Biden Assails ‘Outrageous’ Florida Abortion Ruling as His Campaign Blames Trump
President Biden on Tuesday called a decision by the Florida Supreme Court to uphold a restrictive abortion law “outrageous” and “extreme,” saying that it had effectively eliminated access to the procedure across the American South.
The president said in a statement that the restrictions in Florida and others enacted by Republicans across the country “are putting the health and lives of millions of women at risk.” But Mr. Biden said voters would “have the opportunity to make their voices heard,” after the court ruled separately that Floridians would be able to decide on expanding abortion access in November.
Mr. Biden’s statement on the decision, which clears the way for a six-week abortion ban, came as his campaign and a host of Democratic officials began an all-out effort to pin responsibility for dwindling access to abortion care squarely on former President Donald J. Trump.
“Donald Trump is directly to blame for the fact that abortion has now been effectively banned across the entire Southeastern United States,” Julie Chávez Rodríguez, Mr. Biden’s campaign manager, told reporters on Tuesday. “Make no mistake, Donald Trump will do everything in his power to try and enact a national abortion ban if he’s re-elected.”
Mr. Trump has indicated support for an abortion ban of around 15 weeks, with exceptions for rape or incest, or to save the life of the mother. A representative for the Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for a comment on the Florida court decision.
Democrats believe the Florida decisions will turn out voters and perhaps even flip the state — a long shot in a state where Mr. Biden’s contender is a registered voter.