Connecticut split over Supreme Court overruling abortion law; Tong says it ‘carves our nation in two’

Abortion rights supporters were outraged Friday by the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade abortion decision, vowing that abortion would remain legal in Connecticut under the controversial ruling.

The court issued the historic pronouncement that closely followed a leaked decision last month that has been supported by abortion opponents and decried by abortion supporters. The 6-3 ruling was hailed by the Roman Catholic Church as defending the unborn and sharply criticized by state Democratic lawmakers who voted recently in favor of expanding abortion access in Connecticut.

State Sen. Julie Kushner, a Danbury Democrat who spoke on the state Senate floor recently about having an abortion decades ago at age 25, said the historic decision marked a step backwards.

“Today, Donald Trump’s hand-picked conservative U.S. Supreme Court rolled the clock back by decades on the fundamental right, the fundamental choice, that American women have had enshrined in constitutional law for half a century,’' Kushner said. “Today, that conservative U.S. Supreme Court returned America to a darker time in our past – a time of fright and secrecy, of shame and physical danger for women.’'

Kushner added that some women might travel to Connecticut, echoing statements by lawmakers that women from Texas have already traveled to the North End of Hartford for abortions.

“Women all across America today should know: Connecticut and its laws – written and passed by Democrats – is a beacon of hope and safety for you,’' Kushner said. “We understand, we are on your side, and we will always be there for women who someday may have to make a difficult decision about their own body and who will need compassion, care, and a legal system that supports and protects them. That will never change in Connecticut.”

Christopher C. Healy, a spokesman for the Roman Catholic bishops in the state, hailed the decision as a “historic reversal’' that will prompt the church to increase help for pregnant women.

“As the option of abortion may become more limited over time, we will provide assistance for women so they may make life-affirming decisions,’' Healy said. “Christ calls us to love our neighbor, practice charity and not pass judgment on others - to ‘accompany them’ as Pope Francis says, and not turn them away.’’

Healy added, “In that spirit, our parishes and our social programs must be prepared to meet the increasing needs for pro-life pregnancy resource centers and supports for women raising children. The renewed discussion of the abortion issue may cause more post-abortive women to seek counseling in order to come to terms with their decisions. We must always be compassionate followers of Christ – ready to reach out to women who are seeking healing, forgiveness and reconciliation through the Church.’'

Gov. Ned Lamont talked about the women in his family to describe their reactions to the court’s ruling.

“My wife is in tears, my kids are incredibly distraught,’' Lamont said Friday. “My sister says, ‘I thought, they’re there to protect our freedoms, not roll them back.’ When did the court start rolling back our freedoms? We’ve had Roe v Wade, in this country for close to 50 years, protecting a woman’s right to choose. We thought that was established law. And today, the Supreme Court turned that over.’'

But Lamont vowed at two press conferences that he and Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz, a longtime supporter of abortion rights, would battle back against attempts to change the state law that has codified the Roe v. Wade decision.

“As long as Susan and I are here, no politician is going to stand between you and your doctor,’' Lamont said. “No politician is going to stand between you and your doctor. That’s what we’ll promise you. And you can trust us on that.’'

Lamont agreed that Connecticut’s doors will be open for women leaving other states with restrictive laws.

“We’re going to be welcoming to anybody else that feels like they’re not getting a fair shake in Texas or Mississippi, wherever they’d be, come to Connecticut,’' Lamont said. “Exercise your full reproductive choices.’'

U.S. Sens. Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal, who gathered in a Hartford park on Friday to celebrate the passage of a gun-safety bill in Washington, D.C., ripped into the majority decision by justices who were largely placed on the bench by narrow margins in the U.S. Senate.

“This is awful news for women, for families, for healthcare providers, for every American,’' Murphy told the outdoor crowd. “What we saw is six politicians masquerading as justices, trying to impose their political views on this nation.’'

“Preach it!’' a woman shouted.

An abortion rights supporter for decades, Blumenthal served as a law clerk to Justice Harry Blackmun, the chief author of the the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973.

“I am scared about where this Supreme Court is taking us,’' Blumenthal said. “This Supreme Court is outcome-driven. They rearrange the fancy legal jargon to arrive at the result that is driven by their right-wing, fringe ideological slant. They are destroying the credibility of the United States Supreme Court.’'

In his remarks Friday, he added, “Yesterday, the Supreme Court said that people carrying firearms have nearly absolute rights. Today, it decided that women making healthcare decisions have no rights. That is the most arrogant and distorted view of the constitution. We cannot let it stand.’'

State attorney general William Tong said the decision “carves our nation in two,’’ adding that he believes the Supreme Court might make rulings on other major issues like gay marriage.

“Make no mistake—this is just the beginning of a systematic right-wing effort to rewrite decades of bedrock legal precedent, the foundation of which is our long-recognized right to privacy in making our most personal decisions,’' Tong said. “We are about to see a tsunami of radical litigation and legislation aimed at further eroding rights we have taken for granted—some for generations. Marriage equality, inter-racial marriage, and access to birth control are all in the crosshairs.’'

Tong added, “We know already there are plans to push for a nationwide abortion ban should Republicans gain control of both houses of Congress. If that happens, I will be the first to sue. This decision carves our nation in two—states that trust the personal and professional decisions of women and doctors, and states where craven politicians control and criminalize those choices. Connecticut is a safe state, but we will need to be vigilant, aggressive and proactive to defend our rights.’'

The Family Institute of Connecticut said that advocates had been gaining momentum on the issue.

“This is the victory the pro-life movement has worked for these past 49 years,’' the group said on its Facebook page. “We should celebrate it. And prepare ourselves for the battles that still lie ahead here in Connecticut.’'

Peter Wolfgang, the institute’s longtime executive director, recently cited House Bill 5414 because some members of the legislature’s Black and Puerto Rican Caucus spoke passionately against the bill. The measure passed by 87-60 in the state House of Representatives and 25-9 in the Senate in late April. Lawmakers noted that Black women make up only 12% of the population but have 38% of abortions.

State Sen. Christie Cohen, a Guilford Democrat, said the decision was stunning.

“Although we have been waiting for the other shoe to drop since we learned of the Supreme Court leaked opinion in May, I don’t know that we could have adequately prepared ourselves for the emotional toll this decision brings,’' Cohen said.

“While we deserve time to digest this reversal of long-settled law, we do not have the luxury of inaction. My colleagues and I will continue to ensure abortion is legal, safe and accessible here in Connecticut, and Connecticut will remain a safe haven for those seeking and providing abortions. State legislatures will now be a citizen’s direct line of defense in this attack on reproductive rights, and I implore you to continue to elect representatives who are steadfast and unwavering in their support of abortion access.”

Courant staff writer Mike Mavredakis contributed to this report. Christopher Keating can be reached at ckeating@courant.com