New York county clerk sued by Texas attorney general over shipping abortion pills

A county clerk in New York has been sued by the attorney general in Texas for refusing to certify a court judgment against a New York City doctor accused of sending abortion pills to the state.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has been trying to get New York courts to enforce a $113,000 civil fine against Dr. Margaret Carpenter, founder of the Abortion Coalition for Telemedicine. Carpenter is accused of breaking that state's law by prescribing abortion medication, mifepristone, through telemedicine.

Acting Ulster County Clerk Taylor Bruck rejected the attorney general's request in March. Paxton sent another letter demanding that he certify the judgment by July 16. Bruck once again rejected the request, citing New York's "shield" law.

Paxton filed a lawsuit Monday seeking to enforce the court judgment, saying the New York clerk's office "plainly rejected" attempts by Texas to "enforce the judgment and authorize collection of the penalty."

"Dr. Carpenter is a radical abortionist who must face justice, not get legal protection from New York liberals intent on ending the lives of as many unborn children as they can," Paxton said in a statement. "No matter where they reside, pro-abortion extremists who send drugs designed to kill the unborn into Texas will face the full force of our state’s pro-life laws."

In December, Paxton sued Carpenter for providing a Collin County resident with abortion-inducing drugs that terminated the pregnancy of the mother but also caused "serious health complications requiring medical intervention."

Under Texas law, physicians and medical suppliers are barred from providing abortion-inducing drugs by courier, delivery, or mail service. Texas also restricts physicians from treating patients or prescribing medicine through telehealth services unless they are licensed to practice medicine in the state.

A U.S. District Court judge ruled Carpenter violated state laws, fined her $100,000 and ordered that she pay all court costs and attorney fees totaling over $13,000 with 7.5% interest for every day the fines aren't paid.

The ruling also permanently banned Carpenter from prescribing abortion-inducing drugs to Texas residents and from practicing medicine in Texas without a license and registration.

New York is one of several Democratic-led states that has passed so-called "shield" laws blocking physicians that perform abortions from prosecution by other states in response to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that overturned federal protections for abortions.

Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul praised the county clerk for rejecting the Texas attorney general's request and vowed to defend Carpenter against an "anti-abortion zealot."

"These extremists are determined to punish a New York doctor for providing safe, legal abortion care," Hochul said in a statement. "It’s pathetic. It’s dangerous. And it won't happen on our watch. They picked the wrong state and the wrong governor."