New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) sent a letter to federal health officials Monday, saying that he will sue the Trump administration if they go ahead with their plan to block federal funding for family planning from organizations that perform or refer for abortions.
The Associated Press reports that Cuomo argued President Trump's change of policy could “leave many women without information needed to make their own medical decisions” and that the new rule, “would unfairly restrict rights of medical professionals and patients.”
The idea that the rule change would leave women without information to make choices is likely inaccurate given that abortion counseling is still permitted under the rule although abortion referrals would be prohibited.
The White House emphasized this in a statement at the time, saying, “contrary to recent media reports, HHS’s proposal does not include the so-called ‘gag rule’ on counseling about abortion that was part of the Reagan Administration’s Title X rule.”
Cuomo is a huge advocate of abortion and even wants to add Roe v. Wade to the state constitution which was something he emphasized during a speech after giving an award to former Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards in March.
“Roe v. Wade has to be added to the Constitution of the state of New York because they will take us back before 1973,” he said, “they will take us back and we have to protect our position and it has to be written into our constitution.”