Red state leader unleashes lawsuit that could set off abortion ‘civil war’

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against a New York-based abortionist for violating Texas law by shipping abortion drugs into the state. The lawsuit, filed in the federal District Court for Collin County, alleges that Dr. Margaret Carpenter illegally shipped drugs into Texas without conducting an in-person examination of a 20-year-old Texas woman to determine the gestational age of her baby.
Chemical abortions, which now make up more than 60% of all U.S. abortions, pose a risk of severe complications and infection in some cases. Despite this, the Biden administration has rolled back restrictions on chemical abortion, allowing the drugs to be prescribed via telemedicine, shipped through mail, and obtained at retail pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens. However, some states, including Texas, continue to restrict the distribution of abortion pills without a doctor’s consultation.
The Texas woman who obtained the abortion pills from Carpenter ended up being admitted to a hospital due to severe bleeding caused by the drugs. Paxton stated that Carpenter’s actions endangered the woman and violated Texas law, putting women and unborn children in the state at risk. The lawsuit seeks civil penalties and a permanent block on Carpenter from sending more abortion drugs to Texas women.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has pushed back against the lawsuit, citing a recently passed “shield law” that protects abortion providers from prosecution for prescribing abortion pills in states where it is illegal. This sets the stage for a legal battle between states over abortion laws, with experts believing the case could eventually reach the Supreme Court.
Pro-life groups, such as Students for Life Action, are hopeful that the Texas lawsuit will lead to a re-examination of national safeguards on abortion pills. The group has also launched a citizen petition demanding the FDA delay plans to broaden the use of abortion drugs to treat miscarriages until the environmental impact of these pills contaminating the water supply is re-evaluated.
As the legal battle unfolds, the debate over abortion laws and access to abortion pills continues to be a contentious issue in the United States. The outcome of the Texas lawsuit could have far-reaching implications for reproductive rights and healthcare access across the country.