Sununu touts New Hampshire’s abortion ban on national podcast – New Hampshire Bulletin

Requested in a podcast interview what abortion restrictions he’d put in place if he had his alternative, Gov. Chris Sununu defended the 24-week abortion ban he signed final yr and boasted he was the primary Republican governor in a long time to signal any ban.

“I’ve accomplished extra on the pro-life problem, if you’ll, than anybody,” he instructed Greg Corombos, co-host of the nationwide podcast “Three Martini Lunch,” which describes itself as “a humorous, edgy, and fast-paced podcast of the day’s main political tales.”

When he’s talked concerning the 24-week abortion ban right here, Sununu has emphasised that he identifies as a pro-choice governor and has not publicly described the ban as an anti-abortion effort. 

Sununu stated in the course of the interview that his help for banning most abortions after 24 weeks is in keeping with most People and 44 states.

After the clip circulated on social media Wednesday, Sen. Tom Sherman, a Rye Democrat hoping to unseat Sununu, and the state’s Democratic Occasion put out statements condemning Sununu’s feedback.

“Chris Sununu has repeatedly proven the ladies of New Hampshire that he can’t be trusted to face up for them,” stated Sherman, a gastroenterologist. “As a health care provider, I’ve spent my total profession constructing belief with my sufferers. There is no such thing as a larger accountability as a result of when you break that belief you can’t get it again. This governor has repeatedly damaged the belief of Granite State ladies and is now bragging about it to Washington insiders.”

Occasion spokesperson Monica Venzke accused Sununu of catering to “the far-right, anti-choice extremists” within the Republican Occasion.

“Granite State ladies can’t belief a phrase he says, particularly relating to our reproductive rights. Chris Sununu will proceed to misinform us and strip us of our rights for his personal political achieve,” Venzke stated.

Requested for remark, Sununu spokesman Ben Vihstadt reiterated factors Sununu made within the interview.

“Like a majority of People, the governor helps limiting abortions in months seven, eight, and 9,” he stated. “Like nearly each different state, New Hampshire now has legal guidelines on the books that restrict late-term abortions. No matter any Supreme Court docket choice, that received’t change the truth that these providers will stay secure, authorized, and accessible in New Hampshire.”

New Hampshire’s ban permits for abortion after 24 weeks provided that the mom’s well being or life is in danger. Sununu stated he’ll signal a invoice headed to his desk including an exception for a fetus that won’t survive outdoors of the womb.

In contrast to another states, nevertheless, New Hampshire’s regulation doesn’t make exceptions for rape or incest, and it carries legal and civil penalties for physicians who violate it.

Sununu addressed abortion in a wide-ranging, almost 50-minute interview posted Wednesday. 

About half-hour into the dialog, Corombos famous Sununu issued an announcement after a leaked U.S. Supreme Court docket draft choice overturning Roe v. Wade.

“In all probability the much less nice part of the interview right here, governor,” Corombos stated. “You fairly rapidly put out an announcement saying, quote, as a pro-choice governor I’m dedicated to upholding Roe v. Wade, which is why I’m pleased with the bipartisan invoice (including exceptions for deadly fetal anomalies) that’s headed to my desk this yr. … So lengthy that I’m governor, these well being care providers for girls will stay secure and authorized.”

“Folks like me grind our tooth upon studying that,” Corombos instructed him.

He went on to ask Sununu what abortion regulation he would put in place if the choice was his alone.

“Effectively, look, I’m the primary governor in 40 years to signal an abortion ban. Republican governors earlier than me by no means signed that. I’ve accomplished extra on the pro-life problem, if you’ll, than anybody. And and I imagine, as most People do, that there ought to be a ban on abortions in months seven, eight, and 9. We acquired that accomplished. And that was a 40-year problem, and we truly did it.”

The host requested Sununu how his place will determine into the governor’s race. Sununu stated he anticipated to get criticism from each side of the difficulty. 

“Democrats will say I’m too pro-life. Of us on the acute will say I’m too pro-choice,” he stated. “That is New Hampshire. We’re an in-the-middle state on this problem. I don’t imply to say I’m within the center, however I imagine in an inexpensive ban to be put in place. We did that.”

Sununu went on to say he felt the ban that got here to his desk had “actually aggressive provisions that have been fully unreasonable.” 

He urged lawmakers this yr to move the invoice making an exception for deadly fetal anomalies and likewise supported exceptions for rape and incest.

“I labored laborious to form of pull again on that as a result of it didn’t make logical sense to have that form of stuff in there,” he stated. “A ban on the late-term abortions, as most states have, is precisely the place we should be.”