Missouri AG Schmitt files lawsuit against the City of St. Louis to halt ‘taxpayer-funded abortions’

ST. LOUIS CITY, Mo. (KMOV) – Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt has filed a lawsuit and motion for a preliminary injunction against the City of St. Louis to halt what he calls “taxpayer-funded abortions.”

The lawsuit was filed after Mayor Tishaura Jones signed Board Bill 61, which provides several methods to support pregnant St. Louisans. The bill allows for about $1.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to be used to establish grants for abortion travel expenses as well as doula and lactation support for women who continue their pregnancies.

Schmitt claims this violates § 188.205, RSMo, which reads, “It shall be unlawful for any public funds to be expended for the purpose of performing or assisting an abortion, not necessary to save the life of the mother, or for the purpose of encouraging or counseling a woman to have an abortion not necessary to save her life.”

“As Attorney General, I’ve tirelessly fought to uphold the sanctity of life in Missouri. The move by the City of St. Louis to use taxpayer dollars to help push out-of-state abortions plainly and clearly violates Missouri law,” said Attorney General Schmitt. “My Office today filed suit to put a stop to Mayor Jones and the City of St. Louis Board of Aldermen’s blatantly illegal move to spend Missourians’ hard-earned tax dollars on out-of-state abortions.”

The lawsuit filed Thursday afternoon claims unlawful use of public funds, unlawful activity by public employees, unlawful use of public facilities and the city’s policy is preempted by state law.

Click here to read the lawsuit.

Click here to read the preliminary injunction.