Wyoming Supreme Court Issues Big Ruling On Legality of Abortion-lllllllll
The Supreme Court of Wyoming ruled Jan. 6 that two state laws restricting abortion were unconstitutional, striking down a ban on abortion procedures and a separate prohibition on abortion medication. In its decision in State v. Johnson, the court found that the Life is a Human Right Act of 2023 and the state’s abortion drug ban violated Article 1, Section 38 of the Constitution of Wyoming.
That provision, approved by voters through a 2012 statewide referendum, guarantees that “each competent adult shall have the right to make his or her own health care decisions.”
“All five Wyoming Supreme Court justices agreed that the decision whether to terminate or continue a pregnancy is a woman’s own health care decision protected by Article 1, Section 38,” wrote the court in a summary of its opinion and announcement of the decision.
The court added that “all five justices also concluded that an adult’s right to make his or her own health care decisions is a fundamental right because of the very specific language used,” despite the issue being decided following the passage of “Obamacare.”
The court split four to one on whether the laws could be struck down. “Four justices (Boomgaarden, Fox, Jarosh, and Fenn) voted to strike down the 2023 abortion laws. Justice Gray voted to uphold the laws,” the court’s summary read.
The court observed that although Article 1, Section 38 was enacted in response to Obamacare, the wording of the provision remained rigid, writing, “The Court recognized it cannot add words to the Wyoming Constitution. … But lawmakers could ask Wyoming voters to consider a constitutional amendment that would more clearly address this issue.”
When reviewing the case, lower courts in Wyoming also struck down the laws, The Epoch Times reported.
Wyoming is a reliably conservative state dominated by the Republican Party, where opposition to abortion is widespread. Following the ruling, Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon called for a constitutional referendum that would amend the state constitution and effectively overturn the court’s decision.
“This ruling may settle, for now, a legal question, but it does not settle the moral one, nor does it reflect where many Wyoming citizens stand, including myself. It is time for this issue to go before the people for a vote,” Gordon wrote in a statement published on social media. “I call on the legislature to pass and place a clear constitutional amendment on my desk.”
Wellspring Health Access in Casper, Wyoming, the lead plaintiff in the case, hailed the ruling.
“Our clinic will remain open and ready to provide compassionate reproductive health care, including abortions, and our patients in Wyoming will be able to obtain this care without having to travel out of state,” said the organization’s president, Julie Burkhart, in a statement.
The House is set to approve legislation on Thursday afternoon that will extend controversial Obamacare tax credits for three years, representing a significant triumph for Democrats and fostering optimism among centrist Republicans that it may facilitate a bipartisan agreement.
The proposal is unlikely to progress through the Senate in its current form. The identical three-year extension was defeated by Senate Republicans in December.
However, the impending vote prompted a coalition of bipartisan senators to come up with a compromise they believe will garner support from both legislative chambers.
Republican supporters in the House are optimistic that a bipartisan vote in the lower chamber on Thursday will prompt the Senate to expedite its consideration of the issue.
Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), one of the four Republicans who diverged from leadership to endorse the discharge petition, stated he anticipates “a substantial number of Republicans” will support the bill to advocate for a bipartisan agreement to renew, reform, and prolong the subsidies.
“We’ve been working with the senators for weeks, and the framework that they are … trying to finalize is very much in line with what I have been saying from the start, about a two-year extension with reforms,” Lawler said. “I think that’s ultimately where we can get.”
Rep. Ilhan Omar Intensifies Criticism of Federal Immigration Enforcement
Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota sharply escalated her criticism of the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operations on Monday, accusing federal agents of treating Minneapolis as an occupying force and again calling for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s resignation or impeachment.
In remarks to constituents in Minneapolis, Omar repeatedly described the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal officers in the city as an inappropriate use of government authority, saying the situation has created fear among local residents. Omar said Minneapolis is “currently under occupation” and cited concerns about schools, hospitals and daily life as evidence of what she called harmful federal intervention.
“We do not exaggerate when we say we have schools where two-thirds of the students are afraid to go to school,” Omar said. “We do not exaggerate when we say we have people who are afraid to go to the hospital because our hospitals have occupying paramilitary forces.”
Omar referenced two recent fatalities during federal immigration operations in Minneapolis — the deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good — and argued those incidents underscored the need for new leadership at DHS. In her remarks, she blamed senior White House advisers for shaping the administration’s immigration policies.
“When we say it is time for Kristi Noem to go, we mean it now,” Omar added. “And there needs to be accountability for the architect of the terror we are facing in Minneapolis and so many other cities, which is Stephen Miller.”
Omar’s comments follow an appearance on MSNBC’s All In with Chris Hayes, where she reiterated those positions and broadened her critique to include senior administration officials. In that interview, she said Noem should resign or face impeachment, echoing earlier statements from House Democratic leadership. Omar also repeated criticism of Miller, a senior White House adviser on immigration policy, calling him a “copycat of the Nazis” and suggesting he should be prosecuted.
Her remarks also tied national Republican rhetoric on immigration to broader social tensions, asserting that aggressive enforcement language has “created anger” that can lead to confrontations with Somali immigrants and other community members in Minnesota.
Omar’s public criticism comes amid the ongoing federal immigration operation known as Operation Metro Surge. Federal agents have been deployed to Minneapolis to apprehend illegal immigrants with criminal convictions, drawing protests and heightened scrutiny from local officials and advocacy groups.
Democratic lawmakers, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), have called for increased oversight of DHS and ICE policies as part of broader negotiations over long-term funding for the Department of Homeland Security. Jeffries has publicly stated that Noem should be impeached if she does not resign, and Schumer has called for additional conditions on immigration enforcement in appropriations legislation.
In response to increased political pressure, DHS has taken steps to increase transparency in its operations. Earlier this week, Secretary Kristi Noem announced that body-worn cameras will be issued to all federal immigration enforcement officers deployed in Minneapolis as an immediate measure, with plans to expand the program nationwide as funding becomes available. “Effective immediately we are deploying body cameras to every officer in the field in Minneapolis,” Noem wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Federal officials have said that some Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers present during the Jan. 24 shooting of Pretti were already equipped with body cameras, though full footage has not been released. Officials have not yet clarified whether ICE officers were wearing cameras during the earlier fatal encounter involving Good.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz responded to Noem’s announcement by saying body cameras should have been in place prior to the deaths of Pretti and Good, who were tragically killed while interfering with ICE law enforcement operations.
20 Minutes ago in Arizona, Savannah Guthrie was confirmed as… See more
Just 20 minutes ago in Arizona, Savannah Guthrie was confirmed as the focus of a rapidly developing update that has already begun to ripple across newsrooms and social media.
While early headlines sparked confusion and speculation, sources close to the situation emphasized that the confirmation centers on a professional development rather than the alarming rumors that briefly circulated online.
The speed at which the news broke—paired with Guthrie’s high public profile—helped fuel the immediate surge of attention, with viewers eager for clarity and context.
According to initial reports, the confirmation came during a tightly scheduled appearance in Arizona, where Guthrie has been involved in ongoing media commitments.
Attendees described a composed and focused presence, noting that the announcement was handled with care and precision. Industry insiders say the timing underscores how quickly information now travels, especially when it involves trusted faces in broadcast journalism.
Within minutes, clips, quotes, and partial summaries began trending, amplifying both interest and misunderstanding.
What stands out most is the response from colleagues and longtime viewers. Messages of support and curiosity poured in, reflecting the connection Guthrie has built over years of consistent reporting and calm authority during major national moments.
Analysts suggest that the public reaction speaks less to the announcement itself and more to the trust audiences place in familiar voices—when news breaks about them, it feels personal. That trust has kept the conversation largely measured, even as speculation continues.
As details continue to emerge, media observers caution against jumping to conclusions based on incomplete information. Full context is expected to be clarified through official channels shortly, and until then, reputable sources urge patience.
One thing is clear: when news involves a figure as recognizable as Savannah Guthrie, even a brief confirmation can command national attention in minutes. Stay tuned as this story develops and the full picture comes into focus.
