Since the Minnesota Supreme Court’s Doe v. Gomez decision in 1995, state taxpayers have reimbursed abortion providers with roughly $27 million for more than 90,000 abortions, according to Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life.
“Most people, even many who favor legalized abortion, oppose using tax dollars to pay for elective abortions,” MCCL Executive Director Scott Fischbach said in a press release. “Minnesotans and their elected representatives in the Legislature never agreed to this policy. It was imposed by the courts with no basis in the state Constitution.”
Tuesday marked the 25th anniversary of the court’s Doe v. Gomez decision, which upheld a lower court’s ruling to strike down a Minnesota law that prohibited Medicaid funding of abortions.
“And the result? Disastrous harm to unborn children, taxpayers, and low-income women and families who deserve so much better,” said Fischbach.
According to MCCL, Minnesota taxpayers funded 4,256 abortions at a cost of $1.03 million in 2018 — the most recent year for which data is available.
MCCL referenced a quote from Justice Mary Jeanne Coyne, who was opposed to the court’s decision.
“There is a very significant difference between a right to decide to terminate a pregnancy by abortion … and a right to compel the state to pay for the abortion,” said Justice Coyne.
MCCL also cited research that shows the use of tax dollars for abortions “leads to significantly more overall abortions than would otherwise take place.”
“Minnesota’s tax-funded abortion policy isn’t only unjust to the unborn children who are killed with public money, as if such killing were a public good,” Fischbach said.
“It’s also harmful to the economically vulnerable women to whom Planned Parenthood offers ‘free’ abortions, driving up the group’s abortion numbers and revenue. And it’s unfair to Minnesota taxpayers, who shouldn’t have to pay for this,” he added.
MCCL is the state’s oldest and largest pro-life group and has over 70,000 members.
Judah Torgerud
Judah Torgerud is a freelance journalist working with Alpha News to keep the people informed and bring the truth to light. Contact him at whqnu@nycunarjfza.pbz.
