Great Lakes Wire

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is following through on her promise to fight for reproductive freedom.

On Wednesday an Oakland County Circuit Court approved Whitmer’s request for a temporary restraining order on the Michigan Court of Appeals decision to allow county prosecutors to indict medical personnel for performing abortions, according to a news release from the governor’s office.

A law passed in 1931 that prohibits abortion of any kind is still on the books in Michigan, according to the release. The law would even allow medical personnel involved in abortions related to pregnancies that were caused by rape or incest to be prosecuted.

“We are going to court today to defend legal abortion in Michigan,” Whitmer said in the release. “The status of abortion in Michigan remains precarious, and we are fighting like hell to make sure medical decisions are left between a woman and her doctor. On Monday, hours after a court cleared a path for county prosecutors to prosecute doctors and nurses, I secured a temporary restraining order ensuring they could keep doing their jobs.”

Whitmer said her efforts to support women’s rights is yet another reason why the Michigan Supreme Court should take on her lawsuit to constitutionally protect reproductive freedom.

“Our doctors and nurses cannot wait any longer,” Whitmer said. “I will keep fighting like hell to keep abortion safe and legal in Michigan.”

According to the release, the Republican backed state legislature has gone to court to uphold the 1931 abortion ban with numerous county prosecutors ready to utilize the law that could lead to “nurses and doctors behind bars.”

“Last night, I voiced my support in court to keep abortion safe and legal in Michigan,” Whitmer said in a tweet Thursday. “The extreme 1931 criminal abortion ban is dangerous. For the sake of Michiganders’ rights and health, the statewide injunction must remain in place until the Michigan Supreme Court can rule.”