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Kentucky attorney general looks to US Supreme Court to allow him to defend abortion law

Kentucky attorney general looks to US Supreme Court to allow him to defend abortion law
GOVERNOR MATT BEVIN SIGNED HOUSE BILL 454 INTO LAW. IT BANS A COMMON ABORTN PROCEDURE CALLED DILATION AND EVACUATION, ALSO KNOWN AS D & E. TWO LOWER COURTS STRUCK DOWN THE LAW, BUT NOW ATTORNEY GENERAL DANIEL CAMERON WANTSO T INTERVENE TO DEFEND IT, AND IS SET TO ARGUE HIS CASE TIN U.S. SUPREME COURT ON TUESDAY. AFTER THE LOWER COURTS SIDED WITH THE ACLU AND EMW WOMEN'’ CLINIC LAWSUITS TO STOP THE LAW, THEN ATTORNEY GENERAL ANDY BESHEAR DECIDED NOT TO FHTIG THAT RULING. BUT NOW THAT HE’S A.G., CAMERON WANTS TO DEFEND THE LAW. THE JUSTICES WILL DECIDE WHETHER A STATE A.G. CAN INTERVENE AFTER A FEDERAL APPEALS COURT RULI.NG >> IF WE UIMLTATELY PREVAIL, THE COURT WILL BE SAYINGITUT W QUESTION THAT A STATE HAAS RIGHT TO DEFEND ITSELF WITH ETH OFFICIALR O REPRESENTATIVE OF ITS CHOOSING. THAT REGARDLESS OF WHATEVER AGENCIES MIGHT DEDECI THAT HERE IN KENTUCKY THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL STDSAN AS A FAILSAFE. REPORTER: THE VERY LAW THAT CAMERON AND HIS TEAM IS SET TO DEFEND WAS CRAFTED WITH THE HELP OF FORMER KENTUCKY STATE REP. ADDIA WUCHR.NE SHE IS NOW THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF KENTUCKY RIGHT TO LIFE, AND WAS ASKED BY CBS NEWS HER THOUGHTS ON A WOMAN’S RIGHT TO COSHO >> WE ACT LIKE BEARING A CHILD IS A PUNISHMENT. SOME WOMEN CHOOSE NOT TO BEAR THE CHILD. ETH QUESTION IS, SHOULD A WOMAN WHO DOESN’T WANT TO BEAR A CHILD HAVE TO BEAR THAT CHILD? >> I BELIEVE THAT CHILD HAS A RI GHT TO LIFE. THERE’S NOT A HIARERCHY OF RIGHTS OR DIGNITY OR SANCTITY BETWEEN THE MOTHER AND THE CHILD. >> YOU CAN NEVER BE EQUAL IF YOU CAN’T CONTROL YOUR REPRODUCTION. REPORT:ER AS THE COFOUNDER OF THE EMW WOMEN’S SURGICAL CENTER IN LOUISVILLE, DR. ERNEST MARSHALL SAYS HE PERSONALLY KNOWS THAT THESE ATTEMPTS TO LIMIT WOMEN’S CHOICE CAN BE HARMFUL TO THEIR HEALTH. >> ONE OF MY BEST FRIEND’S SISTER WAS PREGNANT AND DRKAN TURPENTINE, AND SHE WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND IT DESTROYED HER LIVER AND SHE DIED FROM TH, AT THESE THINGS WILL BE REVISITED. REPORTER A WARNING FROM A PHYSICIAN AS MANY PRO-CHOICE ADVOCATES FEAR THAT THE SUPREEM COURT COULD POTENTIALLY OVERTURN THE LANDMARK ROE VS. WADE CASE WHICH MAKES ABORTION LALEG SOME ARGUE THAT CASES LIKE TUESDAY’S HEARING BEFO TRE HIGHEST COURT IN THE LAND, COULD AT THE VERY LEAST MAKE IT EVEN HARDER FOR WOMEN TO CH
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Kentucky attorney general looks to US Supreme Court to allow him to defend abortion law
Kentucky's attorney general is set to appear before the U.S. Supreme Court Tuesday, an appearance ultimately aimed at defending a state law that would ban physicians from performing certain types of abortions.While Tuesday's hearing will not directly decide the fate of the abortion law, it could ultimately impact a women's right to choose if the court sides with Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron's office.In 2018, former Gov. Matt Bevin signed House Bill 454 into law. It bans a common abortion procedure called dilation and evacuation, also known as D&E.Two lower courts struck down the law, but now Cameron wants to intervene to defend it. That's where his appearance before the Supreme Court comes in.After the lower courts sided with the ACLU and EMW Women's Clinic's lawsuits to stop the law, then Attorney General Andy Beshear decided not to fight that ruling.But now that Cameron is attorney general, he wants to step in.The Supreme Court justices will decide whether a state attorney general can intervene after a federal appeals court ruling."If we ultimately prevail, the court will be saying without question that a state has a right to defend itself with the official or individual of its choosing, that regardless of whatever agencies might decide, that here in Kentucky, the office of the attorney general stands as a fail safe," Cameron said.Continuing coverage: Kentucky AG rallies support as office prepares to take abortion law to U.S. Supreme CourtThe very law that Cameron and his team are set to defend was crafted with the help of former state Rep. Addia Wuchner. She is now the executive director of Kentucky Right to Life and was asked by CBS News about her thoughts on a women's right to choose."We act like bearing a child is punishment, I believe that child has a right to life. There's not a hierarchy of rights or dignity between the mother and the child," she said.Meanwhile, the other side said it comes down to a woman's right to choose and health."You can never be equal if you can't control your reproduction," said Dr. Ernest Marshall with EMW Women's Clinic in downtown Louisville.As the co-founder of the clinic, Marshall said he personally knows that these attempts to limit women's choice can be harmful to their health."One of my best friend's sister was pregnant and drank turpentine and she was in high school, and it destroyed her liver, and she died from that," Marshall said. "So these things will be revisited.The warning echoes many other pro-choice advocates who fear that the Supreme Court could potentially overturn the landmark Roe vs. Wade case, which makes abortion legal.Some argue that cases like Tuesday's hearing before the highest court in the land could at the very least make it even harder for women to choose.Last week, Cameron rallied supporters outside the state Capitol. If he prevails on the procedural issue with the Supreme Court, he said, he wants to give the law a second chance before the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati.

Kentucky's attorney general is set to appear before the U.S. Supreme Court Tuesday, an appearance ultimately aimed at defending a state law that would ban physicians from performing certain types of abortions.

While Tuesday's hearing will not directly decide the fate of the abortion law, it could ultimately impact a women's right to choose if the court sides with Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron's office.

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In 2018, former Gov. Matt Bevin signed House Bill 454 into law. It bans a common abortion procedure called dilation and evacuation, also known as D&E.

Two lower courts struck down the law, but now Cameron wants to intervene to defend it. That's where his appearance before the Supreme Court comes in.

After the lower courts sided with the ACLU and EMW Women's Clinic's lawsuits to stop the law, then Attorney General Andy Beshear decided not to fight that ruling.

But now that Cameron is attorney general, he wants to step in.

The Supreme Court justices will decide whether a state attorney general can intervene after a federal appeals court ruling.

"If we ultimately prevail, the court will be saying without question that a state has a right to defend itself with the official or individual of its choosing, that regardless of whatever agencies might decide, that here in Kentucky, the office of the attorney general stands as a fail safe," Cameron said.

Continuing coverage: Kentucky AG rallies support as office prepares to take abortion law to U.S. Supreme Court

The very law that Cameron and his team are set to defend was crafted with the help of former state Rep. Addia Wuchner. She is now the executive director of Kentucky Right to Life and was asked by CBS News about her thoughts on a women's right to choose.

"We act like bearing a child is punishment, I believe that child has a right to life. There's not a hierarchy of rights or dignity between the mother and the child," she said.

Meanwhile, the other side said it comes down to a woman's right to choose and health.

"You can never be equal if you can't control your reproduction," said Dr. Ernest Marshall with EMW Women's Clinic in downtown Louisville.

As the co-founder of the clinic, Marshall said he personally knows that these attempts to limit women's choice can be harmful to their health.

"One of my best friend's sister was pregnant and drank turpentine and she was in high school, and it destroyed her liver, and she died from that," Marshall said. "So these things will be revisited.

The warning echoes many other pro-choice advocates who fear that the Supreme Court could potentially overturn the landmark Roe vs. Wade case, which makes abortion legal.

Some argue that cases like Tuesday's hearing before the highest court in the land could at the very least make it even harder for women to choose.

Last week, Cameron rallied supporters outside the state Capitol. If he prevails on the procedural issue with the Supreme Court, he said, he wants to give the law a second chance before the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati.