Great Lakes Wire

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) requested a temporary restraining order as she fights for reproductive health care and abortion rights.  

The Oakland County Sixth Circuit Court on Monday approved Whitmer's request regarding a decision from the Michigan Court of Appeals, according to a press release from the governor's office on Monday. The decision would have allowed county prosecutors to imprison medical personnel for performing abortions.

A law passed in 1931 that prohibits abortion is still on the books in Michigan, a press release from Wednesday noted. This law bans abortion "without exceptions for rape or incest and allow[s] doctors and nurses who offer reproductive care to be prosecuted."

"We cannot risk further confusion for women, health care providers, and all Michiganders," Whitmer said in a second press release from Monday. "As today's unexpected action proves, the overturn of Roe v. Wade in June has left reproductive freedom hanging by a thread in Michigan. I have taken a number of unprecedented steps to protect the 2.2 million women in Michigan who would lose the right to control their own bodies. I will keep fighting like hell to protect women and health care providers."

The governor spoke about her efforts to support women's rights. 

"This lack of legal clarity — that took place within the span of a workday — is yet another textbook example of why the Michigan Supreme Court must take up my lawsuit against the 1931 extreme abortion ban as soon as possible. Michigan's doctors, nurses, and health care systems cannot afford to wait any longer."

Whitmer continued the conversation in Wednesday's press release.

"We are going to court today to defend legal abortion in Michigan," she said. "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."

The Republican-backed state legislature went to court to uphold the 1931 abortion ban, according to Wednesday's press release. Numerous county prosecutors are ready to utilize the law that could lead to nurses and doctors behind bars.

Whitmer also spoke out on Twitter on Thursday.

"Last night, I voiced my support in court to keep abortion safe and legal in Michigan," she said. "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."