- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez urges the Biden administration to ignore a Texas judge's ruling on the abortion pill mifepristone
- The New York Democrat said that Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk's ruling made a mockery of the nation's democracy and laws
- Other Democrats have urged the president to ignore the judge's abortion pill decision
Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez urged the Biden administration to ignore a Texas judge's ruling on the abortion pill mifepristone that suspends drug use.
The lawmaker said during an interview that the executive branch of the United States government has an "enforcement discretion." She also called Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk's decision a mockery of the country's democracy and its laws.
Ignoring a Texas Judge's Abortion Pill Ruling
AOC added that the latest ruling was a blatant and extreme abuse of power, arguing that it was an extraordinary example of judicial overreach. The New York lawmaker is not the only Democrat who has weighed in on Kacsmaryk's ruling over the abortion pill and has called on the president to ignore the decision, as per USA Today.
On Friday, Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden said that the Biden administration and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) could ignore Kacsmaryk's ruling on the abortion pill. The lawmaker added that the FDA, health professionals, and pharmacies could and should continue their jobs as normal, as nothing has changed.
He said they should keep mifepristone accessible to women across the United States despite the Texas judge's ruling. Wyden argued that if not, it could result in vast consequences resulting from the banning of the most common method of abortion in every state, which he said would be "devastating."
Furthermore, the Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra did not dismiss the possibility of ignoring Kacsmaryk's ruling. During an interview, he said, "Everything is on the table."
AOC also argued that if the abortion pill case reaches the Supreme Court, it will result in a national abortion ban. According to The Hill, Judge Kacsmaryk's decision blocked the authorization of mifepristone, which has been in the American market for more than two decades.
The FDA's Approval of Mifepristone
The Texas judge argued that the FDA rushed its approval process of the abortion pill compared to other drugs. In response, United States President Joe Biden's team immediately appealed the ruling, which set the case on a potential run to the Supreme Court.
On the same day as Kacsmaryk's ruling, a judge in Washington state ordered authorities not to make any changes to access to the abortion pill. The dueling decisions of two different judges threw into question the future of abortion access in the country.
Wyden argued that there was no way that Kacsmaryk's decision had a basis in law, arguing that it was instead based on conservatives' "dangerous and undemocratic takeover of our country's institutions."
The situation comes as the FDA places special restrictions on the abortion pill mifepristone under a safety program designed to reduce dangerous risks. However, Fox News said the agency relaxed restrictions on this particular drug several times.
Related Article: Kansas Legislators Approve Abortion Pill 'Reversal' Bill
