Golden State Today

California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a statement addressing recent actions by President Trump concerning abortion rights. This response follows the President's pardoning of 23 individuals convicted under the federal Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, as well as his administration's decision to limit enforcement of that law and the issuance of new Executive Orders targeting abortion rights.

Bonta criticized these moves, stating, "President Trump may say that he cares about law and order, but his recent pardons tell a very different story. He has pardoned over 1,500 individuals who stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Not only did those individuals try to stop the peaceful transfer of power, many of them violently assaulted law enforcement officers. Now, he has pardoned people whose actions threatened, harassed, and harmed abortion patients, providers, and clinics."

He reaffirmed California's commitment to reproductive rights: "California has been and will continue to be a safe haven for reproductive rights. With the news that the Trump Administration will also be limiting enforcement of the federal FACE Act and that the President has signed Executive Orders targeting abortion rights, we will not hesitate to take up the mantle of safety and access that they are abandoning."

Bonta emphasized state law protections: "State law — specifically, the California FACE Act — requires that people have access to abortion care safely, confidentially, and in a timely manner. If any person infringes on that right, they can and will be held accountable by my office or local prosecutors."

The California Attorney General’s Office provides resources such as training videos on the California FACE Act and bulletins from various state departments offering guidelines on anti-reproductive-rights crimes.