Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton told abortion pill providers to stop sending the drug to his state, saying in cease-and-desist letters that the mailing of the abortion pill violates state and federal law.
Mr. Paxton’s move comes after reports of a man obtaining the drug to use without his girlfriend’s knowledge to abort their unborn child.
Another report from the Austin American-Statesman noted that Her Safe Harbor, a company that assists in medication abortion, has been mailing the pill into the state in a quantity that could facilitate up to 162 abortions each week.
“Texas will not tolerate the murdering of innocent life through illegal drug trafficking,” Mr. Paxton said in a press release Wednesday announcing the cease-and-desist letters.
“These abortion drug organizations and radical activists are not above the law, and I have ordered the immediate end of this unlawful conduct. This is a flagrant violation of both state and federal laws, and we are going to do everything in our power to protect mothers and unborn babies.”
The letters were sent Aug. 14 to Plan C, Her Safe Harbor and an affiliate of Aid Access. The missives told them to stop marketing to Texans and not to ship the product into the state.
The letters warn that if the companies don’t cooperate, they will face legal action that could result in a $100,000 fine per violation.
Spokespeople from the three organizations didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Mr. Paxton insists mailing the abortion drug into the state violates the Comstock Act of 1873, a federal law that prohibits commerce crossing state lines that includes “any drug, medicine…. intended for producing abortion,” according to his letter.
He also says in the letter that it runs afoul of Texas law that prohibits the mailing of the drug and violates Texas’ Human Life Protection Act that outlaws abortion except to save the life of the mother.
