Carolyn Maloney Says She and Other Dem Lawmakers ‘Put Our Own Bodies on the Line’ After Arrest at Supreme Court Protest
Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) was all smiles on Wednesday when discussing her brief arrest outside the Supreme Court this week at an abortion rights protest.
Capitol Police announced that over 30 people were arrested at the protest, including 17 members of Congress. Footage was released of other lawmakers being detained by police like Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Ilhan Omar (D-MN). Capitol Police announced arrests had been made for obstruction, crowding, or incommoding.
Correction: We made a total of 35 arrests for Crowding, Obstructing or Incommoding (DC Code § 22–1307).
That arrest number includes 17 Members of Congress.
— U.S. Capitol Police (@CapitolPolice) July 19, 2022
Asked by MSNBC’s Lindsey Reiser about the arrest, Maloney said lawmakers had a duty to put “our own bodies on the line” as the overturning of Roe v. Wade means “women don’t have any democracy.”
We were protesting the overturning of Roe V. Wade, and I would say that women don’t have any democracy. There is no democracy unless we can make decisions over our own bodies, including health care and reproductive health care. I represent a state where abortion rights are protected and respected, but 33 million American women are about to lose those rights or have already lost those rights. The least that we could do is put our own bodies on the line to protest what is happening. Many of us were there protesting. Some of us were arrested.
Maloney also touted a bill she has co-sponsored which would protect any potential future laws against contraception, codifying access to contraception as a right.
Reiser asked Maloney whether there were more plans by her and other lawmakers for future “civil disobedience” like the protest outside the Supreme Court.
“Congresswoman, do you have any plans — we were speaking to one of your colleagues in our last hour. She called it civil disobedience. Do you have any other plans to bring attention to this issue?” she asked.
“Of course. Stay tuned,” Maloney teased, adding later, “we want what we call the drum beat. Raising the attention, showing that we’re fighting, showing what’s at stake.”
Watch above via MSNBC.
