{"id":9381,"date":"2024-11-19T11:55:53","date_gmt":"2024-11-19T18:55:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/?p=9381"},"modified":"2024-11-19T11:56:33","modified_gmt":"2024-11-19T18:56:33","slug":"wyoming-will-appeal-frustrating-ruling-to-block-abortion-bans-gordon-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/2024\/11\/19\/wyoming-will-appeal-frustrating-ruling-to-block-abortion-bans-gordon-says\/","title":{"rendered":"Wyoming Will Appeal \u201cFrustrating\u201d Ruling To Block Abortion Bans, Gordon Says"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Legislating from the bench, and she looks like a feminist liberal judge from one of our few liberal counties. But this quote says it all (more pictures in linked article).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Neiman, who is a rancher, said he has ultrasounds performed on his cows, and if a calf embryo even as small as a walnut is detected, the vet calls out \u201cbred\u201d and announces there will be a calf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cLeft alone and cared for, that will come to fruition,\u201d he said. \u201cBut to take a human baby and look at it and say it\u2019s not valuable&nbsp;\u2014&nbsp;we give more respect to livestock than we do to human beings. How is that OK?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>There are more registered Republicans in Teton county, but look how they voted last election. I&#8217;m pretty sure the Wyoming Surpeme Court will reverse this decision. We can only hope this judge violated the law in such a way she can be disciplined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"406\" height=\"457\" src=\"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/image-45.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-9382\" srcset=\"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/image-45.png 406w, https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/image-45-267x300.png 267w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 406px) 100vw, 406px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/cowboystatedaily.com\/2024\/11\/19\/wyoming-will-appeal-frustrating-ruling-to-block-abortion-bans-gordon-says\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/cowboystatedaily.com\/2024\/11\/19\/wyoming-will-appeal-frustrating-ruling-to-block-abortion-bans-gordon-says\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-ub-divider ub_divider ub-divider-orientation-horizontal\" id=\"ub_divider_8cf60d76-333f-45ea-a05f-c6ad98ba6d84\"><div class=\"ub_divider_wrapper\" style=\"position: relative; margin-bottom: 2px; width: 100%; height: 2px; \" data-divider-alignment=\"center\"><div class=\"ub_divider_line\" style=\"border-top: 2px solid #ccc; margin-top: 2px; \"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Gov. Mark Gordon calls a Monday ruling to strike down Wyoming\u2019s abortion bans \u201cfrustrating\u201d and announced Tuesday the state will appeal. \u201cIt just sickens me,\u201d says one leading supporter of the bans, while opponents hail the ruling as a victory.<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>By Clair McFarland<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cowboystatedaily.imgix.net\/Gordon-owens-and-protest-11.19.24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;q=75&amp;auto=format%2Ccompress\" alt=\"Gov. Mark Gordon responded to Judge Melissa Owens' Nov. 18, 2024, ruling striking down Wyoming's two abortion ban laws. He promises an appeal.\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gov. Mark Gordon responded to Judge Melissa Owens&#8217; Nov. 18, 2024, ruling striking down Wyoming&#8217;s two abortion ban laws. He promises an appeal. (Matt Idler for Cowboy State Daily; Bradly J. Boner, Jackson Hole News&amp;Guide, Pool)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>After a judge s<a href=\"https:\/\/cowboystatedaily.com\/2024\/11\/18\/abortion-to-remain-legal-in-wyoming-as-judge-blocks-abortion-bans\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">truck down Wyoming\u2019s two abortion bans<\/a>&nbsp;on Monday,&nbsp;the state&nbsp;plans to appeal the decision to the&nbsp;Wyoming&nbsp;Supreme Court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Gov. Mark Gordon announced the appeal Tuesday morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI have directed the Attorney General to review the opinion and prepare an appeal to the Wyoming Supreme Court,\u201d wrote Gordon in a Tuesday statement. He declined a phone interview,&nbsp;via his spokesman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The announcement followed a Monday order by Teton County District Court Judge Melissa Owens, in which Owens struck down Wyoming\u2019s two abortion bans as unconstitutional and blocked them from being enforced altogether.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She cited&nbsp;a&nbsp;section of the Wyoming Constitution promising people the right to make their own health care decisions,&nbsp;and she made an official finding that abortion is health care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A group of pro-choice plaintiffs who sued the state last March posed convincing arguments that abortion is health care and a fundamental right, while the state did not counter with convincing evidence of its own, Owens wrote in her ruling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Gordon voiced disagreement&nbsp;with the ruling, but vowed to press on&nbsp;in defending the state\u2019s abortion bans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cJudge Owen\u2019s (sic) ruling is frustrating, still this is just one of the steps in the judicial process,\u201d says his statement. \u201cRegardless of her decision, it was clear there would be an appeal. I remain committed to defending the constitutionality of this law and the sanctity of life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In past statements, Gordon has voiced support for a route the Wyoming Legislature did not ultimately take: passing a ballot measure to voters to restrict abortion access in the&nbsp;state Constitution or specify that it is not health care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Plaintiffs Elated<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Some of the plaintiffs who have waged more than two years of litigation against Wyoming\u2019s various abortion bans told Cowboy State Daily on Tuesday that they&nbsp;are&nbsp;elated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A main sponsor of the laws, conversely,&nbsp;said he is sickened&nbsp;that abortion is legal in Wyoming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The plaintiffs are Dr. Giovannina Anthony, who is a Jackson-based abortion provider; Dr. Renee Hinkle, who is an OB\/GYN; abortion support group Chelsea\u2019s Fund; abortion clinic Wellspring Health Access; and Wyoming women Danielle Johnson and Kathleen Dow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI am super grateful and really relieved that the judge agreed with us that abortion is health care,\u201d Anthony&nbsp;told Cowboy State Daily on Tuesday. \u201cHer ruling helps to keep Wyoming women\u2019s right to make their own health care decisions intact.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Anthony said she recognizes the state will probably appeal, and the Legislature may try to pass a ballot measure restricting the procedure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She and the other plaintiffs would be prepared to challenge a ballot measure as well, she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI feel fortunate that we can continue to provide evidence-based care without worrying about loss of licensure or prison sentences,\u201d said Anthony.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the two abortion bans would have criminalized the act, making&nbsp;performing&nbsp;an abortion a felony punishable by up to five years in prison and $20,000 in fines. It contained several exceptions exempting abortions resulting from rape, incest&nbsp;or done in response to a woman\u2019s serious health risks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Though the law contained numerous carveouts for unique situations, the plaintiffs have argued throughout the litigation that the language is vague and confusing and likely to paralyze doctors\u2019 ability to make snap decisions. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Anthony said she believes Owens took her time and was fair with the ruling, and that the ruling is \u201cconsistent with Wyoming values,\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Christine Lichtenfels, executive director at Chelsea\u2019s fund, agreed and said Wyomingites view personal health autonomy as essential. Had the bans gone into effect, Chelsea\u2019s fund would have pivoted its attention to helping women get abortions out-of-state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She said that would have come with many challenges, considering Wyoming\u2019s vastness and harsh winters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cowboystatedaily.imgix.net\/Gordon-and-abortion-ruling-quote-11.19.24.jpg?ixlib=js-3.8.0&amp;q=75&amp;auto=format%2Ccompress\" alt=\"Gov. Mark Gordon responded to Judge Melissa Owens' Nov. 18, 2024, ruling striking down Wyoming's two abortion ban laws. He promises an appeal.\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Gov. Mark Gordon responded to Judge Melissa Owens&#8217; Nov. 18, 2024, ruling striking down Wyoming&#8217;s two abortion ban laws. He promises an appeal. (Matt Idler for Cowboy State Daily)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Saddened And Disgusted<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Wyoming House of Representatives Majority Floor Leader Chip Neiman, R-Hulett, was saddened and appalled&nbsp;with the decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe go out of our way to protect and mount the forces and come to Wyoming and tell us how to protect a wolf&nbsp;\u2014&nbsp;and we\u2019ll scatter the ashes of a grizzly bear over the valley in respect and deep remorse over the loss of this animal,\u201d said Neiman,&nbsp;referencing&nbsp;Wyoming residents\u2019 and outsiders\u2019 grief&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/cowboystatedaily.com\/2024\/04\/03\/outrage-over-torment-of-wyoming-wolf-could-inflame-hunting-debate\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">over a slain wolf<\/a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/cowboystatedaily.com\/2024\/11\/03\/vigil-for-grizzly-399-draws-more-than-200-to-jackson-from-across-the-country\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">famous grizzly bear<\/a>&nbsp;that died in the past year. \u201cAnd yet we don\u2019t have a problem with a judge that looks at innocent human life and says,&nbsp;\u2018Nope, no rights here?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Neiman, who is a rancher, said he has ultrasounds performed on his cows, and if a calf embryo even as small as a walnut is detected, the vet calls out \u201cbred\u201d and announces there will be a calf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cLeft alone and cared for, that will come to fruition,\u201d he said. \u201cBut to take a human baby and look at it and say it\u2019s not valuable&nbsp;\u2014&nbsp;we give more respect to livestock than we do to human beings. How is that OK?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Neiman referenced the beauty of his young grandchildren. He questioned why Owens would bank on \u201cviability\u201d as a standard for when life begins and asked whether people would be just as willing to get rid of a person who was no longer independently viable at the end of his life cycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt just sickens me,\u201d added Neiman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Neiman said he expects the Legislature to bring back a bill that Gordon vetoed this year that would have required women to get ultrasounds before having an abortion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Gordon had voiced a desire not to further complicate the ongoing abortion litigation by piling on more laws.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThat (bill) is coming back, I can guarantee you,\u201d said Neiman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He also pronounced a general resolve to keep fighting the pro-life cause.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe can\u2019t quit. Human life is too valuable to just say, \u2018Well that\u2019s enough then, we lost,\u2019\u201d said Neiman. \u201cI\u2019m not giving up, and I\u2019m sure I\u2019m not alone.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Legislating from the bench, and she looks like a feminist liberal judge from one of our few liberal counties. But this quote says it all (more pictures in linked article). Neiman, who is a rancher, said he has ultrasounds performed on his cows, and if a calf embryo even as small as a walnut is [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,7,31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9381","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-health","category-world","category-wyoming"],"blocksy_meta":[],"featured_image_src":null,"author_info":{"display_name":"Jason","author_link":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/author\/jturning\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9381","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9381"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9381\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9384,"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9381\/revisions\/9384"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9381"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9381"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jasonsblog.ddns.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9381"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}