California Governor Gavin Newsom announced on Wednesday that he blocked Louisiana's attempt to extradite a physician from California. The physician is accused of mailing abortion pills.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, a Republican, stated on Tuesday that he had sent extradition paperwork seeking to bring the doctor "to justice." Louisiana maintains strict anti-abortion laws, while California law aims to protect abortion providers from criminal prosecution when treating out-of-state patients.
Governor Newsom stated that extraditing the doctor would violate an executive order he signed in 2022. This order prevents California state agencies from assisting other states in their efforts to prosecute abortion providers.
Newsom issued a statement asserting, "We will not allow extremist politicians from other states to reach into California and try to punish doctors based on allegations that they provided reproductive health care services. Not today. Not ever."
Louisiana sought the extradition of Remy Coeytaux, a physician in the San Francisco Bay Area. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill stated on Tuesday that Coeytaux faced a criminal charge of abortion by means of abortion-inducing drugs, potentially carrying a sentence of up to 50 years if convicted.
Requests for comment from Dr. Coeytaux regarding the extradition effort went unanswered. Landry's office did not immediately provide a comment on Newsom's announcement.