CHICAGO (NewsNation) — Civil rights attorney Robert Patillo joined “On Balance with Leland Vittert” on Thursday to discuss how Democrats have been handling the Supreme Court’s abortion ruling, which ended constitutional protections that had been in place for nearly 50 years.
While President Joe Biden mentioned supporting changing Senate rules to codify nationwide abortion protections — a process that would include ending the filibuster rule — he also said acomplishing that would likely require voters to send additional Democratic senators to Washington.
Many members of the Democratic Party have called for a more immediate, militant approach:
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), have since called on the Biden administration to use federal facilities to provide access to abortion in Republican-led states where it’s now outlawed. Additionally, Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) proposed reforming the court itself by expanding the nine-member panel.
The November midterms could be hit by a ripple effect from the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, Democrats are vowing legislation to protect abortion access, while Republicans want to impose further limits, including a nationwide ban on abortions.
It’s the reason, Patillo says, that Democrats have been split on how best to proceed going forward.
“This is why you hear Democrats not talking about the specifics of abortion, but rather talking about leaving it up to the woman — trusting a woman and her doctor to make the proper medical decision for them — and keeping the government out of the hospital,” Patillo said.
Watch the entire segment above.