Missouri AG Schmitt sues St. Louis over plan to help women get abortions out of state

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt announced Thursday that his office filed a lawsuit against the city of St. Louis just hours after Democratic Mayor Tishaura Jones signed an ordinance that would put $1 million in funding to help women get abortions out of state.

Schmitt, a Republican who is running for U.S. Senate, called the city ordinance a clear violation of Missouri law and vowed to stop it in a statement. He painted the ordinance as an “illegal move to spend Missourians’ hard-earned tax dollars on out-of-state abortions.”

During a press conference before signing the bill, Jones predicted Schmitt’s lawsuit and painted it as political theater to prop up his Senate campaign.

“I believe that abortion is healthcare and that healthcare is a human right. He does not,” Jones said. “I believe, and a majority of Missourians believe, reproductive healthcare decisions should stay between St. Louisans, their God, and their doctor. The attorney general does not.

“I will not back down when our opponents threaten, bully or demean our city — especially the attorney general, who’s more concerned about chasing clout than care.”

Schmitt has threatened litigation for weeks after both Kansas City and St. Louis pursued legislation to help people travel to get abortions. The Republican attorney general has largely centered his Senate campaign on his publicized lawsuits, which have pushed back COVID-19 mask mandates and on policies of the federal government.

The legislation in St. Louis and Kansas City follow the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision last month to strike down the federal right to an abortion, which caused Missouri’s trigger ban on the procedure to take effect. The ban outlaws the procedure in all circumstances except for a medical emergency.

The St. Louis legislation would not directly pay for abortion procedures, which are almost entirely outlawed in Missouri. Instead, it would use federal COVID-19 relief money to fund a $1 million “Reproductive Equity Fund,” for logistical support such as travel. An additional $500,000 is to be paid to organizations that increase access to reproductive healthcare.

Schmitt’s lawsuit, which named the city of St. Louis, its treasurer comptroller and director of health as defendants, argued that Missouri law bars public money, employees and facilities from being used to assist or encourage abortions. In a statement, he said the St. Louis bill was “blatantly illegal.”

A proposal that passed the Kansas City Council earlier this month could reimburse city employees for health care-related travel expenses outside of the city. The resolution states that the money would not come from taxpayer funds.