaw abortion care – with no exceptions for rape or incest. The attack on reproductive rights and abortion care is a public health emergency, and without action, it will further endanger the lives of our most marginalized communities.
In states like Missouri, I worry about the people that will be left behind by outright abortion bans who are struggling to make ends meet and who may not have the economic resources to cross state borders. Abortion care is still available and we need to direct people to resources that will allow them to safely access it.
What we’re witnessing today is coercion and control by our nation’s highest court, and I won’t sit back quietly. We will continue to organize. We will protest. We will keep fighting because abortion care is health care. We will not stop until we ensure that every person has access to the health care that they need.”
Rep. Ann Wagner (R-Ballwin)
Today I spoke at the House Republicans press conference on the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v Wade and return the decision to the people and their elected state representatives.
— Ann Wagner (@RepAnnWagner) June 24, 2022
Watch my remarks here.https://t.co/cHrb7sbgVK
Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-Jefferson City)
Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-Columbia)
“Today’s decision by the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade and uphold Mississippi’s pro-life law is a monumental win for the American people and millions of unborn lives.
Nine unelected justices should never have imposed Roe’s radical abortion regime on the nation. This decision returns the debate to where it belongs—the people and their elected representatives.
Let’s be clear: This ruling by the Supreme Court will undoubtedly save lives.
With the advancement of science, we now know that at six weeks, an unborn baby has a beating heart. At 10 weeks, an unborn baby has arms and legs, and fingers and toes. At 15 weeks, an unborn baby can suck her thumb and feel pain. These tiny lives deserve love and protection – not to be torn apart by abortion.
We must also continue to support expectant mothers, which is why I support the over 2,700 pregnancy care centers across the nation which provide critical services to millions of families every year.
The pro-life movement has been fighting for every minute of the nearly five decades since Roe was issued for it to be reversed. I am deeply thankful to see their labors come to fruition and I am proud to once again live in a nation which upholds the sanctity of life.”
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Kansas City)
Rep. Billy Long (R-Springfield)
Now that Roe v. Wade has been overturned I'd like to address the telegraphing of the decision and it's aftermath that was first reported by Politico. The now famous leak stated that the Supreme Court of the United States was about to overturn Roe v. Wade, and send the issue of abortion back to the states. They got this information from a leaked draft opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito. We still don’t know who took the unprecedented step of leaking a full draft opinion before the ruling was released, but we do know the result of the leak. Almost immediately, left-wing activists started planning protests and demonstrations to try and force the justices to not overturn Roe.
There have been protests outside the homes of Supreme Court Justices, even the home of Justice Amy Coney Barrett who has young children. These protests are meant to intimidate the justices into doing what the activists want. Recently a deranged man got himself arrested outside of Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s home with a gun, saying he wanted to kill the justice because he was mad about the possibility of Roe being overturned. He found the home because protest groups posted Justice Kavanaugh’s address online. When asked about these protests outside private homes, then-White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki refused to condemn the protests, and even encouraged them. Just two years ago, now Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) stood on the steps of the Supreme Court, and said, “I want to tell you (Justice Neil) Gorsuch, and I want to tell you (Justice) Kavanaugh, you have unleashed the whirlwind, and you will pay the price. You won’t know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions.” In the wake of an assassination attempt on Justice Kavanaugh, you would think the media would be demanding Sen. Schumer apologize for these remarks, but they haven’t.
It’s not just the justices’ homes that have been targeted. Radical activists have also attacked 60 Pro-Life organizations and crisis pregnancy centers nationwide. These centers, many of which are religious, have been firebombed and vandalized. You would think that President Biden, a devout Catholic, would condemn these lawless acts, and send in the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to investigate. You would be right, but unfortunately it didn’t happen right away. The FBI announced last week that they were finally investigating this string of attacks, but it took them 45 days after the draft opinion was released. The FBI should have been investigating this from day one.
All acts of political violence are un-American and cannot be tolerated regardless of the issue or the source. Judges and politicians should be able to do their jobs without fear of being physically attacked or killed. Sadly, the so-called mainstream media does not treat all acts of political violence equally. The weekly network Sunday shows barely mentioned the assassination attempt on Justice Kavanaugh the week after it happened. And there has been minimal coverage from the so-called mainstream media about the attacks on Pro-Life organizations and crisis pregnancy centers. The big question I have this week is this: when will the media end their double standard and start covering these ongoing attacks against Pro-Life organizations? And, I'm not holding my breath.
Rep. Jason Smith (R-Salem)
Today marks an historic moment in the decades-long fight to protect the unborn. The Court’s decision makes clear that the Constitution gives state legislatures – not unelected judges – the freedom to answer the question of when life begins.
I’m incredibly grateful to the generations of Americans who have dedicated so much to defending the most vulnerable members of society. But the fight to protect life is not over, as Washington Democrats are more determined than ever to force their radical pro-abortion agenda on communities across the nation.
Dangerous rhetoric by leaders on the left, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, has led to violent attacks against pregnancy centers and nearly resulted in the assassination of a Supreme Court Justice. What we need right now is for our leaders to urge acceptance of this decision and make it abundantly clear that our nation – founded on the principle of free speech - will not tolerate any acts of violence against those with different beliefs.
