A New York official has enforced the state’s “shield law” to protect an abortionist who sent abortion pills to individuals in Texas and Louisiana, which resulted in complications for those women.
Acting Ulster County Clerk Taylor Bruck said in a statement that he will not file a summary judgment against Dr. Margaret Carpenter, who is accused of sending abortion drugs to a woman in Texas. The judgment sought a civil penalty exceeding $100,000 due to Carpenter’s failure to appear in court on February 12 in response to Texas’ lawsuit alleging she prescribed mifepristone and misoprostol (the abortion pill regimen) to a woman in Texas in violation of that state’s law. She was ordered to pay the $100,000 fine for committing the abortion and $13,000 in attorneys’ fees and court costs plus interest.
Carpenter is one of the founders of the online abortion pill distributor, Hey Jane.
“In accordance with the New York State Shield Law, I have refused this filing and will refuse any similar filings that may come to our office,” wrote Bruck. “Since this decision is likely to result in further litigation, I must refrain from discussing specific details about the situation.”
READ: Individuals sending abortion pills to pro-life states are praised, as women and children are harmed
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said, “I am outraged that New York would refuse to allow Texas to pursue enforcement of a civil judgment against a radical abortionist illegally peddling dangerous drugs across state lines. New York is shredding the Constitution to hide lawbreakers from justice, and it must end.”
The Texas woman who took the abortion drugs suffered serious complications and required emergency care. Carpenter was also indicted in Louisiana for mailing the abortion pill to a teen in that state; that teen, too, was injured and required emergency treatment. Last month, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul invoked the state’s shield law in rejecting Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry’s request to extradite Carpenter. Hochul said of the county clerk’s decision, “New York is grateful for [Bruck’s] courage and common sense.”
New York Attorney General Letitia James also praised Bruck for “doing what is right.” She noted that “we will not allow anyone to undermine health care providers’ ability to deliver necessary care to their patients.”
