Unearthed audio reveals Republican Marc Molinaro's anti-abortion views

According to an unearthed audio recording, Republican Rep. Marc Molinaro would support a federal abortion ban at 17 weeks of pregnancy. Former President Donald Trump proposed a similar prohibition earlier this year.

Molinaro was elected in 2022 to represent New York’s 19th district in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is currently running for a second term. Abortion access is expected to be a major issue in the race.

The recording captures an exchange Molinaro had with a voter at a town hall event in Endicott, New York in August 2022. The voter asked Molinaro about his stance on the Women’s Health Protection Act, a bill that would create federal abortion access rights for patients and providers. In response, Molinaro discussed his opposition to late-term abortion. The voter then prompted Molinaro to define what a late-term abortion is.

“In my estimation, personally, it is after 17 weeks,” Molinaro said. He goes on to note that he would support exceptions for rape and incest. 

Seventeen weeks is shorter than the 24 weeks previously allowed by Roe v. Wade. It is also shorter than the 24 week window currently allowed in New York state. A New York Times analysis of Trump’s proposed 16-week abortion ban found such a limit would be unpopular with most voters.

In congress, Molinaro has been a foe of reproductive rights.

In January 2023, Molinaro voted against consideration for the Women’s Health Protection Act. In July of that year, he supported a push to bar the Department of Defense from reimbursing servicemembers for certain abortion-related expenses. 

The Women’s Health Protection Act has not yet received a full vote in congress.

In January 2024, Molinaro backed a bill that would require colleges and universities to tell pregnant students that women who have abortions can be at risk of mental health issues. The League of Women voters described the bill as a “thinly veiled anti-abortion law.”

Molinaro has not yet endorsed Trump’s 2024 campaign, but he has previously stated he will support the Republican nominee. 

A Molinaro spokesperson did not dispute any of the facts in the article.