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A furious Vice President Kamala Harris blasted Donald Trump saying he is to blame during a visit to Arizona on Friday after the state's Supreme Court ruled a 1864 law banning nearly all abortion could be enforced.
'Donald Trump did this,' Harris said. She called him the 'architect of this health care crisis' and slammed the ex-president for saying he's 'proudly the person responsible' for overturning Roe.
The vice president has been a leading figure in the Biden administration advocating for abortion rights since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.
'As much harm as he has already caused, a second Trump term would be even worse. Donald Trump's friends in the United States Congress are trying to pass a national ban, and understand, a national ban would outlaw abortion in every state,' Harris warned.
Harris claimed a second Trump term would mean 'more bans, more suffering, and less freedom.'
'Just like he did in Arizona, he basically wants to take America back to the 1800s. But we are not going to let that happen,' Harris said. 'This is 2024, not the 1800s, and we're not going back.'
Vice President Harris speaking in Tucson, Arizona on Friday after the state's Supreme Court upheld a 1864 abortion ban. She blasted the ex-president saying 'Donald Trump did this'
Harris called the Arizona Supreme Court's abortion decision 'one of the biggest aftershocks yet' after Roe was overturned
The vice president's visit to Tucson came shortly after the state's Supreme Court lifted a stay on the 160-year-old law banning abortion, meaning it could go into effect in 14 days.
'They have turned back the clock to the 1800s to take a woman's most fundamental right, the right to make decisions about her own body,' Harris said.
'This decision by the Arizona state Supreme Court now means women here, the women here live under one of the most extreme abortion bans in our nation,' she added.
Harris called the ruling one of the 'biggest aftershocks yet' after Roe was overturned.
Women waiting for Vice President Harris to speak in Tucson, Arizona on Friday
Trump posted on social media Friday that the Arizona Supreme Court 'went to far on their Abortion Ruling.'
He wrote 'now the Governor and the Arizona Legislature must use HEART, COMMON SENSE, and ACT IMMEDIATELY, to remedy what has happened. Remember, it is now up to the States and the Good Will of those that represent THE PEOPLE.
He also called for exceptions for rape, incest and life of the mother. The Civil War-era law only has an exception to save the life of the mother.
Arizona's Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs has called for the legislature to immediately repeal the ban.
But on Wednesday, Republicans in both chambers of the state legislature blocked Democrats' attempts to advance bills to roll back the 1864 law.
Both chambers of Arizona's state legislature are controlled by Republicans.
It came just hours after Trump said it would be 'straightened out' and suggested it would happen very quickly.
The Biden-Harris campaign on Thursday announced a new seven-figure ad blitz in Arizona taking direct aim at Trump on abortion rights after the state's Supreme Court decision.
Trump wrote the Arizona ruling on abortion 'went too far' after the state Supreme Court upheld a 1864 law. The issue went back to states after Roe v Wade was overturned in 2022
Trump claimed on Wednesday the ban in Arizona would be 'straightened out' quickly but hours later Republicans in the state legislature blocked efforts to roll back the 1864 law
The Arizona court's 4-2 decision paved the way for a law written nearly fifty years before Arizona became a state and more than fifty years before women had the right to vote.
It mandates two to five years in prison for anyone aiding an abortion, unless the procedure is necessary to save the life of the mother.
Harris has been on a 'Fight for Reproductive Freedom' tour across the country that has included stops in Wisconsin, California, Georgia, Michigan, Arizona and Minnesota.
Last month, she became the first sitting vice president or president to ever visit an abortion clinic with a trip to a Planned Parenthood facility in Minnesota.
Harris became the first sitting vice president or president to visit an abortion clinic last month with a visit to Planned Parenthood in Saint Paul, MN
Arizona Supreme Court ruled Tuesday the state can enforce its long-dormant law criminalizing all abortions except when a mother's life is at stake. Pictured: Thousands protest at the Arizona State Capitol after the Supreme Court ruling in 2022 that overturned Roe v. Wade
The 4-2 decision could influence other states looking to restrict abortion and could have wide-reaching impacts going into the 2024 election. Pictured: Arizona Supreme Court Justices from left; William G. Montgomery, John R Lopez IV, Vice Chief Justice Ann A. Scott Timmer, Chief Justice Robert M. Brutinel, Clint Bolick and James Been
On Monday, Trump said his stance on abortion is that it should be left to states.
The ex-president made the announcement in a four-and-a-half minute video posted on Truth Social.
His remarks signaled a shift away from his previous suggestions he would consider a federal ban as the issue of abortion has proven politically toxic for Republicans in recent elections.
'Trump wants us to believe he will not sign a national ban. Enough with the gaslighting,' Harris said Friday.
Some Republicans in tough races have also reversed course on the issue after the state Supreme Court ruling, including Arizona Republican Senate candidate Kari Lake.
In a more than five minute video on Thursday, Lake said the state's Supreme Court ruling to uphold the 1864 law is 'out of line' with where Arizonians are.
But in 2022, Lake praised the law as 'great' while she was running for governor.
Donald Trump released a video on Monday in which he praised the overturning of Roe v Wade and said he believes the issue of abortion should be left to states to decide.
Arizona passed a 15 week abortion ban in 2022, but the state Supreme Court upheld the Arizona 1864 law which bans nearly all abortion without exception for rape or incest
Last week, a coalition of advocates announced they had already gathered more than 500,000 petition signatures. The threshold to put a measure on the ballot is 383,923 and the deadline is is still three months away on July 3.
Arizona for Abortion Access said the amendment appears on track to go before voters this fall.
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