WISCONSIN – The following statement from Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin comes following Tim Michels’ comments yesterday that his support of the criminal abortion ban in Wisconsin is ‘reasonable’ and Eric Toney’s reported enthusiasm for prosecuting doctors under the criminal abortion ban.
Tanya Atkinson, President of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin issued the following statement:
“Tim Michels’ insists his radical position on abortion is ‘reasonable,’ but the reality is that women are being harmed every day by the criminal abortion ban that Michels has supported his entire political career. Right now, women in Wisconsin are being forced to travel out of state for needed medical care or forced to remain pregnant against their will because politicians like Tim Michels, Eric Toney and their Republican allies in the Legislature support this criminal abortion ban. Last week Michel’s even implied he would support expanding the abortion ban by refusing to commit to not prosecuting women who travel out of state if he is elected. This is a far cry from reasonable.
If Eric Toney is elected Attorney General, doctors and women would be put at further risk because of his determination to enforce the criminal ban. Toney said when a district attorney doesn’t enforce the state’s 1849 abortion ban, a different DA should be able to come into the county to do it.
Michels’ and Toney’s support for blocking access to needed health care and prosecution of doctors with prison time is a threat to the health and wellbeing of the women in Wisconsin.
We deserve the right to make our own personal, private medical decisions without politicians’ interference. Health care decisions, including the decision to have an abortion, should be left to a woman in consultation with her doctor, her family, and her faith – not politicians like Tim Michels and Eric Toney.”
