Abortionists will be prosecuted in my state, governor pledges

By Bob Unruh

(Image by Ruslan Gilmanshin from Pixabay)
(Image by Ruslan Gilmanshin from Pixabay)

South Dakota is an abortion-free state. The only abortion business that recently was selling abortions in the state was in Sioux Falls, and it closed down.

But that doesn’t mean the state isn’t keenly aware of the Supreme Court’s decision in a Missouri case to end the artificially created constitutional “right” to abortion in Roe v. Wade.

In fact, a report in the Hill said Gov. Kristi Noem, who steadfastly opposed abortion in her state, told “Face the Nation” host Margaret Brennan her state will charge doctors who violate the abortion ban.

Her state had a trigger law that went into effect when the Supreme Court struck down Roe on Friday.

Noem said mothers seeking abortion won’t be prosecuted.

However, there will be cases against abortionists if they return, she said.

“We’ll continue to have those debates on how we can support these mothers and what it means to really make sure we are not prosecuting mothers ever in a situation like this,” she told the television show. “It will always be focused toward those doctors who knowingly break the law to perform abortions in our state.”

Gov. Kristi Noem Speaks at CPAC 2022 (video screenshot)
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem speaks at CPAC 2022 (Video screenshot)

Multiple states had trigger laws putting new limits on abortion into place on the demise of Roe. Other states had abortion bans that were suspended when Roe was created in 1973, but the laws themselves never were repealed, and they likely now are the law for those states.

In South Dakota, abortions are illegal and performing an abortion is a felony unless it will save the life of the mother, the report explained. There are no exceptions for rape or incest.

Noem also said she’ll work to outlaw telemedicine appointments for abortion, where a woman consults with an abortionist online or by phone, and then is mailed the abortion-inducing chemicals used for those chemical abortion procedures.

She explained, “Every life is precious.”

“We know so much more using technology and science than we did even 10, 15 years ago about what these babies go through and the pain they feel in the womb .We’re putting resources in front of these women and walking alongside them, getting them the health care, the mental health counseling services they need,” she said.


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Bob Unruh

Bob Unruh joined WND in 2006 after nearly three decades with the Associated Press, as well as several Upper Midwest newspapers, where he covered everything from legislative battles and sports to tornadoes and homicidal survivalists. He is also a photographer whose scenic work has been used commercially. Read more of Bob Unruh's articles here.


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