Legality Of Manatee County Abortion Restrictions To Be Posed To Attorney General Moody

MANATEE COUNTY, FL — Manatee County commissioners narrowly approved plans to seek legal advice from Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody on establishing local abortion restrictions in the county.

In a 4-3 vote at its Tuesday meeting, the Board of County Commissioners approved the submission of a letter penned by Commissioner James Satcher — a conservative minister who initially brought his pro-life initiatives inspired by Texas’ so-called “Heartbeat Bill” before the county board in June — to the state’s attorney general.

In his letter, Satcher wrote the commissioners “have a desire to establish Manatee County as a ‘Safe Haven’ for developing children who are inside their mother’s womb.” (Read his full letter below.)

Though Satcher wrote the letter, the draft included with the meeting’s agenda indicated that it would be signed by all seven board members.

The county’s attorney, William Clague, will also compose a letter that will focus more on case law and legal concerns and accompany the commissioners' letter to Moody.

Commissioners Vanessa Baugh, George Kruse, Kevin Van Ostenbridge and Satcher voted in favor of sending the letters to the attorney general, while commissioners Reggie Bellamy, Misty Servia and Carol Whitmore voted against the measure.

Whitmore and Servia had concerns about the professionalism of Satcher’s letter and tried, but failed, to move forward an amended motion where only Clague’s letter would be sent to Moody asking for legal guidance.

Satcher referenced the county’s support of protecting “preborn and born animals,” writing in his letter to the attorney general, “Tortoises’ nests, turtles’ eggs and puppies are just a few animals who receive protection in Manatee County.”

He also discussed evolving medical technology and science, noting that “blood tests, DNA, ultrasound and neonatal intensive care have all changed the modern understanding of the development, autonomy and viability of a developing fetus.”

The commissioner also referenced the achievements of well-known figures like Oprah Winfrey, Abraham Lincoln and John Paul DeJoria as a reason to establish local abortion restrictions.

Servia said the letter seemed like “more of a lobbying effort” and encouraged Satcher to send it to state and national leaders using his personal letterhead.

“I just don’t think it’s appropriate to send this type of letter to the attorney general,” she said. “I mean, they’re gonna opine on the legality of issues and case law, not on the opinions of how a local government should develop an ordinance.”

Whitmore said there were several errors in the letter, as well.

“The letter is not correct. It says, ‘inside a mother’s womb.’ There’s no such thing as a womb; there’s a uterus,” she said.

Satcher’s letter also incorrectly states the county has established a grant to help groups that work with pregnant women, Whitmore said.

“That’s not true,” she said, noting that the county board only approved this financial assistance on a one-time basis and the board is still uncertain about the amount being given.

Later in the discussion of the issue, during an emotional moment, Whitmore, a Republican leader, came out as pro-choice and shared her own abortion experience following a nonconsensual relationship in 1973.

She was just 17 years old at the time, living alone in an apartment on Anna Maria Island, working at a nursing home, attending high school and living with depression, she said. “It was not an easy thing at all.”

She added, “I can’t sit up here one minute longer without telling you what a terrible experience it was, but I still am pro-choice.”

Bellamy doesn’t support sending either Satcher’s or Clague’s letter to the attorney general for review and said that “a local abortion ban, obviously, is unconstitutional.”

“I need to make sure that it’s clear that it’s at the state level where these things should be addressed, not here in Manatee County,” he said.

He expressed concern that passing abortion restrictions could be expensive for the county if any legal litigation stem from them. He suggested, instead, that the county board focus funding on infrastructure, affordable housing, animal shelters, libraries, homelessness, the pandemic, stormwater issues and veterans’ affairs.

“Those are local issues here in Manatee County that’s within our immediate reach, that we should obviously focus on, because that is something we could definitely do something about,” Bellamy said.

He also emphasized that “women deserve the right to speak for themselves,” adding that “a man should make sure that they understand all the things that women’s bodies go through before they start taking and identifying what a woman should do with their body.”

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Van Ostenbridge said Satcher wrote “a very nice letter. … There’s really nothing in there that I felt needed to be changed.”

He added, “I just want to remind everyone that this is a letter. It’s a letter and it’s a letter to the attorney general, whom, Commissioner Bellamy, is a woman. So, we’re formally seeking the advice of a woman on this. The letter will not cost us money. … That addresses some of the concerns I’ve heard up here, so far.”

Meanwhile, Baugh asked the commissioners, “If you truly are pro-life, how can you resent a letter going to get information?”

Kruse said he expects the state to eventually take on the abortion issue, making Manatee County’s consideration of a local ordinance “an unnecessary step.” Either way, he fully supports the issue, he said.

Satcher said his pro-life initiative is one that’s “near and dear” to him, as his wife runs a ministry that works with women in “tough situations.” He stressed it’s not inspired by his religion, though.

“I’ve emphasized so much on technology, on science, our ability, our desire to protect animals, that’s why I’ve emphasized that so much, because I don’t want people to say, ‘Oh, it’s just a religious thing,’” Satcher said. “No, it’s just life. These are people. I don’t want it to be inferred at all that there’s some sort of judgment. There’s just redemption and grace in everyone’s future.”

Read Commissioner James Satcher’s full letter to the attorney general below: