[[link removed]] Weekly Digest
Weekly Digest
Letter from an Editor | August 5, 2023
Dear John,
The very same Texas judge that has been attempting to make the abortion medication mifepristone illegal now potentially holds the power to shut down Planned Parenthood—single handedly. Any day now, Trump-appointed judge Matthew Kacsmaryk will rule in Doe v. Planned Parenthood—in which the state of Texas and an anonymous plaintiff allege that the reproductive health provider engaged in fraud in filing Medicaid reimbursement claims for thousands of patients in Texas and Louisiana. The lawsuit could potentially bankrupt Planned Parenthood.
The fact that the staunchly anti-abortion Kacsmaryk is the judge for this lawsuit is no coincidence. Anti-abortion plaintiffs have intentionally filed suits like this one and the Mifepristone case in the Amarillo Division of the Northern District of Texas, where Kacsmaryk is the only judge—despite the court having no ties to the case. Make no mistake: this is a clear case of our justice system being manipulated to suit the interests of an anti-abortion minority whose views don’t even reflect those of the public in Texas—or anywhere else in the country.
Meanwhile, in the face of anti-abortion forces, states like Illinois are rallying to secure safe and trustworthy access to abortion care. Late last month, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker (D) signed “The Deceptive Practices of Limited Services Pregnancy Centers Act,” which prohibits anti-abortion “crisis pregnancy centers” (CPCs) from deceptively interfering with people seeking access to abortion or other reproductive health services. Illinois is the fourth state to enact such legislation—after Connecticut, Colorado and Vermont.
“Misinformation is a form of injustice, particularly when it is used in an attempt to control women’s healthcare decisions,” said Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton. “In Illinois, we refuse to accept anything less than bodily autonomy for all, and that includes the right to accessible and accurate medical information. We are committed to protecting Illinoisans from these manipulative tactics and ensuring all have the power to choose what is best for their futures.”
Meanwhile in Ohio, an abortion rights initiative has qualified for the November ballot. If approved by voters, the initiative would codify abortion rights in the state constitution—but first, abortion rights advocates must defeat a referendum in a special election August 8 placed on the ballot by the Republican-dominated state legislature. The referendum would require future constitutional amendments—including the November abortion rights ballot measure—to meet a threshold of 60 percent support, rather than a simple majority of 50 percent.
Anti-abortion activists will try every trick in the book—whether it’s legal or not—to stop people from getting abortions. But just as the overturning of Roe didn’t stop women from getting abortions, CPCs and Trump-appointed judges won’t stop them either.
Onward,
[[link removed]]
Kathy Spillar
Executive Editor
This Week's Must-Reads from Ms.
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In ‘Baseless’ Texas Lawsuit, Matthew Kacsmaryk Could Singlehandedly Shut Down Planned Parenthood [[link removed]] Illinois Law Holds Anti-Abortion ‘Crisis Pregnancy Centers’ Accountable for Misinformation and Fraud [[link removed]]
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Abortion Is Officially on the Ballot in Ohio’s August and November Elections [[link removed]] A New Alimony Law Makes Florida Even Less Safe for Women [[link removed]]
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