The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade today. While abortion is still legal in Michigan for now 鈥 a Michigan court of claims judge granted an injunction against the state鈥檚 abortion ban in May 鈥 the ruling is by the Michigan House and Senate and in the state Court of Appeals. Here鈥檚 what Democrat and Republican state politicians and organization leaders have to stay about the news.
Reporting for this story is ongoing.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer:
鈥Today is a sad day for America听as an unelected group of conservative judges act squarely against the will of the people and medical expertise.听We can all sense the despair that tens of millions of Americans鈥攐ur neighbors, family members and friends鈥攁re feeling right now.听However听we personally feel about abortion,听health鈥拢辞迟 politics鈥攕hould听drive important medical decisions.听听
鈥淲ith听today鈥檚听decision,听Michigan鈥檚听antiquated 1931听law听banning abortion without exceptions for rape or incest and criminalizing doctors and nurses听who provide reproductive care听takes听effect. For now, a Michigan court has听put a temporary听hold on听the听law,听but that decision听is not final and听has听already听been听challenged.听The 1931 law would punish women and strip away their right to make decisions about their own bodies.听I am deeply disappointed that Michigan鈥檚 Republican legislative leaders have been in court defending this draconian ban, to the detriment of women and families.听Some legislators听have gone a step further, proposing a 10-year prison sentence for abortion providers听and a 20-year sentence for anyone manufacturing, selling or distributing birth control medication.听听听
鈥淚 want every Michigander to know that I am more determined than ever to protect access to safe, legal abortion. Now is the time to use every tool in our toolbox to protect women and reproductive health care.听That is why I filed a lawsuit in April听and used my executive authority to urge the Michigan Supreme Court to immediately resolve whether Michigan鈥檚 state constitution protects the right to abortion. We need to clarify听that under Michigan law, access to abortion is not only legal, but constitutionally protected.听In addition, my recent executive directive instructs all state departments and agencies not to cooperate with authorities from other states who want to prosecute women seeking听legal听abortion care听and听instructs听departments听to increase protections for reproductive healthcare.听
鈥淚 will听fight like hell听to protect every Michiganders鈥 right to make decisions about their own body听with the advice of a medical professional they trust.听I will not give in or give up for听my kids, your kids,听and the future of our great state.鈥澨
Barbra Listing, president of Right to Life of Michigan:
鈥淭he U.S. Supreme Court justices who voted to overrule Roe are on the right side of history today. This monumental day gives the states the ability to restore legal rights to the unborn hopefully, in turn, ceasing the unjust slaughtering of the innocent in our country. We stand by our justices and thank them for their courage and wisdom in overruling a law that has plagued our society for the past 50 years.
鈥淲e urge the public and pro-abortion activists to accept this decision without violence and retaliation. The overturning of Roe v. Wade was made possible by working with the legal system and following laws. We know that one day Michigan鈥檚 1931 abortion law will be enforced again, and the unborn will be protected against ableism, sexism, and racism. We will continue to peacefully work towards this through the legal system.
鈥淲e will also continue to use our resources and time to protect the right to life鈥 In the meantime, we know that lives will be saved every day and families will be finding support at the 150 pregnancy resource centers across the state.
鈥淲e honor the 63 million lives lost from abortion in the past 50 years by dedicating all our efforts towards keeping Michigan a life-affirming state. We cannot change the past but thanks to the overruling of Roe v. Wade, we can control the future for our children and families.鈥
Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist:
鈥淭oday is a tragic day for Americans and Michiganders.听Against medical expertise and听the overwhelming majority of听Americans who support this constitutional right, a group of conservative judges听we did not elect听have stripped access to reproductive healthcare from tens of millions of Americans. We can all sense the hopelessness and despair that our neighbors, family, and friends are feeling right now.听
鈥淕overnor Gretchen Whitmer and I are more determined than ever to protect access to safe, legal abortion. However听we personally feel about abortion, health, not politics, should drive major medical decisions. Governor Whitmer and I are committed to ensuring this constitutional right is protected here in Michigan. We will strive to build a state where听everyone鈥檚听reproductive rights are respected and affirmed. We will never stop fighting for our kids, your kids, and our state鈥檚 future.鈥澨
Attorney General Dana Nessel:
鈥淭he overturning of听Roe听is not just the loss of a right; it is the erosion of our status as equal citizens under the law. As a nation, we trust in our highest court to hold sacred their duty, free from political whim. Today鈥檚 decision sets a dangerous precedent in reversing 50 years鈥 of settled law; creating extraordinary upheaval in the American legal system; and putting at risk other individual rights that generations of Americans fought to secure and preserve.
鈥淣ow we must do what our courts have failed to do: we must act to ensure that women are not permanently relegated to second-class citizens in this country. I will continue to fight for a women鈥檚 right to choose with the full weight of my office. Michigan residents听must continue to fight for reproductive rights at the ballot box in November.鈥
Kevin Rinke, Republican gubernatorial candidate (via Twitter): 听
鈥淪COTUS acted appropriately by letting the people of Michigan make their own decision. I have always believed this should be a state鈥檚 rights issue. Even Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg was openly critical of how the Court handled the decision decades ago. As governor, I will ensure that Michigan is a state that respects the sanctity of life. #RoeVsWade鈥
Rep. Brendan Lawrence, 14th District (via Facebook):
鈥淭oday is a dark day for America. Never in my life did I think I would see Roe v. Wade being struck down. This misguided and dangerous Supreme Court decision, overturning nearly 50 years of precedent, will harm women and families in Michigan and across the country. Abortion care is a human right. But with this life-threatening decision, several states are set to enact deadly abortion bans. Let me say this loud and clear: abortion bans don鈥檛 ban abortions; they just ban safe abortions. Today, our country is moving backwards, reproductive rights are being undermined, and women鈥檚 rights are being rolled back significantly. Now more than ever, the Senate needs to act and vote on the House-passed Women鈥檚 Health Protection Act so that women can make the best healthcare decisions for themselves and their families. We have to get this done.鈥
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