Ahead of Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing, Reproductive Freedom for All, Demand Justice, Patients, and Advocates Join Free & Just to Expose Trump Nominees’ Anti-Abortion Extremism
WASHINGTON, DC –– Today, Mini Timmaraju, President and CEO, Reproductive Freedom for All, Maggie Jo Buchanan, Interim Executive Director of Demand Justice, and patient storytellers joined Free & Just to expose how President Trump and Republican lawmakers are trying to stack our courts with dangerous new extremist judges. The Senate Judiciary Committee’s confirmation hearing for a handful of these nominees is scheduled for Wednesday, June 4. If they are advanced out of that committee, confirmation votes could come before the full Senate in mid- to late-July.
Trump has been explicit that his top priority for choosing judicial nominees is not their dedication to the rule of law, but to his agenda. These extreme nominees could open the floodgates for more attacks on the rights of American families to make their own health care decisions, and cement federal government control over Americans’ freedoms and our economy.
“It is a completely intentional act by the Trump administration, in collusion with some of the most extreme anti-abortion activists in this country, to stack the courts with young jurists who are ideologically out-of-sync with the majority of the country,” said Mini Timmaraju, President and CEO of Reproductive Freedom for All. “The majority of Americans are supportive of abortion access right now. They don’t want abortion restrictions, they don’t want to see limitations on medication abortion, and yet we expect these nominees to be on the side of restricting access to care.”
“The overall record of these nominees speaks plainly to the Trump administration’s desire to see reproductive rights ripped away from women across the country,” said Maggie Jo Buchanan, the Interim Executive Director of Demand Justice. “A lot of the judicial process can feel far removed, but we have to focus on how these judicial nominees will impact people. Our rights and our wellbeing are at stake.”
“Missourians worked tirelessly to protect abortion access by ballot initiative after the Dobbs decision, but extremist judges are already working to overturn the will of the people by banning abortion once again in our state,” said Carrie Frail, an airforce veteran from Missouri who credits her abortion with helping her escape an abusive relationship, and ultimately, saving her life. “Every new slot filled by an extremist nominee chips away at our constitutionally protected rights, and it is vital that we stand up against these nominees now.”
“I have practiced in Knoxville for more than twenty years, and I have seen how taking access to abortion care away impacts my patients and the learners I am trying to teach the full spectrum of OB-GYN care to,” said Dr. Nikki Zite an OB-GYN and educator based in Knoxville, Tennessee. “We need legislators to stay out of the exam room, and judges, who clearly don’t understand how confusing these laws are, to stop interfering with health care.”
If you are interested in speaking with any of the participants in the press event, please contact kelly@freeandjust.us.
You can watch the virtual press event here.
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Free & Just is fighting to stop attacks on reproductive freedom and rights. We’re working with people across the country to share real stories to show the devastating consequences of attacks on our reproductive freedom. We all deserve the right to control our bodies and lives. That’s why we’re sharing our stories, raising our voices, and fighting for our future.