Sen. Sampson Statement on U.S. Supreme Court Decision on Roe v. Wade

State Sen. Rob Sampson (R-16) released the following statement regarding today’s U.S. Supreme Court decision on Roe v. Wade:

“Since there have been so many individual public statements made today on the subject of the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, I feel compelled to add my own.

“Let me start by saying that I am embarrassed for my fellow Connecticut Republicans who seem to feel the need today to distance themselves from the Supreme Court decision on Roe v. Wade for fear of being mistaken for actual Republicans.

“Of course, anyone who can manage a little objective political and/or legal thinking knows that this is the correct and proper decision regardless of how one feels about the subject of abortion. Contrary to some of the hysteria coming from Democrats and some of my more cowardly Republican colleagues, Roe v. Wade has always been suspect as far as its Constitutional validity. There is no Constitutional right to abortion and there is a real matter for debate about when life begins and whether or not the rights of the unborn are as valid as the rights of the mother. We should really have adults who can handle common sense and mutual respect discussing and debating what our policies should look like, not political manipulators and activists willing to lie to gin up their own base.

“The truth about this decision is simply that it undoes an unconstitutional protection for abortion and instead transfers the authority where it belongs to state governments to make their own policy on the subject. It does not undermine the status quo in Connecticut in any way. Indeed, it’s clear from the reactions from members of both parties, there is zero chance that any significant change in abortion law will occur in Connecticut in the short term.

“It’s sad that this subject is so overly politicized by people in politics and the media. The vast majority of people in this country consider themselves as I do – pro-life but unwilling to eliminate all abortions whatsoever. Instead, preferring to eliminate late-term abortions or using the practice as birth control and including checks that will help to reduce criminal behavior and abusers like a requirement for parental notification.

“I’m hopeful that turning the decision-making over to the states will result in better policy that more accurately resembles how citizens feel locally rather than one broad national brush that ignores the views of so many,” he said.