Gov. Kathy Hochul Won’t Extradite Abortion Doctor to Louisiana

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEXSTAR) — Gov. Kathy Hochul held a short press conference Thursday afternoon. She explained why New York would not honor an extradition order from Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry.

Background

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill tweeted on Wednesday, “Yesterday, I signed off on the extradition form which has been transferred to @LAGovJeffLandry’s Office in the Dr. Margaret Carpenter case. We will take any and all legal actions to enforce the criminal laws of this State!”

Gov. Hochul’s Statement

“At 1:41 today, this office received an order of extradition for a New York doctor—an abortion provider who lives upstate. She has been accused of participating in a murder, and they’re saying that she is to be charged with the crime of a criminal abortion by means of abortion inducing drugs. This is a very serious offense, as I have said before.

“In New York State, at my direction, we have put into place strict shield laws that anticipated this very situation. That in the aftermath of the overturning of Roe v. Wade—the established law for 49 years that gave women rights, that my mother’s generation had to fight for, that my generation took for granted, that are no longer there for my daughter’s generation. After 49 years of having the established law of the nation overturned by this Supreme Court, we knew that in the state of New York that we had providers who could be vulnerable. And what we’re talking about is also the amendments we put in place after the original law was signed in 2022. We also contemplated a prescription of—a telemedicine prescription for this legally abortion-inducing drug, which has been on the market—approved by the FDA—for over 20 years. It is safe, and it has been legal.

“Louisiana has changed their laws, but that has no bearing on the laws here in the state of New York. Doctors take an oath to protect their patients. I took an oath of office to protect all New Yorkers. And I will uphold not only our Constitution, but the laws of our land. And I will not be signing an extradition order that came for the governor of Louisiana. Not now, not ever. I want to be very clear in that. And to establish that this is known across the state, we have sent out a law enforcement notice that certain out-of-state warrants are not enforceable in the state of New York. So anyone who possibly pulls over an individual—or is involved in a situation where a doctor who is protected under our laws—is told, ‘You are not to cooperate and enforce this extradition.’ So, I want to be clear that we have taken all the steps we can to protect this doctor, to continue allowing her to continue practicing what we believe is reproductive health, which I believe is an essential right.”

Conclusion

In her statement, Gov. Hochul emphasized that New York will not extradite the abortion doctor to Louisiana, citing the state’s shield laws and its commitment to protecting reproductive health. She emphasized that doctors take an oath to protect their patients, and she will uphold the laws of New York, including its constitution.

FAQs

* Why is New York not extraditing the abortion doctor to Louisiana?
New York is not extraditing the doctor because of its shield laws, which were put in place after the overturning of Roe v. Wade. These laws protect providers who are accused of participating in a murder, which is a serious offense.
* Why is Louisiana seeking to extradite the doctor?
Louisiana is seeking to extradite the doctor because she is accused of participating in a murder, specifically the crime of a criminal abortion by means of abortion inducing drugs.
* What is the relevance of New York’s shield laws?
New York’s shield laws anticipate situations where providers may be vulnerable, and they provide protection for those who are accused of participating in a murder.
* What is the purpose of the telemedicine prescription?
The telemedicine prescription is a way for doctors to prescribe legally abortion-inducing drugs, which have been on the market for over 20 years and are safe and legal.