Press Release Georgia
Press Release
NARAL Pro-Choice Georgia Condemns Gov. Brian Kemp After Being Caught on Tape Saying He’s Open to Banning Contraception
For Immediate Release: Thursday, September 15, 2022
Contact: [email protected]
NARAL Pro-Choice Georgia Condemns Gov. Brian Kemp After Being Caught on Tape Saying He’s Open to Banning Contraception
Georgia — Today, anti-choice extremist Governor Brian Kemp was caught on tape at a UGA College Republicans tailgate stating he is open to banning contraception, as reported by the Heartland Signal. “You could take up pretty much anything….depends on where the legislatures are,” Gov. Kemp said. Upon further questioning, he agreed that banning contraception would be on the table: “I think I’d have to check and see because there are a lot of legalities.”
NARAL Pro-Choice America President Mini Timmaraju released the following statement in response:
“We all knew Brian Kemp was an extremist hell-bent on attacking Georgian’s reproductive freedom. He and the anti-choice GOP were never going to stop at banning abortion, and now he is saying it out loud: If he is reelected, he will consider banning birth control in Georgia. This is a three-alarm fire, and we must take action now to ensure that Gov. Kemp and his dangerous agenda are sent to the curb this November. Our fundamental freedoms are on the line, and Georgians are rising up and making clear that Kemp’s extreme agenda has no place in the State.”
NARAL Pro-Choice America Southeast Campaigns Director Alicia Stallworth said:
“Governor Kemp has not and will not stop signing dangerous bills into law that jeopardize all Georgians. Somebody who refuses to protect the health and well-being of Georgians has no place in the governor’s office. Our 80,000 members in Georgia and I are mobilizing to elect Stacey Abrams and other champions who will boldly fight back for our fundamental freedoms.”
The contrast between Gov. Kemp and reproductive freedom champion Stacey Abrams is as stark as ever. Abrams, endorsed by NARAL earlier this year, has steadfastly fought for reproductive freedom throughout her career. As minority leader of the Georgia State House, she voted against anti-choice legislation and led her caucus in fighting an anti-choice bill that bans insurance coverage for abortion. She also fought against legislation that prohibits somebody from accessing abortion care after 20 weeks. As an activist, she also fought against Georgia’s draconian six-week abortion ban, and she worked with NARAL to mobilize the business community and film industry leaders to stand up for reproductive freedom by remaining in Georgia and organizing.
Earlier this week, NARAL Pro-Choice America released an analysis of mail ballot requests in Georgia that signaled an early sign of enthusiasm for Democrats amid anti-choice Republicans’ attacks on reproductive freedom. The analysis, conducted by TargetSmart, a leading progressive data and polling firm, found that women, people of color, and Democrats are outpacing Republicans and key conservative voting blocks in mail ballot requests. This is the first analysis to be released about which Georgians are requesting mail ballots.
In June, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization—ending the constitutional right to abortion and opening the door for extremist state lawmakers to put total bans on abortion in place. This decision is already having a devastating impact throughout the country as 14 states, including Georgia, have begun enforcing extreme or total bans on abortion. The people hurt most by these bans and restrictions are those who already face barriers to accessing abortion care—including women; Black, Indigenous, and other people of color; those working to make ends meet; the LGBTQ+ community; immigrants; young people; those living in rural communities; and people with disabilities.
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For over 50 years, NARAL Pro-Choice America has fought to protect and advance reproductive freedom at the federal and state levels—including access to abortion care, birth control, pregnancy and post-partum care, and paid family leave—for every body. NARAL is powered by its 4 million members from every state and congressional district in the country, representing the 8 in 10 Americans who support legal abortion.