Republican gubernatorial Marc Molinaro said Wednesday he could support strengthening New York State’s law protecting a woman’s right to abortion.
Molinaro, who personally opposes abortion, made the comments when asked what he would do if the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling, which legalized abortion.
Molinaro said he believes Roe v. Wade is “settled law” and doubted it would be overturned by a more conservative judiciary.
But he also said on Albany “The Capitol Pressroom” radio show, “I do believe that it is something that should be protected by the State of New York. And I understand the desire and the need not to make it criminal.”
Molinaro added caveats to his surprise policy statement.
For example, he said he opposes current state legislation — the Reproductive Health Act — which is backed by Gov. Cuomo.
“Not as it’s been written. I do not accept, nor do I believe there’s a consensus, on access to late-term abortion … I believe non-physician abortions mean poor people don’t get the health care they deserve,” said Molinaro, the Dutchess County executive.
He said he wants “to invest in pre-natal and post-natal care” as well “so people in poverty aren’t forced to make decisions they don’t want to make.”
But Molinaro repeated that revisions have to be made to the current bill because he’s “not comfortable with late-term abortion” and “not comfortable with non-physician assisted abortions.”
“It is something we have to talk about with the Legislature,” he said.
He reiterated his view during an editorial board interview with the Albany Times Union.
A Cuomo campaign surrogate said Molinaro’s abortion protection statement smacked of desperation.
“Molinaro’s poll numbers are down. He’s trying to come across as a moderate. We don’t buy it,” said Robin Chappelle Golston, chair of Planned Parenthood Empire State Votes PAC, who responded after The Post contacted the Cuomo campaign.
“For him to move slightly on this issue, it’s a political calculation.”
On other issues, Molinaro said he opposed the Trump administration’s decision to ask a question about citizenship on the 2020 Census form.
“We need to be very aggressive in counting New Yorkers. I don’t want to create a structure where people are afraid to come out, to participate. I don’t want to in a position where we’re penalizing people or instilling fear individuals,” he said.