Hidin’ Hogan Admits He Still Wants to Ban Abortions in MD

Annapolis, MD—While Hidin’ Larry Hogan still hasn’t commented on Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination, the governor did admit that he still wants to ban abortions in Maryland.  During an interview on WBAL-AM yesterday, Hogan said that his views “haven’t changed over the last 20-30 years.”  Maryland Democratic Party Chair Kathleen Matthews issued the following statement in response to Hogan’s admission:

“By saying his position hasn’t changed in decades, Larry Hogan is admitting that he spent the last four years hiding his true positions from Marylanders and he opposes a woman’s right to choose, just as he did in 1980.  With a federal government and Supreme Court increasingly hostile to women’s reproductive rights, we need a governor unwavering in his support for women’s rights.”  

Let’s take a look at Hogan’s views on Roe v. Wade over the years:

1980

• Hogan said he wanted to ban abortions, including in cases where the mother’s life is at risk.  Hogan also worked with his father, who was then serving as Prince George’s County Executive, to draft an executive order that banned abortions at county hospitals.  When a Circuit Court judge overturned the order, Governor Hogan said he was “disappointed with the judge’s decision” and added that his father’s staff was already preparing legislation to ban abortions in Prince George’s County (Source: “Abortion Bill Defeated In Pr. George’s Council; Prince George’s Council Vetoes Abortion Bill.” Loretta Tofani, Washington Post, 9/2/81).
• A 1980 profile of Hogan, Sr referred to Governor Hogan and his father as the “First Family in Maryland when it comes to opposing abortion.”  The Post noted that Hogan’s uncle, a physician, had also lobbied the state to ban abortion (Source: “Turning a Moral Issue Into Political Squabble.” Richard Cohen, Washington Post, 12/9/80).

1981

• In 1981, Hogan said he supported the anti-abortion “Human Life Amendment” that was being debated by Congress at the time.  The Human Life Amendment is an amendment to the Constitution that reads: “The paramount right to life is vested in each human being from the moment of fertilization without regard to age, health or condition of dependency.” The current version of the Human Life Amendment at the time of Hogan’s statement was the Paramount Amendment, which would ban abortion.
• During Hogan’s failed bid for Congress, the Washington Post wrote that Hogan had campaigned for an “antiabortion amendment to the Constitution” (Source: “Prince George’s Voters Face 31 Political Flavors at Polls on Tuesday.” Margaret Shapiro, Washington Post, 4/5/81).

1992

• In 1992, Hogan said: “I support the rights of states to place certain reasonable restrictions on individuals seeking an abortion.”

2014

• Hogan said: “I’ve always personally been opposed to abortion” and “I’m personally opposed to abortion, always have been.”