New York county clerk blocks Texas from fining abortionist

Ulster County Clerk Taylor Bruck on Thursday refused to enforce a more than $100,000 fine against New York abortionist Margaret Carpenter. In his decision, Bruck cited New York’s recently passed shield law that protects abortionists from prosecution by other states. A district judge in Texas last month ordered Carpenter to pay the sum for prescribing abortion drugs via telemedicine to a woman who lived near Dallas. The judge also ordered her to stop sending abortion drugs to Texas, which has strict laws protecting unborn babies from abortion.

Clerk Bruck on Thursday also refused to allow Texas to file a summons meant to force Carpenter to pay the fine and comply with the ruling of the district court in Texas. The case is likely to result in further litigation, Bruck said, with potential to reach the U.S. Supreme Court. Seven other states have similar shield laws in place.

What is the history of this case? Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in December sued Carpenter for providing abortion pills to a woman in Collin County near Dallas. Carpenter is a co-founder of the Abortion Coalition for Telemedicine which helps abortionists prescribe mifepristone and misoprostol online. Texas law bars physicians from treating patients via telemedicine unless they hold a Texas medical license.

A Louisiana grand jury in January indicted Carpenter on felony charges for prescribing the drugs to a pregnant minor. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill and Gov. Jeff Landry signed an extradition order to bring Carpenter to the state to face prosecution, but New York Gov. Kathy Hochul refused to sign the order.

Dig deeper: Read my report about the Texas court ruling against Carpenter.