Louisiana
Newsom to Louisiana AG: ‘Go —- yourself’ over abortion pill extradition
Gavin Newsom says Trump blocked his speech in Davos
California Governor Gavin Newsom said President Donald Trump blocked his speech in Davos.
- California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill exchanged sharp words on social media over abortion pill access.
- Louisiana plans to sue California and New York to force the extradition of doctors accused of mailing abortion pills into the state.
- Both California and New York have refused extradition requests, citing state shield laws that protect doctors.
- Louisiana’s attorney general argues the refusal to extradite violates the U.S. Constitution.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom hurled a vulgar expletive at Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill in a social media post in response to Murrill’s plan to sue California and New York to force extradition of doctors accused of mailing abortion pills to Louisiana.
“Louisiana plans to sue me because I won’t extradite a doctor for providing an abortion,” California’s Democratic governor said Thursday night in a post on X. “@AGLizMurrill: Go —- yourself. California will never help you criminalize healthcare.”
Murrill quickly responded with her own post on X and a text to USA Today Network.
“Bless your heart @GavinNewsom. Killing Louisiana babies isn’t healthcare, nor is shielding California drug dealers,” said Murrill, a Republican. “The sovereign State of Louisiana will defend life. See ya soon.”
During the past two years Murrill has secured felony indictments against New York Dr. Margaret Carpenter and Remy Coeytaux accusing them of mailing abortion pills to women in Louisiana, where abortion is illegal in almost all cases.
Louisiana has sent extradition requests signed by Republican Gov. Jeff Landry to both states, but Newsom and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul have refused to extradite the doctors for criminal prosecution.
Both Newsom and Hochul have cited shield laws in their states that protect doctors from prosecution. Abortion remains legal in California and New York.
In a separate post on X, Murrill reiterated her intention to file lawsuits that aim to force extradition.
“@GovKathyHochul and @CAgovernor are not above the Constitution, and we will hold them accountable,” she said in her post. “The Supreme Court’s precedents on important Constitutional provisions like the Extradition Clause and the Full Faith and Credit Clause forbid this assault on Louisiana’s sovereignty and her citizens.”
Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1.