Stacey Abrams won’t back down after saying abortion access helps women deal with inflation woes
Stacey Abrams refused on Wednesday night to apologize for her comments that abortion access was at stake because women were facing higher costs of living due to abortion.
The former Georgia gubernatorial candidate said she was “appalled” by her comments about abortion access in an interview with New York Magazine. But she defended her comments, saying they were meant to draw attention to the cost of abortion.
During her interview, Abrams was pressed by a reporter for comments made earlier in the day that had been interpreted as suggesting that access to abortion was at stake if abortion was legalized. When asked what she meant, Abrams responded:
“I meant that access to abortion means women can’t afford to raise their children and can’t work. It means women can’t work or work two jobs. Or if their employers don’t allow it, women can’t work. I’m pretty sure that’s what I said.”
Later on Wednesday, Abrams’ campaign issued a lengthy statement clarifying what she said.
“Abrams meant that women can’t afford to raise their children or work two jobs without access to healthcare, to a quality education, and to housing,” the statement said.
The statement also addressed comments she made in the interview with New York Magazine and the state of Georgia, saying, “In all of these things, access to justice is at stake.”
Abrams, who announced her candidacy for governor of Georgia last year during the state’s heated gubernatorial campaign, announced her intentions to seek the Democratic nomination for governor of Georgia and all U.S. Senate contests in Georgia on Monday. Abrams became the first African American woman to represent Georgia in the U.S. Senate in 2006.
Abrams’ comments came as other prominent Democrats have taken a closer look at abortion access, particularly following the release of President Donald Trump’s newly adopted executive order on the subject. In the order, Trump has asked the Department of Health and Human Services to explore ways to reduce the number of abortions performed in the United States.
Abrams’ comments about abortion came from an interview she