Five Women Denied Abortions Sue Texas

On March 6, the Center for Reproductive Rights filed a groundbreaking lawsuit against the state of Texas on behalf of five women who were denied abortion care after facing severe and dangerous pregnancy complications. The case, Zurawski v. State of Texas, seeks to clarify the scope of the state’s “medical emergency” exception under its extreme abortion bans. It is the first lawsuit brought on behalf of women denied abortions since the U.S. Supreme Court eliminated the constitutional right to abortion.

Here are some of the broadcast highlights:

Alex Wagner Tonight, MSNBC

President and CEO Nancy Northup interviewed by Alex Wagner, 03.07.23:

“When [the plaintiffs’] pregnancies had severe complications, they were forced to undergo threats to their life and their health. Four of them had to leave the state of Texas; Amanda [Zurawski, lead plaintiff] went into sepsis; they would not give her care. And that is because of the abortion ban in the state of Texas,” Northup said. “It was such an honor to be with these brave women today as they stood up to a state that has imposed a 99-year prison sentence in the case of abortion.”

Click here to view the clip from MSNBC’s Alex Wagner Tonight.

All In With Chris Hayes, MSNBC

Senior Staff Attorney and lead counsel on the case Molly Duane and lead plaintiff Amanda Zurawski interviewed by Chris Hayes, 03.07.23:

“What our lawsuit is doing is really quite simple. We’re asking the state of Texas to acknowledge that people like Amanda should have received abortion care, which in their cases was emergent, necessary care to save their lives, to save their fertility, and to save the future children that they hope to have,” Duane explained. “What we need the Texas courts to do is clarify what this law means.”

“It’s been incredibly difficult,” Zurawski said of her experience sharing her story. “People might think that talking about it over and over again somehow makes it easier, but it certainly doesn’t. What I do know is that there are countless women who have been through something very similar to what I went through, and it’s for all of those women that I continue to speak out.”

Click here to view the clip from MSNBC’s All In With Chris Hayes.