Grand Canyon Times

Catholic Vote President Brian Burch said in light of the recent decisions by state legislatures in Arizona, the “misinformation being promoted by those who want abortion to be legal” is evil. 

"We all know that American public opinion is not yet where we need it to be when it comes to the taking of unborn lives,” Burch told Grand Canyon Times. “Nevertheless, the misinformation being promoted by those who want abortion to be legal until the moment of birth is, frankly, evil.”

The Daily Caller News Foundation (DCNF) reported that Republican legislators in the state are trying to oppose an abortion amendment that is likely to be on the ballot this fall. There are also reports of activists attempting to create an amendment marking abortion as a right within the state’s constitution and putting it up on a ballot. "GOP state representatives, however, are considering a series of initiatives that would protect the legislature’s ability to limit abortion and enshrine a law restricting abortion to before the first day of the 15th week of pregnancy," DCNF reported. 

Also according to the DCNF, "Republican elected officials in Arizona are also considered proposing a ballot initiative that would ban abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected, usually around six weeks of pregnancy... The initiative would allow exceptions for cases of rape and incest." The Republican backed amendment would prohibit abortion after the point of viability, roughly considered to be about 24 weeks.

The Arizona Supreme Court ruled on April 9 that a law from 1864, which makes abortions illegal and punishable by a felony charge of up to five years in prison for anyone who either performs the procedures or helps procure one, with limited exceptions, could go into effect. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump claimed the court “went too far” and Republican Senate candidate Kari Lake also came out against the ruling, demanding Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs come up with a “common sense solution.”

Madison, Wisconsin-based Catholic Vote is an advocacy organization that wants to “inspire every Catholic in America to live out the truths of our faith in public life,” according to the group’s website. Founded in 2008, its president is Brian Burch.