Gov. Kathy Hochul, D-N.Y., threatened the Walgreens Corporation during a CNN interview on Friday, claiming that if the drugstore chain pulled the abortion drug mifepristone from pharmacy shelves in New York there would be "consequences."
Hochul’s words came about a week after the company announced it would not be providing the abortifacient through its pharmacies in over 20 states.
The drugstore chain’s decision occurred after 20 Republican state attorneys general sent the company a letter warning that using the mail to distribute abortion pills throughout the U.S. may be a violation of law. Missouri AG Andrew Bailey, who has led the effort, insisted that he and his GOP colleagues will "use every tool at our disposal to uphold the law."
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"CNN This Morning" anchor Don Lemon featured Hochul as a guest on the show to comment on Walgreens' decision. Lemon prefaced the governor’s appearance by reading a letter she and New York Attorney General Letitia James composed Thursday urging major drugstore chains to keep distributing the drug in their state.
The letter read, "Even as access to this medication is under threat elsewhere for political reasons, we remind you that New York’s law is simple: Abortion is legal and protected as a fundamental right under state law and there are no legal barriers to dispensing mifepristone in New York pharmacies."
Lemon began the discussion by asking Hochul why she urged Walgreens and other chains to keep distributing abortion pills if "abortion is legal in New York."
Hochul responded that she’s leaning into the political fight over these drugs.
She declared, "We have to because basically pharmacies have become the new battleground ever since women’s rights were stripped in the overturning of Roe v. Wade last June. So we want to make sure we send a preemptive message that despite the threats that you are seeing receiving from Republican attorneys general, that here in states like New York these rights are protected."
Hochul added, "We’re gonna go to the mat and protect them every inch of the way, and if they try to suspend the distribution of this important drug to women in the state of New York, there will be consequences."
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Lemon followed up with an interesting question, asking the governor if she worries that her move over the abortion pills can be compared to Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., "influencing how businesses operate" in his legal fight with Disney and other woke corporations. Lemon noted how "Democrats have been very critical" of the Florida governor for his actions.
Hochul completely dismissed the comparison, and portrayed DeSantis’ move as mere political posturing: "There is no comparison. This is not a launch to a political campaign. This has nothing to do with politics. This is basic women’s health care."
She added, "We want people to make sure that they know that this is a sacrosanct right here in the state of New York. It once was in our nation until the Trump-stacked Supreme Court stripped these rights away from women and I want to make sure that despite what happens in other states there is not a distraction. These rights are protected in the state of New York."
Before the interview ended, Lemon invited the New York Governor to respond to a recent criticism of her state made by investor and "Shark Tank" star Kevin O’Leary. Last week O’Leary claimed that New York was "uninvestable" for business because of its high taxes and "punitive" regulatory policies.
"I’m sure you would like to respond to that," Lemon said. Hochul replied with a boast about how "enthusiastic" business leaders are about New York’s future.
She said, "Oh, boy. I just sat down with major investors and prominent business leaders a couple days ago and they are enthusiastic about the future of New York. New York has always had its ups and downs. We are emerging from a dark time brought forth by the pandemic. That’s it. We are on fire right before the pandemic hit. But there’s no stopping us."
