Vice President Kamala Harris continued hammering Arizona’s new abortion ban and former President Trump’s role in overturning Roe v. Wade during a surprise appearance in Century City on Saturday.
“Here’s what they do and how cruel they are: No exceptions in some states, even for rape and incest. You’re telling a survivor of a crime of violence against their body, of a violation of their body, that they don’t have the right to make a decision about what happens to their body next,” Harris said. “It’s immoral.”
Harris made the remarks at the Black Women’s Leadership and Influence luncheon, where Sen. Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.) was being honored. While answering a question about abortion rights, Butler paused to introduce “one of our biggest champions of this movement” and “one of my best friends,” as Harris emerged from the stage from behind the scenes.
The vice president has been a vocal force for the Biden administration on the issue since the Arizona Supreme Court on Tuesday reinstated an 1864 law – decades before Arizona became a state – banning abortions, except when the mother’s life is in danger. Her comments Saturday reiterated what she said Friday in Tucson and what is expected to be a major theme of President Biden’s re-election campaign.
“There is no ambiguity about who is to blame. Former President Donald Trump selected three members of the United States Supreme Court with the intention of undoing Roe, and they did exactly what he wanted,” Harris said.
“And now he’s going around saying, ‘Well, you know, states can do whatever they want,'” she continued. “Well, look at what the states are doing. States adopt Trump’s abortion bans. So we are not going to fall into the “ok-doke” trap. We are not going to be convinced by what is at stake and who is to blame.
The night before, Harris headlined a fundraiser at “Family Guy” creator Seth MacFarlane’s Spanish Revival-style mansion in Beverly Hills. About $1.5 million was raised for the Biden Victory Fund at the event, which was attended by 30 people, including Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
“When I was asked to host this event, I immediately agreed, because I realized that if it was at my house, I could drink as much as I wanted,” MacFarlane said. “I’m not going to get a DUI on the way to bed.”
He then turned to second gentleman Doug Emhoff, who was present.
“Anyway, now I wanted everything to be perfect for this introduction. So I practiced saying your name. Is it Doug? MacFarlane said, a reference to some Republicans’ refusal to pronounce Harris’ first name correctly.
Harris and Emhoff are expected to spend Sunday at their home in Brentwood before the vice president travels to Nevada on Monday.
California Daily Newspapers
