en Jealous Statement Calling on Larry Hogan To Ensure Maryland's Reproductive Health Laws Remain Unchanged Regardless of Trump's Supreme Court Nominee

Press Release

Today, Ben Jealous, former National President & CEO of the NAACP, released the following statement in reaction to Larry Hogan's refusal to take a position on Donald Trump's potential selection of a Supreme Court Justice and called on Hogan to ensure Maryland's reproductive healthcare laws remain unchanged regardless of what happens at the federal level. Jealous also criticized Hogan's troubling record on reproductive health throughout his career, including refusing to sign legislation that would protect Planned Parenthood funding and prior advocacy for banning abortions even in cases of rape or incest.

"Marylanders overwhelmingly do not trust Donald Trump and Senate Republicans to choose a justice that reflects our state's values," Jealous said. "We don't need to wait and see as Larry Hogan suggests, we need him to reassure Marylanders that despite his own troubling past on women's reproductive health, he will have the courage to protect Maryland's values. Hogan needs to publicly affirm that he will not take any action to undermine Maryland's law protecting a woman's right to choose. Given Hogan refused to sign legislation protecting Planned Parenthood funding, and his prior advocacy to ban abortions even in cases of rape or incest, we have every reason to be concerned about his commitment to protecting our current laws."

During an interview this morning on WTOP, Hogan refused to take a position on the Supreme Court nomination or weigh in on if a nomination should be postponed until after the November elections. A full transcript is below.

Hogan's record on reproductive health includes:

Throughout his life, dating to at least just after he graduated from college, Larry Hogan has been a staunch and vocal opponent of abortion
In 1980, as an aide to his father who was Prince George's County Executive, it was Hogan's idea for the county administration to issue an executive order barring all abortions in county hospitals, except those where the life of the mother was at risk -- even banning abortions in the cases of pregnancies resulting from rape or incest
Hogan has also supported requiring 24-hour waiting periods for women seeking an abortion, mandatory lectures from doctors on alternatives to an abortion, and parental permission for minors to receive an abortion
During Hogan's 1981 primary run for the 5th congressional district, the Washington Post wrote that Hogan had campaigned for an "antiabortion amendment to the Constitution"
Hogan supported a "Human Life Amendment" to the U.S. Constitution that would ban abortion across the country, even in cases of rape and incest
In a 1992 voter guide, Hogan stated he supported requiring parental notification for a minor seeking an abortion, 24-hour waiting periods after an initial consultation with a doctor, and counseling from a doctor about alternatives to having an abortion
During a June 2014 interview on the Dan Rodricks Show, Hogan answered a listener's question regarding his position on abortion by saying that he has "personally always been opposed to abortion"
WTOP Transcript:

"Q: What about the Supreme Court nomination, what are your thoughts on that process?

A: Again, I don't have anything to do with Supreme Court Nominations, I don't know what the status is. I know in Maryland, I get to appoint our highest court but I don't have any role in the Supreme Court nominating process.

Q: Would you want to see the vote delayed until after the election?

A: I'd like to see who the nominees are and see what the Senate thinks about them, that's their job and their role.

Q: What about your thoughts on women's rights or choice in that regard for Maryland?

A: We, uh -- it wouldn't affect Maryland because Maryland already has laws that would protect those rights as they are, so even if there were changes to the Supreme Court, which I don't think there would be, nothing would change in Maryland."

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