Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) criticized Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) for filing a lawsuit against a New York doctor for providing abortion care to a Texas patient via telemedicine.
“Last week, TX Attorney General Paxton attempted to expand his draconian crusade to control women’s bodies by suing a New York OBGYN for providing abortion care to a Texas patient via telemedicine,” Nadler wrote in a Tuesday statement on X.
“This lawsuit is a outrageous attempt to intimidate New York’s abortion providers out of providing lifesaving care to women who need it across the country,” he added.
Paxton filed the lawsuit last week, and Texas bans surgical and medical abortions. However, Nadler warned the Texas attorney general that his efforts wouldn’t stick in New York, which is the first legal test to see what happens when state abortion laws conflict with one another.
“AG Paxton doesn’t know New Yorkers — we won’t be intimidated by bullies,” Nadler wrote.
“New York has passed several interstate shield laws protecting our providers who are lawfully practicing abortion care, including through telemedicine.”
Margaret Daley Carpenter, a physician and co-founder of The Abortion Coalition for Telemedicine (ACT) in New York allegedly provided abortion medication to a 20-year-old pregnant woman in Collin County, Texas, which terminated her pregnancy after heavy bleeding.
Paxton’s goal is to stop Carpenter from providing abortion care to Texas patients, requesting that she pay $100,000 for every violation of the state’s abortion ban.
New York Attorney General Letitia James described Paxton’s actions as “unjust.”
“Abortion is, and will continue to be, legal and protected in New York,” she said.
“We will never cower in the face of intimidation or threats.”