James Craig on Reproductive Rights

Reproductive Rights

Opposition To Abortion Rights

Jul. 2021: Craig Emphasized His Support For Anti-Abortion Policies. According to Detroit News, “Former Detroit Police Chief James Craig urged Michigan voters on Tuesday to declare ‘independence’ from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2022, but stopped short of announcing his candidacy for governor during his first political speech. […] The 65-year-old Detroiter called for unity within the party and emphasized his support for police and military, gun rights, anti-abortion policies, education choice and self-reliance.” [Detroit News, 7/6/21]

Support For Abortion Ban

HEADLINE: “James Craig Says He Supports Abortion Ban In Secret Recording.” [Detroit Metro Times, 9/21/21]

Craig Said He Would Block Democratic Efforts To Repeal Michigan’s 90-Year-Old Ban On Abortion. According to Detroit Metro Times, “Republican gubernatorial candidate James Craig said if elected he would block any attempt by Democrats to repeal Michigan’s 90-year-old ban on abortion, according to a secret audio recording obtained by Metro Times. Craig made the remark Thursday while talking with supporters after his speech at a campaign kickoff event in Marquette. The 1931 law, which made it a felony to perform an abortion, was nullified following Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 Supreme Court ruling that women have a constitutional right to terminate their pregnancies. But abortion-rights advocates are worried that the ruling may be in jeopardy after the Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision earlier this month to let a Texas ban on most abortions remain in effect.” [Detroit Metro Times, 9/21/21]

Craig Said He Would Do “Whatever” He Could To Stop Democrats From Repealing Michigan’s 1931 Abortion Ban. According to Detroit Metro Times, “In the recording, which was obtained and provided by American Bridge 21st Century, a liberal political action committee that conducts opposition research on Republicans, Craig is asked if he would stop Democrats ‘from undoing the law that makes abortion illegal in Michigan.’ ‘I will do whatever I can — I’m pro-life,’ Craig responded. Asked again if he supports blocking Democrats from ‘repealing that law,’ Craig said, ‘Yes.’” [Detroit Metro Times, 9/21/21]

• Michigan’s 1931 Law Made It A Felony To Perform An Abortion, But Was Nullified By Roe V. Wade. According to Detroit Metro Times, “Republican gubernatorial candidate James Craig said if elected he would block any attempt by Democrats to repeal Michigan’s 90-year-old ban on abortion, according to a secret audio recording obtained by Metro Times. Craig made the remark Thursday while talking with supporters after his speech at a campaign kickoff event in Marquette. The 1931 law, which made it a felony to perform an abortion, was nullified following Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 Supreme Court ruling that women have a constitutional right to terminate their pregnancies. But abortion-rights advocates are worried that the ruling may be in jeopardy after the Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision earlier this month to let a Texas ban on most abortions remain in effect.” [Detroit Metro Times, 9/21/21]
• Michigan’s Abortion Ban Was Expected To Take Effect Again If Roe V. Wade Was Overturned. According to the Hill, “Michigan GOP gubernatorial candidate James Craig said that if elected, he would support blocking any effort by Democrats to repeal the state’s previous abortion ban that could take effect once again if the Supreme Court overturns the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling.” [Hill, 9/21/21]

On His Campaign Website, Craig Claims To Be “Unapologetically Pro-Life” And Opposed To “Efforts To Provide Abortion-On-Demand.” According to Craig’s campaign website, “Chief James Craig is unapologetically pro-life and oppose efforts to provide abortion-on-demand.” [ChiefJamesCraig.com, viewed 1/13/22]

Detroit Police Department

Under Craig’s Leadership, Detroit Police Department Faced A Lawsuit From Anti-Abortion Demonstrator Over COVID-19 Order Citation. According to Detroit News, “Former Detroit police Chief James Craig, a Republican who's exploring a run for Michigan governor, says he ‘absolutely didn't like’ hundreds of tickets handed out by his department to enforce Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's COVID-19 restrictions. During a Monday press conference, Craig said he eventually made a ‘unilateral decision’ to stop handing out citations under Whitmer's emergency orders. But before that happened, Craig's agency publicized its enforcement, faced a lawsuit from an anti-abortion demonstrator who was cited and even received applause from Democratic Attorney General Dana Nessel.” [Detroit News, 8/24/21]

Anti-Abortion Protester Andrew Belanger Sued Detroit Police Department Over COVID-19 Lockdown Citation He Received While Demonstrating Outside The Scotsdale Women’s Center. According to Detroit News, “On April 8, 2020, Nessel applauded the Detroit Police Department and the Wayne County Sheriff's Office, commending ‘their concerted efforts to enforce Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's Stay Home, Stay Safe executive order.’ Among those who received a citation from the Detroit department was an anti-abortion protester, Andrew Belanger, who was demonstrating outside the Scotsdale Women's Center, an abortion clinic in Detroit, on March 31, 2020, according to a lawsuit filed U.S. district court.” [Detroit News, 8/24/21]

HEADLINE: “Anti-Abortion Group: Detroit Police Harassed, Mistreated Us At Dem Debate.” [Detroit Free Press, 9/18/19]

2019: Anti-Abortion Group Filed Federal Lawsuit Against Detroit Police Department, Claimed Detroit Police Officers Violated Their Rights To Free Speech At Democratic Presidential Debates. According to Detroit Free Press, “An anti-abortion group that protested outside of the Democratic presidential debates in Detroit in July claims in a new federal lawsuit that police officers violated their rights to free speech. The lawsuit — filed Wednesday against the City of Detroit, its police department and three officers — alleges ‘speech restrictions’ were imposed on members of the organization called Created Equal during the two days of debates held at the Fox Theatre.” [Detroit Free Press, 9/18/19]

Anti-Abortion Group “Created Equal” Alleged “Speech Restrictions” Were Imposed On Members Of Their Group During Democratic Presidential Debates At Fox Theatre In Detroit. According to Detroit Free Press, “An anti-abortion group that protested outside of the Democratic presidential debates in Detroit in July claims in a new federal lawsuit that police officers violated their rights to free speech. The lawsuit — filed Wednesday against the City of Detroit, its police department and three officers — alleges ‘speech restrictions’ were imposed on members of the organization called Created Equal during the two days of debates held at the Fox Theatre.” [Detroit Free Press, 9/18/19]

• Created Equal Founder And President Mark Harrington Accused Detroit Police Of Harassing And Mistreating The Anti-Abortion Group’s Members. According to Detroit Free Press, “‘From the moment we arrived, Detroit Police harassed and mistreated us,’ Mark Harrington, Created Equal founder and president, said in a news release. ‘We were silenced by police several times over the course of two days for attempting to express our free speech rights.’” [Detroit Free Press, 9/18/19]
• Harrington Said Created Equal Was “Silenced By Police Several Times Over The Course Of Two Days For Attempting To Express Our Free Speech Rights.” According to Detroit Free Press, “‘From the moment we arrived, Detroit Police harassed and mistreated us,’ Mark Harrington, Created Equal founder and president, said in a news release. ‘We were silenced by police several times over the course of two days for attempting to express our free speech rights.’” [Detroit Free Press, 9/18/19]
• Anti-Abortion Group Alleged Detroit Police Department Barred Them From Entering “Restricted Area” Around Debate Venue, Or Parking Lot Where Members Of Media Were Parked. According to Detroit Free Press, “The lawsuit claims the group was barred from entering a ‘restricted area’ around the venue, except for a brief march once candidates were inside of the theater. The filing also claims protesters were told they could not stand in the parking lot of a nearby church on Woodward Avenue, where members of the media were parked. At one point, according to the lawsuit, police cuffed Harrington before releasing him when the group agreed to move to the nearby ‘free speech area’ in Grand Circus Park.” [Detroit Free Press, 9/18/19]
• Anti-Abortion Group Claimed Detroit Police Department Gave Them A Less Favorable “Free Speech Zone” At Democratic Presidential Debate. According to Detroit Free Press, “The lawsuit claims the free speech zone was made up of two areas where protesters were divided based on their viewpoints, with those who opposed the views held by the candidates placed in a less favorable location. On the second day of debates, protesters with Created Equal occupied the more advantageous location — which the court filing says was the ‘preferred location’ because it was visible from the theater — but were ordered to move or be arrested after using bullhorns, the lawsuit alleges. The suit claims bullhorns were allowed on the first day of the debates.” [Detroit Free Press, 9/18/19]

Anti-Abortion Group Alleged Detroit Police Department’s “Speech Restrictions” Had Intended Impact Of Keeping Areas Immediately Surrounding Debate Venue Free Of Criticism Of Democratic Presidential Candidates’ Positions. According to Detroit Free Press, “The lawsuit alleges ‘the 'speech restrictions' had the intended effect of sanitizing and cleansing the areas immediately in front of and adjacent to the Fox Theatre of any messages that were critical of the Democrat presidential candidates and the positions and policies they supported.’” [Detroit Free Press, 9/18/19]

Response To SCOTUS leak

James Craig On SCOTUS Overturning Roe: “ I Think People Are Overreacting. The Supreme Court Has Not Made A Decision.” “Well, you know, first and foremost, I'm pro-life, unapologetically, and I think people are overreacting. The Supreme Court has not made a decision. So the governor's preemptive move, in my judgment, is wrong. I think that the reaction to this leaked memo, I hope I hope they find out who the leaker is, because according to most sources, this has never happened before. And this is an opinion of one jurist, just one. And so no decision has been made yet. But, you know, if it if it's overturned, certainly it sounds as if they're going to turn it over to the states. At least that's what's being put out there.” [The Steve Gruber Show, Michigan, 05/05/22]