RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares announced on Friday that Virginia would no longer be arguing against Mississippi’s 15-week abortion bill.
The Commonwealth joined 22 states, the District of Columbia and the Attorney General of North Carolina back in September to argue that Mississippi’s abortion ban was unconstitutional. The case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, started when Mississippi’s only licensed abortion facility filed a lawsuit in federal district court. The bill was put on hold while litigation continued.
Now, Miyares has released an update stating that Virginia believes the United States Constitution is silent on abortion.
In a letter to the Supreme Court, Miyares states that Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey were wrongly decided. He said the Constitution does not support a woman’s right to choose.
He argues that the Supreme Court should not be involved in decisions regarding abortion due to their political nature and says the decision should be left up to states.
This comes at the same time that Virginia Del. Nick Freitas has proposed a bill to ban abortion in Virginia after 20 weeks gestation, except in circumstances that risks death or serious damage to the mother. It does not make any exceptions for cases of rape or incest.
