Just weeks after the Supreme Court recognized that Roe v. Wade was erroneously decided, New York doctor Margaret Carpenter made it her mission to render abortion pills as accessible as heroin. When a young girl fell pregnant, Carpenter’s telehealth abortion practice illegally mailed mifepristone to the girl’s home in Louisiana, where abortions are illegal in almost all cases. The child suffered a medical emergency and was rushed to the hospital, where her baby, tragically, died.
The people of Louisiana rightfully indicted Carpenter for willfully violating the laws of their state and causing the death of an unborn child. But New York refuses to cooperate with the indictment and to extradite Carpenter to Louisiana, as the Interstate Commission for Adult Offender Supervision (ICAOS) requires. Governor Kathy Hochul said she would “never under any circumstances” extradite Carpenter and would “fight this” with everything she has.
A proper nation is governed by the rule of law, and Hochul’s refusal to comply with New York’s ICAOS commitment marks a dangerous step toward anarchy. Carpenter was indicted for allegedly engaging in criminal activity in the State of Louisiana; she must be brought to justice. The people of Louisiana should not have to ask Kathy Hochul for permission to enforce their own laws. We call upon Governor Hochul to extradite Carpenter immediately. If Hochul refuses to do so, federal courts must swiftly overturn New York’s so-called “shield” law to ensure that equal justice prevails.