Page 27 - bon-dia-aruba-20220829

A27
u.s. news Dialuna 29 augustus 2022

Democrats: Abortion rulings may be 'a blessing in disguise'

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — tions to come if Republican
Democratic candidates state lawmakers gain veto-
have decried North Car- proof margins.
olina's newly reinstated
abortion restrictions after About 30,000 North Caro-
a federal judge allowed a lina residents have registered
state law banning near- to vote since the Supreme
ly all abortions after 20 Court abortion ruling, with
weeks of pregnancy to go women slightly outnumber-
into effect. ing men, according to state
Board of Elections data.
But some North Carolina Democratic strategists ex-
Democrats say the ruling pect suburban, college edu-
earlier this month — the lat- cated women will be a key
est fallout of the June U.S. demographic in deciding the
Supreme Court decision makeup of North Carolina's
eliminating federal abortion legislature in November and
protections — might be the that abortion will be an im-
catalyst their party needed to portant issue for them.
reinvigorate its political pros-
pects in what was shaping up Abortion access is also ex-
to be a losing year. pected to play a key role in
the state's hotly contested
U.S. District Judge William U.S. Senate race between
Osteen ruled Aug. 17 that the Democrat Cheri Beasley
U.S. Supreme Court deci- and Republican U.S. Rep.
sion overturning Roe v. Wade Ted Budd, who is backed
erased the legal foundation supreme court races, all 14 by Democrats to wrest con- National organizations are by former President Donald
for his 2019 ruling that had U.S. House seats and a high- trol of the General Assembly. already funneling money Trump. North Carolina is
placed an injunction on the profile U.S. Senate contest. Republicans are now just five into the state's tightest races. one of the few states where
1973 state law banning abor- seats shy of the supermajor- Hours before the 20-week Democrats have a strong shot
tions after 20 weeks. Though Democrats have dreamed for ity they need to nullify the ban resumed, Planned Par- at flipping a seat in the 50-50
the law allows leeway for years of replicating their 2008 Democratic governor's veto. enthood, the nation's lead- chamber, making Beasley's
urgent medical emergencies success when the state went ing reproductive health care campaign a vital component
that threaten the patient's blue for president, governor Now less than 100 days out provider and an abortion of the party's plan to codify
life or "create serious risk of and U.S. Senate. Although from the election, the ques- rights advocacy organization, abortion rights into federal
substantial and irreversible the current governor is a tion for North Carolina announced North Carolina law.
physical impairment," it does Democrat, Republicans have Democrats is whether out- would be one of the target
not grant exceptions for rape dominated both chambers rage over diminishing abor- states where it's spending a Republicans, for their part,
or incest. of the legislature since 2011, tion access in one of the record $50 million ahead of say abortion access won't be
allowing them to advance a South's few remaining safe the midterm elections. as crucial an issue as Demo-
The judge's decision comes conservative agenda that in- havens can generate enough crats hope. And they aren't
as North Carolina is prepar- cludes abortion restrictions. political momentum for the Democratic candidates have shying away from proposing
ing to vote this fall on its en- That dominance held even in party to hold its ground. portrayed the 20-week limit even more stringent anti-
tire state legislature, two state 2020 despite a massive effort as the first of many restric- abortion measures.

Judge plans to appoint special master in Trump records case

WASHINGTON (AP) — vide her with more specif- Donald Trump's Florida the case. a former judge.
A federal judge in Florida ic information about the estate and said it was her
told the Justice Depart- classified records removed "preliminary intent" to ap- The two-page order from Cannon also directed the
ment on Saturday to pro- from former President point a special master in U.S. District Judge Aileen Justice Department to file
Cannon signals that she's in- under seal with her more
clined to grant a request from detailed descriptions of the
Trump's lawyers, who this material taken from Trump's
week asked for the appoint- estate "specifying all property
ment of an independent spe- seized." The former presi-
cial master to oversee the re- dent's lawyers have com-
view the records taken from plained that investigators did
Mar-a-Lago and identify any not disclose enough infor-
that may be protected by ex- mation to them about what
ecutive privilege, and to en- specific documents were re-
sure the return of any docu- moved when agents executed
ments outside the scope of a search warrant on Aug. 8
the search warrant. to look for classified docu-
ments.
The judge scheduled a
Thursday hearing to discuss The special master appoint-
the matter further, suggest- ment, if it happens, is un-
ing the Justice Department likely to significantly affect
will have a chance to raise the direction of the Justice
objections to the judge's in- Department investigation,
tentions. In other recent though it's possible an out-
high-profile cases in which side review of the documents
a special master has been ap- could slow the probe down.
pointed, the person has been