Local reaction swift — and split — as Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade
A polarizing decision from the Supreme Court Friday morning has seen landmark case Roe v. Wade overturned.
The constitutional protections for abortion that were put in place nearly 50 years ago are no longer in place nationwide, and now it will be up to individual states to decide what their laws will be pertaining to the matter.
Indications this could become a reality occurred in May, when a draft majority opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito was leaked.
In the decision on Friday, joining Alito were Justices Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett. The latter three justices are former President Donald Trump appointees.
In dissent were Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan.
Alito also added in the final opinion on Friday that not just Roe v. Wade, but Planned Parenthood v. Casey – a 1992 decision that reaffirmed abortion rights – must be overturned.
In Florida, and across the country, varying opinions are pouring in.
“The prayers of millions have been answer,” Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, wrote on Twitter. “For nearly 50 years, the U.S. Supreme Court has prohibited virtually any meaningful pro-life protection, but this was not grounded in the text, history or structure of the Constitution. By properly interpreting the Constitution, the Dobbs majority has restored the people’s role in our republic and a sense of hope that every life counts.
“Florida will continue to defend its recently-enacted pro-life reforms against state court challenges, will work to expand pro-life protections, and will stand for life by promoting adoption, foster care and child welfare.”
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) also issued a statement in support of the decision Friday morning.
In his statement, he said, “Today’s decision by the Supreme Court to allow states to regulate abortion was right constitutionally and morally.
“For nearly half a century, a nation founded on God-given rights denied those rights to its most vulnerable citizens and more than 63 million Americans never got the chance to pursue their dreams.”
He concluded by stating: “But we must not only continue to take steps to protect the unborn, we must also do more to support mothers and their babies. I will soon introduce a bill to ensure we do everything we can to give every child the opportunity to fully access the promise of America.”
Congressman Byron Donalds (R-District 19) had a similar view.
“Today’s Supreme Court ruling establishes a long-overdue realignment back to the rule of law in favor of states’ rights and the Constitution that guides our Republic,” Donalds said in a prepared statement. “This monumental ruling puts the power back to the people and allows American citizens the authority to be involved in their state’s legal and political decisions.”
Cindy Banyai, a Democrat who is running in the upcoming election for the District 19 seat, slammed the Supreme Court decision.
“Republicans did everything possible to engineer this barbaric outcome,” she said in a prepared statement. “They stole a Supreme Court Seat, and appointed a Supreme Court Justice right before the election to seal Roe’s fate. Now, Republican men are in a position to dictate what women do with their own bodies.
“Because of this Supreme Court decision, Florida women’s reproductive rights are now subject to being legislated by Ron DeSantis and Florida Republicans. They already passed a bill prohibiting all abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.”
State Rep. Mike Giallombardo, R-76, whose district includes Cape Coral, said supported the decision.
“This decision reverses course one of the worst rulings the Supreme Court has made,” he said in a prepared statement. “This will save countless innocent lives and I only wish it would have come sooner. I look forward to getting to work in the Florida House to pass legislation that will save the lives of innocent children in Florida.”
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Nikki Fried (D), an independently elected member of the Florida Cabinet, issued the following statement on the news that the U.S. Supreme Court has issued an opinion overturning Roe vs. Wade: “This is a tragic day for women in America. The freedom to make our own choices about our lives, our bodies, and our healthcare is fundamental to our humanity. It’s absolutely devastating to have those rights taken away. It’s not an exaggeration to say that women and girls will die as a result of this decision. Women will now be forced to stay with abusive partners, to carry dangerous and unviable pregnancies to term, to be refused life-saving medical care, to seek out unsafe and illegal ways to have an abortion, to bear children conceived through rape and incest, and to endure a host of other indignities too varied and disturbing to describe. It will have a catastrophic effect on women’s economic prospects and participation in the workforce. It has and will be disastrous for our mental health. It’s cruel and inhumane, and it’s the result of Republicans’ years-long war on women and our rights.”
The upcoming gubernatorial candidate added, “In Florida, for now, we still have a provision in our state constitution that protects abortion rights – although that is in question as well. I promise that we will fight with everything we have to keep that from being overturned.”
Charlie Crist (D), also a candidate for governor of Florida, released a statement following the Supreme Court’s decision this morning.
He stated: “My heart is heavy for women across our country and in the Sunshine State who, with this decision, are losing their federal protections for the freedom to make their own reproductive decisions.
“Under Ron DeSantis, freedom for Florida’s women has been under attack. And with today’s decision, the fate of reproductive freedom in our state is now squarely in the hands of the governor and state legislature. For Florida’s women and for all Floridians, this November’s election is the most consequential in modern history.”
Crist added, “I’m running for governor to protect Roe v. Wade. On day one of the Crist Administration, I will sign an Executive Order to protect a woman’s right to choose. Fighting every day for the women of our state will be a cornerstone of my administration. It’s time to get organized, get energized, get voters registered, and turn out the vote to protect women’s freedom.”
Planned Parenthood Florida officials stated that the consequences of this decision will fall largely on people who already burdened with barriers to health care due to “racism and discrimination,” including Black, Latino, and Indigenous communities, people with low incomes, LGBTQ+ people, immigrants, and people living in rural areas.
Planned Parenthood officials also said that in Florida, abortion providers and health centers recently filed a lawsuit bringing a state constitutional challenge to House Bill 5, a ban on abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Abortion providers in the case are asking the court to block the ban from taking effect on July 1. In 1980, Florida voters amended the state constitution to provide broad protections for individual privacy rights — including abortion. These protections will remain in place despite today’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling on federal abortion rights in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.
“By overturning Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court has now officially given politicians across the country the power to control what people can do with their own bodies,” said President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida, Stephanie Fraim, in a statement. “This means millions of Americans will no longer be trusted to determine the course of their own lives. This dangerous and chilling decision will have devastating consequences across the southeast and beyond, forcing people who can afford it to travel hundreds, sometimes thousands, of miles for abortion care in Florida and other states where at least some access is still protected. This ruling eliminates the federal constitutional right to privacy around abortion, but the Florida state constitution still protects that right. The Florida 15-week abortion ban, which will go into effect July 1st, is clearly unconstitutional, which is why Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida and other plaintiffs are suing to stop it. We will not sit idly by while our freedoms are stripped away like this — we will not stop fighting for our rights.”
Mary Braxton-Joseph, Board Chair of Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida, said the decision to choose adoption, end a pregnancy or raise a child is best left to a person, their family, faith and physician.
“Abortion access should not be based on your ZIP code, income level, or immigration status,” Braxton-Joseph said in a statement.
She said abortion bans disproportionately harm Black, Latino, Indigenous, and other people of color because “of this country’s legacy of racism and discrimination.”
“Black women are nearly three times as likely to die during birth, or shortly after, then white women,” Braxton-Joseph said. “Taking away their freedom to make the health care decisions that are best for their health and their family is wrong and dangerous”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Black women as a population have the highest rate of abortions — nearly 24 abortions per 1,000 Black women, compared to about seven abortions per 1,000 white women.
“With this reversal, the biggest impact will be felt by Black women in the South, where conservative legislators are set to enact restrictions,” Braxton-Joseph said.
“PPSWCF will rise to this moment – offering safe, compassionate care to people who choose pregnancy from across the Southeast. We are here for you, no matter what.
Amy Turkel, interim executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, in a statement said, “The courts are letting anti-abortion politicians attack our fundamental rights, but they don’t get the final say — we do.
“While we will do everything in our power to block these bans in the courts, we’re not stopping there. We are mobilizing people in the streets and taking this fight to the ballot box to hold politicians accountable. Together we can ensure we keep the power to make the best decisions for ourselves and our families.”
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Editor’s Note: Please watch for updates.
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