Augusta's Democratic Party speaks out on protecting reproductive rights

A group of Richmond County elected officials voiced their concerns Monday about the possible repercussions stemming from the repeal of Roe v. Wade by the Supreme Court of the United States.

Augusta's District 1 Commissioner Jordan Johnson called Roe v. Wade "One of the largest protections that women across this country have had over the last half century and, unfortunately, we're seeing those protections rolled away."

Johnson was among multiple Democratic leaders who held a press conference Monday outside Augusta's Democratic Headquarters on Broad Street.

Read more: Augusta reproductive rights activists stage overnight protest for Roe v. Wade dissent

Without Roe v. Wade, regulating abortion has reverted to the states. Georgia's Gov. Brian Kemp has said he is looking forward to putting the state's "heartbeat bill," also known as H.B. 481, into effect. That law does not permit an abortion after a heartbeat is detected. The American Pediatric Association says a heartbeat may be detected as early as 5.5 to 6.5 weeks into gestation, which is often before a woman knows she is pregnant. The bill was signed in 2019, but was deemed unconstitutional, due to Roe v. Wade's precedent.

Currently, Georgia limits abortions after 20 weeks post fertilization, according to the state chapter of Planned Parenthood.

Georgia Rep. Henry "Wayne" Howard said, while his personal faith does not support abortions, it is not right to take away a woman's ability to make her own choices.

"If this is so important to men to come up with a law that infringes on women's reproductive rights, then why don't we come up with a law for men?" Howard said. "I wouldn't want anyone to tell my daughter or my wife what choices they have to make."

Reproductive rights activists have also expressed concerns about the possibility that states would pass legislation prohibiting an abortion seeker from traveling to another state where there are more legal protections for receiving treatment. Georgia Rep. Gloria Frazier said this is something she also is worried about.

"If you cross over the line, you're going to be criminalized, and possibly put in jail, so there's a lot of conversation going on about that," Frazier said. "So we're hoping that our next governor, Stacey Abrams, when we put her in place, that a lot of these laws can be reverted or not come to Georgia."

The push to vote for leaders who are pro-reproductive rights this November was a common thread among the speakers. Abrams, who is running as the Democratic nominee against Kemp, said on Twitter in the days following Roe v. Wade's repeal that this is "an assault on our liberties" and has promised, if elected, she would work to repeal the heartbeat bill and expand reproductive rights. Voters were also encouraged to vote for State Sen. Jen Jordan who is running against incumbent Chris Carr to be Georgia's next attorney general. Jordan said about the repeal on Twitter: "Women's lives are at risk."

Concerns about prosecuting accused rapist and victim

Some officials are trying to fight back in their local municipalities. The same day the case was repealed, a statement was published by 84 elected prosecutors from across the country who committed to not using their offices' to prosecute abortion seekers or providers. Among those prosecutors is Augusta's District Attorney Jared Williams, who further explained on Monday why he made this decision.

And: 7 Georgia DAs say they will not prosecute 'those who seek, provide or support abortions'

"Earlier this year, I prosecuted a father who, over the course of years, raped his daughter day in and day out. A young woman was a victim of one of the most heinous crimes on our books, one of the most heinous crimes imaginable. She became pregnant with her attacker's child, with her father's child, with her rapist's child," Williams said. "Some of the laws that may be triggered by this most recent Supreme Court decision would ask me to turn around and, while in the same breath prosecuting the rapist, incestuous father, prosecute the victim as well. Ask yourselves, how could I successfully prosecute that rapist if the victim is afraid to talk to me?"

Georgia Sen. Harold Jones added that other law enforcement branches have options for providing reproductive rights outside of prosecutors.

"We would also ask our local sheriff's departments to make any type of abortion penalty, if it goes through, to make that a low priority as far as arrests are concerned," Jones said.

Groups protest in Augusta

After the repeal, protests erupted across the U.S. by reproductive rights activists. In Augusta, a group of just over 20 held a vigil outside Augusta's Courthouse on Saturday, June 25.

Another protest outside the courthouse is scheduled for 9 a.m. Friday, July 1. There is also a sidewalk march planned for Saturday at 2 p.m. starting from the original Mellow Mushroom location at 1167 Broad St. near 12th Street and ending at the Augusta Common.

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Roe v wade overturn: Augusta's Democrats discuss reproductive rights