May 9, 2022
From The NYS Democrat Chairman Jay Jacobs: Lee Zeldin is now covering up his anti-abortion record following widespread blowback in response to the Supreme Court’s reported decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Today, Zeldin said that the law on abortion is clear regardless of what SCOTUS decides and that “nothing changes in the state of New York.” While Zeldin attempted to downplay the consequences of the SCOTUS decision today, he spent the week leading up to the draft Roe decision touting an extreme anti-choice agenda. Zeldin hosted the New York Right to Life Party and said that the anti-abortion advocates would have “open door” access to his administration if elected governor and vowed to appoint a pro-life health commissioner. In Congress, Zeldin backed a bill that would prohibit abortions after 20 weeks, voted to defund Planned Parenthood, and joined Republicans in an amicus brief demanding the Supreme Court overturn Roe v. Wade. Now that Roe is at the forefront of every New Yorkers’ mind, Zeldin is trying to hide his extremism by lying about his extensive anti-choice record and plans if elected governor. “Lee Zeldin can’t run from his far-right record or his plans to bring anti-choice extremism to New York,” said Chairman Jay S. Jacobs. “It is time for Zeldin to address his anti-choice record, be truthful to voters, and start giving straight answers.”
From State Attorney General Leticia James: New York Attorney General Letitia James, today announced new legislation to establish a state program that would provide financial resources to abortion providers in New York. The Reproductive Freedom and Equity Program would provide funding for abortion providers and non-profit organizations to help increase access to care, funding for uncompensated and uninsured abortion care, and providing resources to support the needs of individuals accessing abortion care. If the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade in the coming weeks, the fundamental federal right to abortion will be eliminated, curtailing the ability of people across the United States to access safe and legal abortions. The Reproductive Freedom and Equity Program would support access to abortion for low-income New Yorkers and would also provide financial support for the influx of people coming to New York from other states that ban abortion.
As states have passed laws restricting access to abortion, the number of people traveling to New York for care has already grown. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2019, nine percent or 7,000 of the abortion procedures performed in New York were for people from out of state. If Roe v. Wade is overturned, that number is likely to increase to more than 32,000 procedures a year from individuals traveling from only Ohio and Pennsylvania to New York, according to the Guttmacher Institute. There are currently 22 states that have laws or constitutional amendments that already exist that would allow them to ban abortion if Roe is overturned or weakened. There are an additional four states that are likely to ban abortion in the absence of federal protections. These 26 states are home to more than 40 million women of reproductive age.
From The New York State Conservative Party: New York has the most radical abortion laws in the country, allowing termination of an unborn child right up until birth — more than twice the length of time most liberal European countries allow. But that’s not enough for Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James who now want to turn the state into a national mecca for abortion procedures wholly paid for by New York taxpayers. “The governor and attorney general have no right to force New Yorkers to pay for abortions for non-New Yorkers. New Yorkers, who already pay the highest taxes in the country, need to fight it.”
