Harris calls out 'extremists' over abortion as Florida Republicans eye greater restrictions - POLITICO

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — vice president Kamala Harris on Sunday brought the combat over abortion at once to the doorstep of potential 2024 president contender Gov. Ron DeSantis forward of what could develop into one other contentious combat over abortion in the weeks forward in Florida.

Harris gave a noon speech in Tallahassee highlighting the fiftieth anniversary of Roe v. Wade, where she no longer only weaved in a few mentions of "freedom" — a delicate dig at DeSantis' routine remarks in regards to the "free state of Florida" — but stated "extremists" within the statehouse had handed a "radical abortion ban" closing yr.

"and might we actually be free in that case-known as leaders declare to be 'on the vanguard of freedom' while they dare to restrict the rights of the American people and attack the very foundations of freedom," Harris spoke of.

The Biden administration has clashed repeatedly with DeSantis over the ultimate two years, however Harris' look just a mile from the state Capitol perceived to sign a much better level of engagement with the governor, who's considered as the good challenger to former President Donald Trump for the Republican nomination.

earlier than Harris took the stage at the Moon nightclub in Tallahassee, attendees within the audience chanted "hey ho, DeSantis has to go."

Harris, in her remarks, criticized the DeSantis administration after Florida fitness regulators instructed fitness care providers they may possibility criminal prices in the event that they dispensed abortion pills. That warning — which went to pharmacies — became distributed after the FDA dropped lengthy-standing restrictions that banned the abortion capsule from being bought at retail pharmacies.

President Joe Biden despatched out a memo on Sunday calling on federal agencies to examine boundaries of sufferers getting access to abortion tablets, constructing the probability that the administration could take action sometime in the future.

The DeSantis administration did not respond to questions about Harris's feedback. The Republican birthday party of Florida put out an announcement that brought up "Democrats are proudly cheerleading barbaric guidelines to permit unrestricted abortions — including infanticide. That's all any person must know."

Democrats were equipped in lots of states to impress voters in the midterms over abortion, but DeSantis beaten his Democratic opponent, Charlie Crist, in November via basically 20 features. Crist spent weeks highlighting abortion restrictions in the run-up to the November elections.

Florida's Legislature remaining 12 months handed a controversial ban on abortion after 15 weeks without exceptions for rape and incest. A legal problem to it's being considered by the state Supreme courtroom. DeSantis supported the ban and has mentioned he backs abortion restrictions past the latest legislation, despite the fact he has stopped wanting specifics.

Harris zeroed in on the legal guidelines passed in Florida and other states as "designed by way of extremists." She known as the Florida legislation a "an intensive abortion ban without a exceptions, even for the survivors of crimes like rape and baby molestation and human trafficking."

however it's no longer clear what GOP legislators plan to do. Florida house Speaker Paul Renner late final week become non-committal about what lawmakers would do next, announcing that while there is a "pro-existence majority" within the residence that "we have not finalized the rest in that regard." Renner pointed out some individuals had been supportive of the current restrictions, while others desired to prevent access additional. Florida Senate President Kathleen Passidomo (R-Naples) in the past mentioned she supports restricting abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy but with exceptions for victims of rape and incest.

State Rep. Fentrice Driskell, the apartment Democratic chief, "entirely anticipates" legislators will tighten the state's latest ban with a purpose to help a DeSantis presidential run.

"DeSantis is running for president in 2024," pointed out Driskell shortly after Harris spoke. "He controls every thing in that building."

Harris' speech become given inside a nightclub located a mile from the Florida Capitol as a result of the chance of rain and bad weather. Nikki Fried, Florida's former agriculture commissioner who attended the event, talked about that both Florida State school — and Florida A&M college, a historically Black school and tuition — became down requests to have Harris seem on campus.

Fried she had been working with deliberate Parenthood on an experience noting the anniversary of Roe v. Wade and was asked to assist with logistics as soon as the White residence verified that Harris became coming to city.

Fried cautioned that the faculties turned down Harris since the associations feared angering DeSantis, however Dennis Schnittker, assistant vp of communications for Florida State school, noted the tuition "became unable to accommodate the vp because of in the past scheduled hobbies and operations."

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