SEATTLE — Sen. Patty Murray held a news conference Friday saying she was “furious” and “spitting mad” at the conservatives on the Supreme Court for being so cruel.
Her comments come following recent reports that the Supreme Court plans to overturn Roe v. Wade, which protects a pregnant woman’s right to have an abortion.
Murray was joined at Planned Parenthood in Seattle by female leaders across Washington who discussed protecting the legal right to have an abortion and the need to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act.
As she started her speech, Murray first thanked Planned Parenthood nurses, medical professionals, and staff.
The Women’s Health Protection Act would ban the government from putting restrictions on abortion services. Murray called it a landmark bill that would be voted on next week.
“The work you do, the healthcare you provide is critical and sometimes even lifesaving, and no matter what, it helps people plan families on their own terms, decide their own course of their own life and control their own body,” she said.
“I know often you are doing this work in the face of violence, threats and hatred from anti-abortion extremists, and I know this past week has been heartbreaking and this leaked decision has been devastating, because I have felt all of those same emotions myself.”
She said she was there to thank them for their work but also to let them know that they are not alone in their fight to preserve the right to abortion.
“We are all here right beside all of you,” said Murray.
Murray’s tone then changed.
“As heartbroken as I am, I am also furious, I am spitting mad at the conservatives on the Supreme Court for being so cruel. At Republican state legislators across the country, including right next door in Idaho, who are passing abortion bans and starting healthcare crisis that impact all of us,” she said.
She also expressed anger at Senate Republicans whom she said “filled our courts with pro-right, anti-abortion judges who take every opportunity to undermine our abortion rights.”
“Very soon, we could live in a country where women are forced to stay pregnant and give birth when they don’t want to. This is the country that Republicans want,” said Murray.
Murray said she would not stop fighting and would do everything possible to get a bill to President Biden’s desk to protect the right to abortion.
“We are not going backwards,” she said.
Murray was joined by:
- Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz
- Rep. Pramila Jayapal (WA-07)
- Rep. Kim Schrier (WA-08)
- State Senator Emily Randall
- State Representative My-Linh Thai
- Other state and local women leaders from across Washington state