Portage leaders issue swift reaction to Supreme Court abortion decision
Portage County leaders were quick to react Friday to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn the landmark abortion decision Roe v. Wade.
In a 6-3 decision, the court held there is no longer a federal constitutional right to an abortion and abortion rights and restrictions will be decided by the states. In Ohio, a six-week abortion ban, called the "heartbeat bill," has been on hold in federal court since 2019. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, a Republican, filed a motion soon after Friday's decision to allow the law to take effect.
More: Here's where the political battle over abortion may be headed: Your town
More: Jim Obergefell says Supreme Court abortion ruling puts target on privacy, gay marriage
The Supreme Court's decision on abortion, originally leaked in May, drew protests locally and nationally.
In response to Friday's ruling, the Kent State chapter of Students for a Democratic Society posted a statement on its Facebook page. "National SDS unequivocally condemns the decision of the Supreme Court in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson," the statement read.
The statement continued with a declaration of refusal to accept the decision, and a call to action for people across the country to take to the streets in protest.
At 6 p.m. the Kent chapter of the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) held a rally protesting the decision on the city's courthouse steps. Roughly 60 people were in attendance, chanting and carrying signs emblazoned with abortion-rights slogans.
For approximately 20 minutes, the assembled crowd turned its attention to a number of speakers from SDS.
"Today Roe v. Wade was overturned, setting us back 50 years," said Kalena Speicher. "Currently 26 states have laws set in place that will ban, or nearly ban, abortion. This ruling does not just affect women and reproductive rights. It sets a precedent and opens the door for other Court rulings to be overturned...We must not back down. Our rights are being stripped from us."
After the speeches were over, the protestors turned their attention to the traffic along East Main Street, drawing supportive honks and waves interspersed with the occasional exchange of expletives.
The reaction from Portage County political leaders came fast — and often furious — with some Republicans hailing the ruling and Democrats universally criticizing the decision as an assault on individual rights.
Portage County Republican Party Chairwoman Amanda Suffecool said the decision is about "state's rights" and that it is now up to each state to decide whether its leaders want to permit abortions. She said she is not taking a stand on what she believes Ohio should do.
"I'm personally pro-life," she said. "There are plenty of people who want babies, but I also know that there are some people for whom carrying a baby is absolutely abhorrent."
Denise Smith, chairwoman of the Portage County Democratic Party, called the decision "appalling."
"What is troubling to me is that the U.S. Supreme Court has unraveled a half a century of precedent," she said. "It's appalling to me. What am I supposed to rely on?"
More: 'It will end safe, legal abortions,' abortion-rights, anti-abortion backers speak out
More: Supreme Court decision: Ohio officials react as Roe v. Wade overturned
Christopher Clevenger-Morris, president of the Portage County Young Democrats and vice-chairman of the Portage County Democratic Party, said the decision was not unexpected.
"A woman's right to control her own body and make decisions about her health care is hers and hers alone," he said. "The state legislature has no right to be involved in this."
Clevenger-Morris, who is married to a man, said Democrats had been warning that rights such as marriage equality would be overturned after Roe. The Dobbs ruling, he said, "sets a dangerous precedent," and makes it more likely that other rights will be overturned as well.
In fact, in a concurring opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that the Supreme Court should reconsider Griswold, Lawrence and Obergefell — the rulings that now protect contraception, same-sex relationships, and same-sex marriage.
"Abortion rights are on the ballot in November," Clevenger-Morris said. "If anyone wants to see this overturned, they're going to have to vote for Democrats so we can institute some changes at the federal level."
Former State Rep. Kathleen Clyde, a Democrat who is running to retake her seat in the Ohio House of Representatives, vowed to "fight back as strongly as I possibly can for all of the people that this is targeting."
"Low-income women, Black women, women of color, and marginalized communities across the country will suffer the most," she said. "It’s up to all of us to speak out and take action."
"The state legislature and state government is now going to decide this issue for Ohioans and that’s a scary thought with the current cast of characters," Clyde said. "This is about respecting individual autonomy and freedom. I support a woman’s right to control her own body, today and always."
She said Ohioans support access to abortion "but the Court’s terrible decision today endangers our health and lives."
"The Court disregards the Constitution and 50 years of precedent protecting women’s rights," she said. "I feel for the women in the generation before us that saw their friends and loved ones dying, fought hard for the right to safe and legal abortion, won it for us, saw this fundamental right attacked for years, and now have to see the death of Roe."
Gail Pavliga, the Republican currently serving as state rep and Clyde's opponent, said she is still reviewing the ruling.
"“As you know, I am pro-life," she said. "We have just started the process of reviewing the decision. I think it’s important that we have a full understanding of today’s ruling and what it means for Ohio. I do believe it’s important that support for women and issues related to health care for women and children be part of the conversation.”
Portage County Treasurer Brad Cromes, who is former vice chairman of the Portage County Democratic Party, posted information on social media on where people can find a verified abortion provider if they need one.
He stated that the decision "was decades in the making — and substitutes the opinion of a minority of appointed judges for the judgment of women all over this country. It is also abundantly clear that the assault on our basic rights will not end with Roe ...We must stand up, speak out and take action to fight for our free Republic, or we will lose it."
State Sen. Jerry Cirino, a Republican whose 18th district includes Portage County, hailed the ruling.
"Today, we celebrate a long awaited decision that upholds the dignity, respect and sanctity of human life," he said. "As my Senate colleagues and I review the opinion released today, we will be diligent and steadfast in our commitment to protect life and liberty. Together, we have accomplished so much, putting Ohio on the map as one of our nation's most life-affirming, life-protecting states, and our work continues. This U.S. Supreme Court decision is a historic step in the right direction honoring, respecting, and protecting the gift of life."
Matt Kilboy, a U.S. Congressional candidate running as a Democrat against Republican U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce, said the U.S. Supreme Court is "broken."
"It's taken an activist stance, and they've overreached their boundaries. The court is doing exactly what they criticized other entities for," he said. "They're making laws basically from the bench. It's a scary time to be in."
Kilboy, who lives in Deerfield, said that this ruling as well as other rulings issued this week, including one rolling back protections available under Miranda v. Arizona, have been issued for the benefit of "hyper-conservatives."
"I fear that we will see many more cases through the court in their next session that continue to erode rights that have been granted to people — to Americans — based on precedent set in the past," he said.
What other Ohio leaders are saying
U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown called the decision "radical."
“For fifty years, women in America had the right to make their own personal health care decisions," he stated. "Today, five judges handed that right over to politicians. This will be the first generation of women to grow up with fewer rights and freedoms than their mothers and grandmothers, and this burden will be disproportionately carried by low-income women and women of color. This is a radical decision by an increasingly out-of-touch court, and Americans won’t stand for it. When, how, and whether to have a family is one of the most personal and meaningful decisions we make in life, and the freedom to make those decisions for yourself, free from political interference, should be available to everyone. The president and Congress must take action restoring protections for women to make their own health choices, and women will make their voices heard in voting booths around Ohio and the country this November.”
Congressman Tim Ryan, who is running for U.S. Senate, called the decision "disastrous." He said he saw the ruling coming and voted repeatedly to support the Women's Health Protection Act, only to see it die in the senate
“Today’s disastrous decision is the largest case of government overreach in my lifetime," he said "By overturning Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court is gutting a long-established right in order to put politicians between women and their doctors. Even worse, this ruling gives the green light to those here in Ohio who have introduced legislation that would deny women access to potentially lifesaving care, and threaten to put women and doctors in jail."
He said he saw the ruling coming and voted repeatedly to support the Women's Health Protection Act, only to see it die in the senate.
"It’s clear the Senate is not working the way it’s supposed to and Ohio women will pay the price. It has never been more important that we expand our pro-choice majority, end the filibuster, and pass legislation to protect the fundamental right to an abortion.”
Allie Frazier, executive director of Northeast Ohio's Right to Life chapter, issued a statement calling the decision a "moment of justice."
"We will continue to fight tirelessly for every woman and baby targeted by the predatory abortion industry. We will put everything on the line to protect women and babies in crisis," Frazier wrote.
Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio CEO and President Iris Harvey issued a statement regarding the ruling as well. Within, he made sure that people still understand that abortion is still legal in Ohio, however Attorney General Dave Yost filed a motion aiming to remove the injunction against the state's so-called "Heartbeat Law" outlawing abortions after six weeks.
“By overturning Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court has now officially given politicians permission to control what we do with our bodies, deciding that we can no longer be trusted to determine the course for our own lives," Harvey wrote. "“Make no mistake — this decision goes beyond abortion. This is about who has power over you, who has the authority to make decisions for you and who can control how your future is going to be."
On the Monday following the ruling, Kent State University President Todd Diacon issued a statement entitled "Let's Lead by Example," posting it on KSU's website.
"At Kent State, we are an institution committed to exploring the hardest, most vexing issues of the day," Diacon wrote "And, because of our history, we are committed to doing so in a spirit of inquiry that seeks to understand and welcome all viewpoints in a spirited civil discourse. We know at Kent State the dangers of polarization, and we have lived through more than 50 years of pain, anger and despair when disagreement turned suddenly to violence. We are Kent State, and our history and mission demand that we lead by example the next phase of discussion and debate over abortion in America."
Diacon went on to elucidate that as a higher learning institution, KSU's duty is to provide space for conversations regarding the ruling. In the near future, the University will provide "opportunities for dialogue" open to everyone in the community.
"Living up to our core value of kindness and respect in all we do, we will ask attendees to participate in a spirit of openness and respect for those who think differently than we do," Diacon wrote.
The statement also provided links to an updated list of Kent-area women's health resources. This list will be updated regularly online, and can be found on campus at the DeWeese Health Center and the Women’s Center.
In closing, Diacon advised people to take steps enabling them to make their voices heard.
"Finally, momentous decisions such as this one are a reminder of how the democratic process works in our country. Those for and against the ruling can organize politically, and we can support candidates representative of our varied viewpoints. We can vote. But before any of us can vote, we must first register to vote. I urge you to do so today if you are not already registered.
In kindness and respect,
Todd Diacon
President"
This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Portage leaders issue swift reaction to abortion decision
