Latest news with #abortion
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Michigan GOP Lawmaker When Asked If He Supports Women's Bodily Autonomy: 'I Don't'
Michigan Rep. Karl Bohnak (R-Deerton) has finally said what so many members of the GOP are too scared to say outright: they don't support women's bodily autonomy. Bohnak recently held an office hours event at a public library to take questions from his constituents. In audio obtained by the Heartland Signal, one Marquette resident mentioned how their community is now 'a healthcare desert' after the only Planned Parenthood clinic in the Upper Peninsula closed in April, and asked Bohnak whether he supported 'reproductive freedom.' While the Republican lawmaker said he supports 'reproductive clinics' that provide contraceptives or pre-cancer screenings, he wouldn't support a clinic that offers abortion care. Most Popular George Clooney Sounds Like a Lovely House Husband Ohio Woman Faces 'Abuse of a Corpse' Charge for Miscarriage in Another Post-Roe Nightmare Abortion Access Will, Once Again, Be Decided by the Supreme Court 'If you're talking about abortion, I'm not going to support an abortion clinic,' Bohnak said. The resident responded: 'So you don't support a woman's autonomy over her own body?' 'I don't,' Bohnak answered, making sure there was no room left for confusion. If there's anything that 2025 has taught me about the GOP, it's that they never know when to shut up. This confession is practically my Signalgate. Bohnak, who The Independent previously described as QAnon adjacent, was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in November, turning the U.P. entirely red by upsetting incumbent Democrat Jenn Hill. Before becoming a politician, Bohnak, who's skeptical of climate change, worked as a meteorologist. But he got fired in 2021 over his refusal to take the covid vaccine, claiming it violated the Nuremberg Code of 1947. During his campaign, Bohnak was repeatedly asked if he would vote to restrict abortion access, but—like every single GOP candidate in 2024—he refused to comment. If only he'd taken the same advice this time around. The U.P. is largely rural and isn't physically connected to the state's Lower Peninsula; instead, it branches off of northeast Wisconsin, which is currently fighting its own battle with abortion legislation. As the Marquette resident mentioned, Bohnak's district is now considered a reproductive healthcare desert, with the closest Planned Parenthood five hours south in the L.P.—though many clinics in the L.P. now offer travel accommodations for U.P. patients. In 2022, Michiganians did vote to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution—though needless hurdles to access remain. And, this week, on the anniversary of the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs reminded hospitals of their duty 'to continue providing adequate and appropriate reproductive care to patients.' The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs should probably send a reminder to all of Michigan's lawmakers, too. They can start with Bohnak. Like what you just read? You've got great taste. Subscribe to Jezebel, and for $5 a month or $50 a year, you'll get access to a bunch of subscriber benefits, including getting to read the next article (and all the ones after that) ad-free. Plus, you'll be supporting independent journalism—which, can you even imagine not supporting independent journalism in times like these? Yikes.
The Herald
a day ago
- Health
- The Herald
US Supreme Court backs South Carolina effort to defund Planned Parenthood
'Today, the Supreme Court again sided with politicians who believe they know better than you, who want to block you from seeing your trusted healthcare provider and making your own healthcare decisions,' said Planned Parenthood Federation of America president Alexis McGill Johnson. Lawmakers are trying to defund Planned Parenthood 'as part of their long-term goal to shut down Planned Parenthood and ban abortion nationwide' she said. South Carolina attorney general Alan Wilson, a Republican, welcomed the ruling. 'This is about who runs South Carolina, our elected leaders or out of state activists and unelected judges. We're glad the court got it right,' Wilson said. Since the Supreme Court in 2022 overturned its landmark Roe vs Wade ruling that had legalised abortion nationwide, a number of Republican-led states have implemented near-total bans or, like South Carolina, prohibitions after six weeks of pregnancy. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic operates clinics in the South Carolina cities of Charleston and Columbia, where it serves hundreds of Medicaid patients each year, providing physical examinations, screenings for cancer and diabetes, pregnancy testing, contraception and other services. Planned Parenthood affiliate and Medicaid patient Julie Edwards sued in 2018 after Republican governor Henry McMaster ordered South Carolina officials to end the organisation's participation in the state Medicaid programme by deeming any abortion provider unqualified to provide family planning services. The plaintiffs sued South Carolina under an 1871 US law that helps people challenge illegal acts by state officials. They said the Medicaid law protects what they called a 'deeply personal right' to choose one's doctor. The South Carolina department of health and human services, represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom conservative legal group and backed by President Donald Trump's administration, said the disputed Medicaid provision in the case does not meet the 'high bar for recognising private rights'. In the ruling, Gorsuch agreed with South Carolina, saying the law did not provide 'clear and unambiguous notice of an individually enforceable right'. He noted 'private enforcement does not always benefit the public, not least because it requires states to divert money and attention away from social services and towards litigation'. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson wrote in a dissent joined by the court's two other liberal justices that the ruling 'is likely to result in tangible harm to real people. At a minimum, it will deprive Medicaid recipients in South Carolina of their only meaningful way of enforcing a right that Congress has expressly granted to them'. The ruling will strip Medicaid recipients around the country of the ability to decide who treats them at their most vulnerable, Jackson wrote, calling that 'a deeply personal freedom'. A federal judge ruled in Planned Parenthood's favour, finding Medicaid recipients may sue under the 1871 law and that the state's move to defund the organisation violated the right of Edwards to freely choose a qualified medical provider. In 2024, the Richmond, Virginia-based 4th US circuit court of appeals also sided with the plaintiffs. The Supreme Court heard arguments in the case on April 2. Reuters
Wall Street Journal
2 days ago
- Politics
- Wall Street Journal
Church of England, Disestablish Thyself
The Church of England has always been a hybrid entity. Since its establishment by King Henry VIII in 1534, the church has adroitly juggled piety with politics to conserve its role as Britain's moral center. Yet last week Parliament passed two policies so rebarbative to the Christian principle of human dignity—the decriminalization of self-administered abortion at any time, for any reason, and the legalization of assisted suicide for the terminally ill—that even this adaptable church will struggle to reconcile them with its mission. Christian doctrine prizes the dignity of all and the duty to care for the vulnerable. Early Christians were noted for rescuing unwanted babies, routinely abandoned in Roman times. Through European history the establishment of hospitals and houses for poor relief was associated with the Christian faith.
Fox News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Red State Notches SCOTUS Win Over Planned Parenthood
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content. Here's what's happening… -Legalized same-sex marriage turns 10 after landmark Supreme Court decision reshaped American law and culture -Former Biden aide Anthony Bernal subpoenaed by House committee after refusing to appear for deposition -ICE arrests more Iranian nationals across amid sleeper cell concerns The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that South Carolina has the power to block Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood clinics, in a technical interpretation over healthcare choices that has emerged as a larger political fight over abortion access. The case, Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, centers on whether low-income Medicaid patients can sue under what is known as Section 1983 – part of the Civil Rights Act of 1871 – in order to choose their own qualified healthcare provider. It involves South Carolina's blocking of Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, which the organization argued violated federal law. In a 6-3 decision, the Court noted that the typical redress for such a violation would be for the Secretary of Health and Human Services to withhold Medicaid funding from the state, not for an individual to sue the state. "Section 1983 permits private plaintiffs to sue for violations of federal spending-power statutes only in 'atypical' situations … where the provision in question 'clear[ly]' and 'unambiguous[ly]' confers an individual 'right,'" Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote in the majority opinion, ruling that the law in question in the present case "is not such a statute."…READ MORE. TAXPAYER BURDEN: FIRST ON FOX: Congressman calls on Noem, Dr. Oz with a plan to 'swiftly remove' 1.4 million illegal migrants who receive Medicaid COURT BATTLE RAGES: Abrego Garcia lawyers ask US judge to order return to Maryland amid ongoing criminal case 'SWISS ARMY KNIFE': What has Vance accomplished in first 5 months as VP? His peers weigh in FAKE NEWS FRENZY: Trump admin pushes back against 'false reporting' by mainstream media outlet on children deportations JUDICIAL POWER GRAB: Revisiting Justice Scalia's same-sex marriage dissent: prophetic or inflammatory? TWISTED PRIORITIES: Hegseth tears into reporters, alleging they 'cheer against Trump' and Iran strikes EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Fmr. Trump Secy. of State Pompeo says Iran strike sends message: 'America is back leading in the world' WOKE WASTE SLASHED: FIRST ON FOX: Noem uncovers and kills multimillion dollar Biden-era DEI, LGBTQ program WAITING FOR THE CALL: Top Dem demands answers from Social Security, claiming wait times spiked during DOGE cuts SPIES IN THE SKIES: Drone incursions on US bases come under intense scrutiny as devices upend modern combat ART OF THE TROLL: White House drops 'Daddy's Home' meme after viral NATO summit moment HEROES SURVIVE FIRE: Caine reveals details on the 44 young soldiers who defended largest US base in Middle East from Iran TORTURE AND ABUSE: Belarusian dissident thanks Trump admin for his freedom, demands the UN act REGIONAL OUTREACH: Trump's crown jewel Abraham Accords may expand to normalize ties between Israel and other nations AUTHORITARIAN LUXURY: North Korea's Kim cuts tape at coastal tourist site; foreigners not yet welcome 'HISTORIC' TEAM: Mossad chief thanks US for help with Iran, says 'significantly thwarted' regime threats NUKE SITE SHOWDOWN: 'The mission was accomplished': Senate Republicans push back against leaked report on Iran strikes POWER PLAY BACKFIRE: FIRST ON FOX: GOP senator calls for parliamentarian's firing after serving Medicaid blow to Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' UNELECTED POWER: Fury erupts as unelected Senate 'scorekeeper' blocks Trump's agenda FLIP-FLOP FIASCO: DC House delegate's office backtracks after 88-year-old's statement that she'll run for re-election VALUES VS. VERDICT: WATCH: Republicans share views on gay marriage decade after Supreme Court decision THREATS UNLEASHED: Republican congresswoman's office evacuated after pro-abortion activists send chilling threats SMACKDOWN: Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' faces setback as Senate rules knock out key Medicaid provisions GREAT DIVORCE: Decade after landmark ruling, Republican support for same-sex marriage craters NEW ROUND BEGINS: JB Pritzker takes aim at Trump in launching Democratic re-election bid for Illinois governor CAMPAIGN LAUNCH: 'No dignity' in socialism: NYC Mayor Adams announces re-election bid after Mamdani wins Dem primary GREEN BRAINWASHING: Parental rights watchdog exposes left-wing climate group's strategy to recruit kids for environmental activism RED RISING: New York Republicans warn of 'disaster' if 'dangerous' Zohran Mamdani wins mayoral race Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
States can block Medicaid money for health care at Planned Parenthood, the Supreme Court says
WASHINGTON (AP) — States can block the country's biggest abortion provider, Planned Parenthood, from receiving Medicaid money for health services such as contraception and cancer screenings, the Supreme Court ruled on Thursday. The 6-3 opinion by Justice Neil Gorsuch and joined by the rest of the court's conservatives was not directly about abortion, but it comes as Republicans back a wider push across the country to defund the organization. It closes off Planned Parenthood's primary court path to keeping Medicaid funding in place: patient lawsuits. The justices found that while Medicaid law allows people choose their own provider, that does not make it a right enforceable in court. The court split along ideological lines, with the three liberals dissenting in the case from South Carolina. Public health care money generally cannot be used to pay for abortions, but Medicaid patients go to Planned Parenthood for other needs in part because it can be difficult to find a doctor who takes the publicly funded insurance, the organization has said. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, a Republican, said Planned Parenthood should not get any taxpayer money. The budget bill backed by President Donald Trump in Congress would also cut Medicaid money for the group. That could force the closure of about 200 centers, most of them in states where abortion is legal, Planned Parenthood has said. McMaster first moved to cut off the Medicaid funding in 2018, but he was blocked in court after a lawsuit from a patient, Julie Edwards, who wanted to keep going to Planned Parenthood for birth control because her diabetes makes pregnancy potentially dangerous. Edwards sued under a provision in Medicaid law that allows patients to choose their own qualified provider. South Carolina argued that patients should not be able file such lawsuits. The state pointed to lower courts that have been swayed by similar arguments and allowed states such as Texas to act against Planned Parenthood. The high court majority agreed. 'Deciding whether to permit private enforcement poses delicate policy questions involving competing costs and benefits — decisions for elected representatives, not judges,' Gorsuch wrote. He pointed out that patients can appeal through other administrative processes if coverage is denied. McMaster, in a statement, said his state had taken 'a stand to protect the sanctity of life and defend South Carolina's authority and values — and today, we are finally victorious.' White House spokesman Harrison Fields called the opinion 'a major victory for common sense' and said it underscores the Republican president's position that states should determine abortion policy. In a dissent joined by her liberal colleagues, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said the ruling is 'likely to result in tangible harm to real people.' 'It will strip those South Carolinians — and countless other Medicaid recipients around the country — of a deeply personal freedom: the 'ability to decide who treats us at our most vulnerable,'" she wrote. Planned Parenthood officials said the decision will hinder access to care like preventive screenings for 1 million Medicaid recipients in South Carolina. The state didn't accuse Planned Parenthood of providing inadequate care, she said, calling the decision to cut it off a political one. 'Instead of patients now deciding where to get care, that now lies with the state,' said Katherine Farris, chief medical officer of Planned Parenthood South Atlantic. 'If they fall on hard financial times, as many are right now, they are fundamentally less free." Other conservative states are expected to follow South Carolina's lead with funding cuts, potentially creating a 'backdoor abortion ban,' said Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Eighteen states weighed into the case in support of South Carolina. Medicaid patients make up 3.5% of the organization's South Carolina patients who go for services unrelated to abortion or gender-affirming care, officials said. Because South Carolina has not expanded its Medicaid program, reimbursements do not cover its preventive care costs, spokesperson Molly Rivera said. Planned Parenthood will continue to provide care for women who need it in South Carolina, but won't bill the government, said Vicki Ringer, a spokesperson for the South Carolina branch. 'This does not close us down despite the governor's best efforts,' Ringer said. Up to one-quarter of people in the U.S. use Medicaid, and lawsuits have been the only real way they've been able to make sure they can choose their doctor, according to court papers filed by the American Cancer Society and other public health groups. Removing the ability to sue could reduce access to health care, especially in rural areas, the advocates said. Patient lawsuits are an important accountability tool because regulators 'can't possibly monitor all federal requirements in all states at all times," said Julian Polaris, a lawyer who regularly advises state programs and health care providers. The ruling raises questions about whether patients can still sue to secure medically necessary services and eligibility determinations, he said. In South Carolina, $90,000 in Medicaid funding goes to Planned Parenthood every year, a tiny fraction of the state's total Medicaid spending. The state banned abortion at about six weeks' gestation after the Supreme Court overturned it as a nationwide right in 2022. The conservative Christian legal-advocacy group Alliance Defending Freedom, which represented South Carolina officials, said the ruling would allow the state to direct Medicaid dollars to 'comprehensive health care" for low-income patients. ___ Associated Press writers Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, South Carolina, and Meg Kinnard contributed to this report. ___ Follow the AP's coverage of the U.S. Supreme Court at
