Wyden warns about government threats to privacy

Former vice president, Mike Pence, says the Supreme Court decision is just the beginning. At a press conference in South Eugene, Sen. Ron Wyden.

[00:00:08] Sen. Ron Wyden: A lot of Oregonians heard about the court throwing out Roe v. Wade. And then they said, ‘Well, at least Oregon is going to be okay because we have these strong laws.’ Well, the former vice president, Mike Pence, made it clear that states that do have strong laws better be very vigilant too.

[00:00:31] He said that he wouldn’t rest—he, the former vice president, Mike Pence—until there was a nationwide ban on abortion.

[00:00:43] As my mom used to say, they’re starting to say out loud what they only used to say behind closed doors.

[00:00:51] John Q: Sen. Wyden says this is a government assault on privacy rights.

[00:00:54] Sen. Ron Wyden: I think the Alito opinion is a major assault on privacy.

[00:00:59] That’s why I wanted to make sure people understood here at home, what the consequences of these remarks by Mike Pence are all about.

[00:01:10] He said 24 hours after the decision came down, he’s working for a national ban. That would mean the Oregon laws would in effect get superseded by a federal law. And I want everybody to know: He said he’s not going to rest until he gets it. I’m not going to rest either, until in every part of the country, we have written into black letter law Roe v. Wade so women everywhere will have the right to a safe abortion.

[00:01:44] John Q: Sen. Wyden said people are asking him what they should do.

[00:01:47] Sen. Ron Wyden: People have said, ‘Well, should I vote? What do I do? How do I respond?’ I think we’ve got to be involved everywhere. We need a full court press everywhere. Of course it involves voting. Of course it involves advocacy. Of course it involves rallies. Of course it involves education. We’re going to have to be everywhere. That’s what I’m committed to doing.

[00:02:08] So my message to Oregonians now is, the former vice president isn’t going to rest until there’s a national ban. As Oregon’s Senior Senator, I’m not going to rest either.