Angela Alsobrooks warns against trusting Larry Hogan on abortion

Maryland Democratic leaders warned against trusting U.S. Senate Republican nominee Larry Hogan’s recent abortion revelation, pointing to his legislative record and kinship with anti-abortion Republicans.

At a news conference held outside of Baltimore’s American Visionary Art Museum, Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Angela Alsobrooks, Comptroller Brooke Lierman and members of the General Assembly attacked the former governor’s record on abortion, alleging that the Republican Party sees his election as the pathway to a federal ban.

“Actions speak louder than words,” Lierman, a Democrat, said. “Former Governor Hogan may think Marylanders have short memories. He may think we don’t know how to count to 51 in the U.S. Senate. But the people of Maryland and the women of Maryland have seen his actions.”

Hogan, a popular two-term Republican governor, told the New York Times last week that he favors restoring the precedent set by the landmark 1973 U.S. Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade, and that he would “continue to protect the rights of women” to make health care choices — “just like I did as governor for eight years,” he said.

Until last week, Hogan, who was recruited to run by U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, danced around addressing abortion access when questioned, calling it an “emotional issue.”

“Ladies, we have made clear that we don’t need any help regulating our emotions, and this issue is about something that is deeper and more personal for all of us,” Alsobrooks said. “It is our rights, our privacy, our freedom.”

Alsobrooks, who has been endorsed by the Planned Parenthood Action Fund and Emily’s List, said she would co-sponsor federal legislation to codify abortion access on her first day in office.

In a radio appearance on WBAL radio’s C4 and Bryan Nehman show Wednesday morning, Hogan said he would support abortion access up to 26 weeks, and wants to compromise on a bill that would reinstall the precedent set by Roe v. Wade.

“Look, this is an issue in that that’s all the Democrats will talk about,” Hogan said Wednesday. “They think this is the only thing people are going to make their decisions on.”

Hogan said that both Alsobrooks and Congressman David Trone, her opponent in the primary election, campaigned on the notion that he would be “the deciding vote” on the abortion ban.

“Which is completely false. I wouldn’t support it, at all,” he said.

Democrats have been quick to criticize Hogan’s new position, pointing to his disapproval of key abortion access legislation.

“I’ve had the opportunity as a Maryland resident, but most specifically as a member of the House of Delegates, to have a front row seat to where Larry Hogan truly stands on issues of reproductive health and justice, and I can tell you I’m always going to trust my eyes and ears,” Del. Stephanie Smith, a Baltimore City Democrat, said. “He’s made it abundantly clear — loudly clear — that he does not stand with women.”

Hogan vetoed the Abortion Care Access Act in 2022, which requires the state to provide an annual $3.5 million to provide abortion care training to medical professionals who are licensed, certified, or otherwise authorized by law to provide medical care. It also made coverage of abortion care services under Medicaid permanent, and mandated that private health insurance companies cover those services without cost sharing or deductibles.

At the time, Hogan said he felt that allowing professionals who are not specifically licensed physicians — like nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, physician assistants and licensed certified midwives — would be a health hazard.

The former governor wrote in his veto letter that his objection to the legislation demonstrated his “commitment to take no action that would affect Maryland law where it concerns reproductive rights.”

The state legislature overrode Hogan’s veto, allowing the law to go into effect.

Following the Supreme Court’s overturn of Roe v. Wade, Democratic lawmakers pushed for Hogan to release the funding to train medical professionals early. He declined. Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, released the money for the training program the day after his inauguration.

“That’s a doubling down on opposition to abortion care and reproductive health and justice,” Smith said.

Hogan has also stated that he would vote in favor of the ballot question to enshrine access to reproductive health care — including abortion — in the state constitution during the general election.

However, before calling it “settled law” in Maryland, Hogan had said earlier this year that it’s unnecessary to enshrine abortion access in Maryland’s constitution but that he would not vote for a federal ban, if elected.

A federal abortion ban would override the constitutional amendment, effectively limiting or ending abortion access in Maryland.

“We’ve heard that term ‘settled law’ before, most notably by Supreme Court nominees when asked about Roe v. Wade and, unfortunately, we’ve seen how that played out,” abortion access advocate Wendy Frosh said Wednesday. “If the Republicans control the Senate, they will pass an abortion ban. They will appoint more judges who oppose abortion.”

Retired Judge Catherine “Katie” Curran O’Malley, the executive director of the Women’s Law Center of Maryland, said in an interview Wednesday afternoon that, though precedent set by the Dobbs decision allows states to create their own policies regarding abortion, the court would likely uphold a federal ban.

Regardless, State Sen. Shelly Hettleman, a Democrat from Baltimore County, said that Hogan’s verbal commitment to vote in favor of codifying Roe is a “Larry-come-lately, empty statement.”

“Mitch McConnell recruited Larry Hogan for one reason and one reason only: to give Republicans the majority in the Senate. And, if they get that majority, they will make good on their promise to pass a national abortion ban,” she said. “The women of Maryland cannot afford it.”