By Leela Bronner and Bryan Miller
PHOENIX, AZ – Democratic leaders within the Arizona State House said the “Arizona Supreme Court chose chaos over common sense,” according to the Arizona House Democrats press release.
The statement said this claim comes after “justices chose to impose the draconian 1864 total ban on abortion that criminalizes reproductive care with no exceptions for survivors of rape and incest.”
This 160 year old law can be used to legally penalize any doctor or woman who partakes in an abortion, except in the case of a life-threatening emergency, according to the law.
House Democratic Whip Melody Hernandez pleaded, in the Democratic statement, “Women will die if this law stands and medical professionals could be jailed. That is unimaginable, it is not supported by our constituents and it cannot be allowed to stand. Every Republican in the Legislature supported this total abortion ban passed during the Civil War, decades before we even became a state and women gained the right to vote.
“We know this because the Speaker and Senate President submitted an amicus brief on their behalf asking for exactly that result. We hope they will acknowledge their mistake and work with us to repeal this law before anyone is harmed.”
This decision did not only bring about criticism from Democrats, the press release noted.
Republican Arizona Rep. David Schweikert wrote on social media platform X, “I do not support today’s ruling from the AZ Supreme Court. This issue should be decided by Arizonans, not legislated from the bench.”
According to a survey conducted in September 2022 and published by OH Predictive Insights, less than 10 percent of Arizonians support the illegalization of abortion in all circumstances.
House Democratic Whip Nancy Gutierrez added, in the statement, “This is outrageous, extreme, and devastating because we know Arizonans overwhelmingly support the right to obtain an abortion and other reproductive healthcare. We must take immediate steps to repeal this archaic and cruel law, and to expand our rights.”
