This afternoon, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper signed a pro-abortion executive order Tuesday offering protection to abortionists who kill unborn babies in violation of other states’ pro-life laws.
The order mirrors those of several other pro-abortion Democrat governors in recent weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and began allowing states to protect unborn babies from abortion again. Yesterday, his Democrat colleague in Maine, Gov. Janet Mills, signed the same sort of order.
The measure would ensure state workers under his control do nothing to support challenges to abortion. Executive Order 263, released July 6, would apply only to Cabinet agencies under the governor’s authority. It would not apply to other state agencies, such as those controlled by the elected members of the Council of State, the General Assembly, state courts, or local governments.
Standing next to the head of the Planned Parenthood abortion company when he signed it, Cooper’s order prohibits the state from working with authorities from pro-life states to prosecute abortionists who abort unborn babies in violation of their state laws.
Here’s what the Kill More babies order does:
Section 2 directs cabinet agencies under Cooper’s control to “coordinate with each other and pursue opportunities to protect people or entities who are providing, assisting, seeking, or obtaining lawful reproductive health care services in North Carolina.”
Section 3 says that cabinet agencies cannot help with any civil or criminal investigation surrounding “the provision of, securing of, receipt of, or any inquiry concerning reproductive health care services that are legal in North Carolina.”
Section 4 says that “to the maximum extent permitted” Cooper will use his discretion to “decline requests for the extradition of any person charged with a criminal violation in another state where the violation alleged arises out of the inquiry into, provision of, assistance with, securing of, or receipt of reproductive health care services that are lawful in North Carolina, unless the acts forming the basis of the prosecution of the crime charged would also constitute a criminal offense under North Carolina law.”
Section 5 allows for pregnant Cabinet employees to avoid travel to states that don’t have abortion exceptions for the health of the mother.
Section 6 directs the N.C. Department of Public Safety to work with local law enforcement and with abortion providers to ensure access to clinics.
ACTION ALERT: To complain, contact Governor Roy Cooper here.
Last week, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak and Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee issued similar executive orders, calling their states a “sanctuary” for abortion and the killing of unborn babies a “human right.”
Other states are moving the opposite direction following the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
As LifeNews reported, the Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade, with a 6-3 majority ruling in the Dobbs case that “The Constitution does not confer a right to abortion” — allowing states to ban abortions and protect unborn babies. The high court also ruled 6-3 uphold the Mississippi 15-week abortion ban so states can further limit abortions and to get rid of the false viability standard.
Chief Justice John Roberts technically voted for the judgment but, in his concurring opinion, disagreed with the reasoning and said he wanted to keep abortions legal but with a new standard.
Texas and Oklahoma had banned abortions before Roe was overturned and Missouri became the first state after Roe to protect babies from abortions and South Dakota became the 2nd. Then Arkansas became the third state protecting babies from abortions and Kentucky became the 4th and Louisiana became the 5th and Ohio became the 6th and Utah became the 7th and Oklahoma became the 8th and Alabama became the 9th. This week, Mississippi became the 10th and South Carolina became the 11th,Texas became the 12th with its pre-Roe law and Tennessee became the 13th.
Michigan, Wisconsin and West Virginia have old pro-life laws on the books but there is question about whether they are applicable and will be enforced.
Ultimately, as many as 26 states could immediately or quickly ban abortions and protect babies from certain death for the first time in nearly 50 years.
The 13 total states with trigger laws that would effectively ban all or most abortions are: Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Wyoming.
“Abortion presents a profound moral question. The Constitution does not prohibit the citizens of each State from regulating or prohibiting abortion. Roe and Casey arrogated that authority. We now overrule those decisions and return that authority to the people and their elected representatives,” Alito wrote.
“Roe was egregiously wrong from the start. Its reasoning was exceptionally weak, and the decision has had damaging consequences,” Alito wrote. “And far from bringing about a national settlement of the abortion issue, Roe and Casey have enflamed debate and deepened division.”
This is a landmark day for the Pro-Life movement and our entire nation. After staining the moral fabric of our country for nearly 50 years, Roe v. Wade is no more.
Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Stephen Breyer authored a joint dissent condemning the decision as enabling states to enact “draconian” restrictions on women.
Polls show Americans are pro-life on abortion and a new national poll shows 75% of Americans essentially agree with the Supreme Court overturning Roe.
ACTION ALERT: To complain, contact Governor Roy Cooper here.
