The White House on Monday said the Biden administration is prepared for a long legal fight — including all the way up to the Supreme Court — following the ruling by a federal judge in Texas that a common abortion pill was improperly approved, expressing confidence that it can win the fight to keep access to the drug.
“We are prepared to have a long legal fight. That is our commitment to women out there, that is our commitment to Americans across the country,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.
Just before Jean-Pierre’s comments, the Justice Department appealed asking to put a hold on the ruling by U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk. The Justice Department is also reviewing another ruling from a federal judge in Washington state that prevents the FDA from “altering the status quo and rights as it relates to the availability of Mifepristone,” the abortion pill, in 17 states and Washington, D.C.
The conflicting rulings could lead to a higher court, and perhaps eventually the Supreme Court, stepping in.
“We believe we can win this case in the Supreme Court, if necessary,” Jean-Pierre said. “What we’re saying is we’re prepared for a long legal fight.”
She added that while there is a process in place to appeal the ruling, “we will pursue that process vigorously … and do everything we can to prevail in court.”
Jean-Pierre also took the opportunity to pan what the White House often calls “MAGA [Make America Great Again] Republicans” who might support abortion bans nationwide and that the decision in Texas about an abortion pill that was approved over two decades ago is part of that.
“What we’re seeing currently right now is part of the plan, it’s part of what we’ve been hearing from extreme MAGA Republicans … who say they want a national abortion ban,” she said.
Kacsmaryk’s ruling on Friday gave the government a week to appeal the decision. The administration is asking to extend that pause “to enable the government to seek relief in the Supreme Court if necessary.”
Source: The Hill
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