ODWLC: "The Attorney General is seizing on a moment of public vulnerability to push his political agenda."

COLUMBUS – The Ohio Democratic Women’s Legislative Caucus today issued a statement in response to Attorney General Dave Yost’s directive that all surgical abortions in Ohio halt believing that this would be in accordance with the State Health Director’s order for people to cancel all elective surgeries.  

“During an emergency, there is always a chance of government overreach under the guise of ‘security’ or adherence to ‘law and order.’ In times of national crisis, we have seen egregious acts that have circumvented our freedoms before. And make no mistake – we are seeing them today. Right now an opportunistic Attorney General is seizing on a moment of public vulnerability to push his political agenda. This is a strategic attack on women and a calculated political maneuver intended to strip away our legal right to abortion care at the most uncertain of times. AG Yost’s actions are despicable.

As the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology have recognized, abortion is an essential, time-sensitive, legal medical procedure. Postponing it even a few days is a restriction to access and is unconstitutional. The state should not be picking and choosing which medical procedures are elective or essential. This latitude has appropriately been given to health care professionals and their patients, not male ideological politicians.

Women will still seek the legal procedure of abortion they need but expecting them to travel out of state when the state is requiring them to stay home is a violation of the State Health Director’s order itself. AG Yost should be ashamed. This is a time for our state to put aside personal ideology and political tricks for the good of the public, not to take advantage of a global pandemic.”