Washington, DC — In response to the Supreme Court’s failure to stop Texas’ Senate Bill 8 from taking effect today, People For the American Way President Ben Jealous released the following statement:

“Today, the Supreme Court failed to protect the most vulnerable among us from seeking safe and legal abortion access and rights, especially Black and Indigenous people of color and LGBTQ people. This law effectively overturns Roe v. Wade, and it goes even further by creating a system of vigilante justice that allows the general public, including abusive partners, neighbors, and anti-abortion protesters, to act as bounty hunters to enforce the ban on abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. If the Supreme Court remains silent on this most extreme abortion ban in the country, it will put at risk the lives of patients, doctors and health centers, even family and friends. Everyone deserves the freedom to make these decisions free of political interference. We must come together to protect access to safe and legal abortion.”

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 About People For the American Way     

People For the American Way is a progressive advocacy organization founded to fight right-wing extremism and build a democratic society that implements the ideals of freedom, equality, opportunity and justice for all. We encourage civic participation, defend fundamental rights, and fight to dismantle systemic barriers to equitable opportunity. Learn more: https://www.pfaw.org.