Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul said in an interview with Associated Press that he would not enforce bans on abortion if Roe v. Wade gets overturned. Kaul said that he would not “investigate or prosecute anyone for having an abortion.”
Wisconsin has an abortion ban law that is currently unenforceable under Roe v. Wade provisions, but that could change depending on if the Supreme Court decides to overturn the 1973 decision this summer.
“Even if courts were to interpret that law as being enforceable, as attorney general I would not use the resources of the Wisconsin Department of Justice either to investigate alleged violations of that abortion ban or to prosecute alleged violations of it,” Kaul said.
Kaul also claimed that a ban on abortions would “undermine public safety.”
“And it would result in serious negative health consequences, including potentially the death of women who wanted to seek to exercise what for nearly 50 years [has] been understood to be a constitutionally protected right,” he told Associated Press.
Wisconsin Right to Life, a pro-life group in Wisconsin, shared its disagreement with Kaul’s stance. Wisconsin Right to Life legislative director Gracie Skogman responded to Kaul’s comments, saying, “Wisconsin is in a uniquely powerful position to defend pre-born children if Roe is overturned, thanks to our existing state ban on abortion that would once again be enforceable. The will of Wisconsinites and our constitutionally enacted laws must be protected and enforced, especially those that defend the most vulnerable among us.”
Representative Gwen Moore (D-WI-04) agreed with Kaul’s statements. Moore told The Wisconsin Daily Star, “As Republicans attack the reproductive freedoms of patients, we must keep fighting to ensure abortion remains accessible.”
Moore continued, “Attorney General Kaul is standing up for the rights of Wisconsinites to make their own health care decisions, and I fully support these efforts.”
Two Republican candidates have announced their intention to challenge Kaul in the 2022 elections. Attorney Eric Toney and former State Representative Adam Jarchow entered the race immensely critical of Kaul’s performance.
“I am proudly pro-life and I will defend the police and defend our Wisconsin laws, including our abortion ban, if allowed,” Toney told Associated Press.
Jarchow’s message was similar. “[Kaul] is the very definition of partisanship and a failed leader,” he said. “So, while it’s disappointing that he says he will not follow the law, it’s not surprising.”
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Hayley Feland is a reporter with The Minnesota Sun and The Wisconsin Daily Star | Star News Network. Follow Hayley on Twitter or like her Facebook page. Send news tips to [email protected].
Photo “Josh Kaul” by Josh Kaul for Attorney General.
