Kentucky Democratic Party Chair Colmon Elridge released the following statement on the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade:
“For years, Republican politicians have pushed cruel, extreme restrictions on a woman’s right to make her own health care decisions, with no exceptions even for victims of rape and incest. Today, with Roe’s downfall, abortion is now illegal in Kentucky. This extreme ban rips away choice from those who already had the fewest options to begin with, or even none at all, including victims of violent crime.
To the women of our Commonwealth who, with the news today, are outraged and worried – know you are seen, you are heard, you are loved. While the court has rolled back rights that have been yours for almost 50 years, we will not stop fighting.
Make no mistake: they won’t stop with abortion. As a black man, as the father of a woman, as the brother of a gay man, I’ve never been in more fear for our future. This dangerous ruling lays the groundwork to dismantle our basic rights across the board. The extremists are already aiming at birth control, and the rights that protect marginalized communities including women, communities of color, and LGBTQ Americans are at risk.
Kentucky is ground zero in this fight. We deserve leaders who will create more opportunities for every Kentuckian, not partisan politicians who will relentlessly work to suppress your most basic freedoms just to cater to extremists in their party. If you are angry, scared, or confused, now is the time to join us in the fight against a cruel and extreme Republican party that is more concerned with taking away rights than protecting Kentucky families.”
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