April 2013: McCrory Would Not Say If He Would Stick To His Promise Not To Sign Any New Abortion Restrictions. According to the News & Observer, “McCrory said in the final debate of his 2012 gubernatorial campaign that he wouldn't sign new abortion regulations, but the Republican-controlled legislature has followed up new restrictions in 2011 with a series of measures this year, most recently a bill to broaden protections for medical professionals who refuse to participate in an abortion…Kim Genardo, McCrory's communications director, wouldn't say what McCrory might do regarding abortion measures. ‘The governor has signed 24 bills into law dealing with issues such as education and safety,’ Genardo said. ‘Nothing has landed on his desk concerning abortion-related measures. When and if that happens, he will make the decision at that time.’” [News & Observer, 4/21/13]
McCrory Declined To Comment On A Bill That Would Put Further Restrictions On Abortions Performed In North Carolina. According to NBC - 17 WNCN, “Gov. Pat McCrory declined to comment Thursday on a bill that would make significant changes to North Carolina’s abortion laws. House Bill 465 was referred to the House Health Committee on Thursday. If passed, the bill would change certain restrictions on abortions, including increasing the waiting period to get an abortion from 24 hours to 72 hours. The bill further requires the procedure be done by a licensed obstetrician or gynecologist, and it would ban abortions at the medical schools at the University of North Carolina and East Carolina or facilities owned by them. ‘I think these are common sense measures to protect women who are going through a very difficult time,’ said Rep. Susan Martin, R Wilson County, who co-sponsored the legislation along with three other House lawmakers. The bill also says no one would be required to perform an abortion if they object to the practice on moral, ethical or religious grounds.” [NBC - 17 WNCN, 4/2/15]
McCrory Signed House Bill 465 To Triple Mandatory Waiting Period For Women Seeking Abortion. According to ACLU-NC Releases, “Reproductive Justice: The House and Senate approved and Gov. McCrory signed HB 465, which tripled the mandatory waiting period for a woman seeking an abortion to 72 hours.” [ACLU-NC Releases, 10/20/15
New Republic: McCrory Had Already Broken His Campaign Promise To Not Sign New Abortion Restrictions. According to the New Republic, “Governor Pat McCrory, who long ago broke his 2010 campaign promise not to sign new abortion restrictions, is up for re-election in 2016 in a purple state. To date, he hasn’t said anything about HB 465.” [New Republic, 4/16/15]
McCrory Signed A Bill That Changed Abortion Clinic Rules In 2014, But Expressed Concerns About Anti-Abortion Legislation Put Forth In 2015. According to the Charlotte Observer, “Any final bill would be presented to Republican Gov. Pat McCrory, who signed an abortion-related bill into law in 2014 after successfully changing abortion clinic rules. Schaffer said the McCrory administration already raised concerns about this year's measure, which previously contained a now-deleted provision related to abortions at two public medical schools.” [Charlotte Observer, 4/23/15]
After McCrory’s Administration Expressed Concerns With Restricting Access To Abortions, A Provision That Would Bar Medical Professionals At State Medical Schools From Performing Abortions Was Deleted. According to the Robesonian, “The bill’s sponsors removed a provision that would have barred medical professionals at the University of North Carolina and East Carolina University medical schools from performing abortions except in cases of rape and incest and when the woman’s life is in danger. The provision was designed to ensure taxpayer dollars weren’t used for abortion. Another bill sponsor, Rep. Jacqueline Schaffer, R-Mecklenburg, said that provision was deleted after concerns were raised by many people, including members of Republican Gov. Pat McCrory’s administration. McCrory has said in the past he was opposed to measures that would limit abortion access. McCrory’s office or the Department of Health and Health Services, which regulates abortion in the state, didn’t respond to an email Wednesday seeking comment about the change.” [Robesonian, 4/23/15]
Democrats Called On McCrory To “Move On” From Social Issues Like Abortion And North Carolina’s RFRA And Refocus On Economic Development And Jobs. According to WRAL, “As the House prepared Thursday morning to debate one of the nation's longest waiting periods for abortion, Democrats called for Republican leaders, including Gov. Pat McCrory, to refocus on economic development and jobs and ‘move on’ from social issues such as abortion and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.” [WRAL, 4/23/15]
Abortion Rights Activists Rallied In Ashville, Calling On McCrory To Veto New Abortion Legislation Should It Reach His Desk. According to the Associated Press, “Abortion-rights advocates returned to the Executive Mansion on Monday to urge North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory to veto a bill, should it reach his desk, that would extend the waiting period for the procedure from 24 to 72 hours. Representatives of Planned Parenthood Action Fund in North Carolina, NARAL Pro-Choice North Carolina and other groups held a news conference across the street from the governor's house, close to where they demonstrated two years ago about an abortion-related bill that McCrory ultimately signed.” [Associated Press, 5/11/15]
NARAL, Pro-Choice North Carolina, Planned Parenthood, And Progress North Carolina Urged McCrory To Pledge To Veto An Abortion Bill Making Its Way Through The Legislature. According to the Citizen-Times, “Abortion rights groups are planning to rally in Pack Square Park Monday evening to call on the governor to veto pending abortion legislation. The public is invited to attend. Activities are set to begin at 5:30 p.m. at the amphitheater near Roger McGuire Green, 60 Court Plaza. NARAL Pro-Choice North Carolina, Planned Parenthood South Atlantic Action Fund and Progress North Carolina Action are planning the demonstration. Their efforts are part of a multi-stop tour throughout the state. The groups are urging Governor Pat McCrory to publicly pledge to veto House Bill 465 and other restrictions that they believe would limit a woman's right to choose.” [Citizen-Times, 5/3/15]
June 2015: McCrory Signed A Bill Into Law That Extended North Carolina’s Abortion Waiting Period To 72 Hours. According to WXII12.com, “Gov. Pat McCrory says he has signed legislation that makes North Carolina one of several states with 72-hour waiting periods for an abortion. […] The abortion bill requires women to talk to a doctor or other qualified professional 72 hours before having an abortion, unless there's a medical emergency. The bill adds other rules for doctors and clinics that perform abortions and includes several unrelated criminal justice measures.” [WXII12.com, 6/6/15]
McCrory Justified Signing The Bill By Saying A Longer Waiting Period Was Not A Restriction
McCrory Argued That He Did Not Break His Campaign Promise Because The Longer Waiting Period Was Not A New Restriction. According to the News & Observer, “McCrory said Thursday that his decision was consistent with the promise he made by working with legislators over the past few months to make sure the bill didn’t include provisions that would have denied women further access to abortions. He said increasing the waiting time from 24 to 72 hours is not a new restriction, since the period can begin with a phone call and not a visit to the clinic. He compared it to making other medical appointments.” [News & Observer, 6/5/15]
McCrory Said That The Waiting Period Could Be Started By Calling A Center And Equated It To Scheduling Other Medical Procedures. According to WRAL, “‘It takes a phone call to begin that process,’ he said of the waiting period. ‘Frankly, that (is the) process a lot of people use for all medical procedures. ‘The fact of the matter is, due to my work and others’ work, we did not add further restrictions to access,’ he added. McCrory was referring to a provision dropped before the bill made it through the Senate that would have prevented anyone other than a board-certified ob-gyn from performing an abortion. Fewer than two-thirds of North Carolina's 100 counties have certified a ob-gyn.” [WRAL, 6/5/15]
A Staffer With Hillary Clinton’s Campaign Attacked McCrory For His Signing Of Abortion Restriction Legislation In 2015. According to the News & Observer via the Charlotte Observer, “For the second time in recent months, presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has weighed in on new North Carolina laws. On Monday, her campaign released a statement criticizing Republican Gov. Pat McCrory for allowing an abortion law to go into effect here. The law requires abortion providers to send to state health officials the records of all abortions and induced miscarriages after the 16th week of pregnancy, including ultrasound images of fetuses.” [Charlotte Observer, 1/6/16]
Probable 2016 Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Roy Cooper Sent Out A Fundraising Email Using McCrory’s Signing Of New Abortion Legislation To Raise Money. According to the News & Observer, “Attorney General Roy Cooper is seeking to raise campaign money off Gov. Pat McCrory’s decision last week to sign into law a bill that extends the waiting period for an abortion to 72 hours from the current 24 hours.” [News & Observer, 6/8/15]
Democrats Slammed McCrory’s Decision To Sign The 72-Hour Waiting Period Into Law, Saying He Broke A 2012 Campaign Promise By Doing So. According to the News & Observer, “Democrats have wasted no time jumping on Gov. Pat McCrory’s decision to sign the abortion bill, which triples the required waiting time. An advertisement is going up on Facebook on Friday claiming that the governor went back on his word by deciding to sign the bill, because when he campaigned for governor he said he would not sign any new abortion restrictions into law. It also says he broke the promise by signing another abortion bill in 2013.” [News & Observer, 6/5/15]
2013: McCrory Signed Legislation Restricting Abortion
McCrory Said He Was Unhappy With The Process Under Which The State Senate Passed Its Anti-Abortion Bill. According to the News-Record, “Gov. Pat McCrory says he's unhappy with the process that led the North Carolina Senate to pass a bill putting more restrictions on carrying out abortions. McCrory said Wednesday that Senate Republicans who pushed the legislation are completing business the same way that Democrats did when they were in charge of the General Assembly. McCrory says it was not right then and it's not right now. The bill was pushed through the Senate in less than 24 hours with little public notice. McCrory says the process should be appropriate and thorough.” [News-Record, 7/3/13]
McCrory Would Not Comment On A Sweeping New Anti-Abortion Bill. According to the News & Observer, “The bill restricting abortions that popped up in the state Senate without public notice Tuesday evening and received swift approval would force clinics to meet expensive license requirements and make it more difficult for doctors to perform the procedures. […] The Senate approved the measure with a preliminary vote of 27-14. A final vote expected Wednesday would send the bill to the House, which has already passed some of the provisions included in the bill. It also sets up a sticky situation for Republican Gov. Pat McCrory who said during his campaign that he would not sign laws that further restrict abortions. If it passes, the bill could become law without his signature. McCrory’s office said Tuesday night that it had no comment on the bill.” [News & Observer, 7/3/13]
McCrory Would Not Say If He Would Sign The Senate’s Anti-Abortion Bill. According to the News & Observer, “Gov. Pat McCrory on Thursday wouldn't say whether he would allow the Senate's abortion bill to become law if the House passes it. Speaking to The Charlotte Observer just before joining a Fourth of July parade in the Rowan County town of Faith, McCrory said he stuck with the statement he issued Wednesday in which he criticized the lack of public notice about the legislation.” [News & Observer, 7/4/13]
McCrory Signed The Anti-Abortion Bill Into Law. According to WRAL, “Gov. Pat McCrory signed 18 bills Monday, including two of the more controversial of the recently ended legislative session – those dealing with gun rights and abortion clinics. Supporters of Senate Bill 353, including the governor, have said it is about raising safety standards among the doctors and clinics that perform abortions.” [WRAL, 7/29/13]
McCrory Claimed That The Abortion Bill Issue Was “Greatly Exaggerated.” According to the Charlotte Business Journal, “A question about the abortion bill prompted a retort over whether critics have even read the bill, a problem the governor learned first-hand during an earlier remark about voter ID. ‘The abortion issue was, again, greatly exaggerated,’ he said. ‘Because the bill that was going to be passed was the one I was going to veto. I think both the right and the left were wrong on this issue. The right, obviously, wrote (the earlier bill) with the clear objective of closing abortion clinics, when it’s legal. I disagreed with that bill. The left turned a blind eye and tried to pretend there were no issues with regard to existing clinics, when in fact there are.’” [Charlotte Business Journal, 8/26/13]
McCrory Claimed Signing The Clinic Regulation Abortion Bill Would Not Violate His Campaign Promise Not To Sign Any New Abortion Restrictions. According to WNCN, “Gov. Pat McCrory said he would not be breaking a campaign promise if he signs legislation establishing new rules for North Carolina abortion clinics. During last fall's campaign, McCrory made it clear he was not interested in signing additional abortion restrictions into law. During a televised debate last October, McCrory was asked which additional abortion restrictions he would agree to sign into law. McCrory responded simply, ‘None.’ […] After the threat of veto, House leaders adjusted the Senate's language with input from McCrory's top health agency administrator. The changes, McCrory said, meet his satisfaction. ‘I will veto [the Senate's bill] if it's passed, because I believe the initial Senate bill did deny more access, which is a campaign commitment that I said wouldn't let happen,’ McCrory said Thursday. ‘We then revised the bill in the House.’” [WNCN, 7/18/13]
McCrory: “This Law Does Not Further Limit Access, And Those Who Contend It Does Are More Interested In Politics Than The Health And Safety Of Our Citizens.” According to WRAL, “Abortion-rights advocates say that provisions of the law, such as excluding abortion coverage from health plans offered to city and county employees, would further limit the availability of and access to the procedure statewide. They argue that, in signing the measure, McCrory is breaking a campaign promise not to allow any further limits on abortion rights. ‘This law does not further limit access, and those who contend it does are more interested in politics than the health and safety of our citizens,’ McCrory said Monday.” [WRAL, 7/29/13]
McCrory Claimed His Signing A Clinic Bill In 2013 Didn’t Break His Campaign Promise Not To Sign Any New Abortion Restrictions Into Law. According to Associated Press State & Local, “The bills’ futures likely rest with legislative leaders and McCrory. The Republican governor said during his 2012 campaign that he wouldn’t sign new abortion restrictions into law. Critics of McCrory said he went back on his promise when he signed the 2013 clinic bill. McCrory disagrees, saying the measure was about patient safety.” [Associated Press State & Local, 4/5/15]
McCrory: “We Not Added One New Regulation Which Restricts Abortions. Not One.” According to a transcript of “Crossfire,” McCrory said, “First of all we've not added one new regulation which restricts abortions. Not one. So you've got to quit reading the signs from the protesters.” [CNN, “Crossfire,” 2/24/14]
McCrory Signed Legislation Holding Abortion Clinics To The Same Standards As Those For Outpatient Surgical Facilities Leading To Femcare’s License Suspension In The Following Days. According to WRAL “The state Department of Health and Human Services suspended Femcare’s license last summer, citing safety violations. The clinic closed, then reopened. The suspension came days after Gov. Pat McCrory signed legislation that directed state officials to regulate abortion clinics based on the same standards as those for outpatient surgical centers.” [WRAL, 6/28/14]
McCrory Signed Law Requiring Healthcare Providers Who Perform An Abortion After 16 Weeks To Provide The Ultrasound To State Officials. According to the New York Times, “A state law requiring that doctors who perform an abortion after the 16th week of pregnancy supply an ultrasound to state officials has sparked a new and bitter front in the war over abortion here, with stakes that are both personal and political. Supporters say the purpose of the law is to verify that doctors and clinics are complying with state law, which outlaws abortions after 20 weeks but with an exception made for medical emergencies. Critics say the purpose is to intimidate and provide hurdles to women and doctors. The ultrasound provision, already a requirement in Louisiana and Oklahoma, is part of the continuing pushback against abortion in Republican-controlled states. In highly polarized North Carolina, it has raised the temperature of the abortion debate, which has been used to motivate conservative and liberal voters alike. The law requires doctors who perform an abortion after the 16th week of pregnancy to send the State Department of Health and Human Services the method used to determine the ''probable gestational age'' of the fetus, the measurements used to support the assertion and, most controversially, an ultrasound showing the measurements. The provisions took effect Jan. 1.” [New York Times, 1/11/16]