Columbus — Following the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the US Supreme Court, NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio Executive Director Kellie Copeland released the following statement:
“Sen. Rob Portman and the Republican Party stood by Kavanaugh despite credible, alarming, and disqualifying allegations because they know he will execute their brutal agenda over our country for decades to come. The GOP has now shown their willingness to do anything including throwing women, our fundamental rights, and the democratic values we hold dear under the bus in order to gut Roe, criminalize abortion, and punish women.
“Where Ohioans can have an impact in protecting abortion access is by stopping an unconstitutional abortion ban from heading to the Supreme Court from our state. Ohio’s gubernatorial election will determine whether abortion is criminalized in Ohio in the next year.
“Mike DeWine has pledged to sign a law banning abortion at 6 weeks, understanding the bill could be used by Supreme Court packed with Trump nominees to gut Roe. Rich Cordray has said he would veto that bill. We must protect abortion access, we must protect women by electing Rich Cordray.
“If abortion is outlawed in Ohio, over 20,000 people would be forced to continue pregnancies against their will, or face criminal penalties for seeking the abortion care they need. Everyone deserves access to abortion without shame, stigma, or threat of criminal prosecution.”