Gavin Newsom delivers scorching criticism of Democrats' response to protecting Roe v. Wade: 'Where the hell's my party?'

  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • California Gov. Gavin Newsom spoke at a Planned Parenthood after a SCOTUS leak threatened abortion rights.

  • "Where the hell's my party?" he asked of fellow Democrats, saying conservative causes are "winning."

  • Newsom has pledged to make California a "sanctuary" for abortion rights if Roe v. Wade is overturned.

California Governor Gavin Newsom excoriated his own party for what he said was a lackluster response to the leaked Supreme Court draft opinion overturning Roe v. Wade in remarks made on Wednesday.

"Where the hell's my party? Where's the Democratic Party?" the Democratic governor said to assembled press and pro-choice supporters at a Planned Parenthood office in Los Angeles.

In his speech, he called conservative advances in the culture wars a "concerted, coordinated effort" that the left is failing to counter effectively. He cited draconian abortion and education laws in Texas and Florida as examples, Fox News reported.

"Why aren't we standing up more firmly, more resolutely?" he continued. "Why aren't we calling this out? This is a concerted, coordinated effort and yes, they're winning. They are. They have been. Let's acknowledge that. We need to stand up. Where's the counteroffensive?"

His speech echoed the protests that formed outside the Supreme Court soon after the leaked draft opinion was published on Monday, where people shouted: "Democrats, do something!" Politico reported.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer spoke out soon after the leak, calling the draft opinion an "abomination" and one of the "worst and most damaging decisions in modern history."

But efforts to codify Roe v. Wade into US law would likely be filibustered by Republicans, as Insider's Brent D. Grffiths reported. A nationwide constitutional amendment is also exceedingly rare in US history, as Insider's Dave Levinthal reported.

In his Wednesday speech, Newsom had particular ire for the Fox News host Tucker Carlson and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, as well as Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin, who said on Tuesday that he would not end the filibuster in order to codify Roe v. Wade.

Newsom has vowed to turn California into an abortion "sanctuary," a promise he repeated after the leak by saying he would put forward a statewide constitutional amendment protecting reproductive rights.

"We'll be presenting that to the voters this November as an affirmative step to codify California's leadership," he said Wednesday.

"Pay attention, America. They're coming after you next," he said. "That's not hyperbole. It is not hyperbole. Watch this space if privacy is not constitutionally protected, this opens up a panoply of issues. So this is a profound moment. And yes, we're not going to be defeated."

Read the original article on Business Insider