Political Rewind: SCOTUS continues abortion drug access, DeKalb autopsy of slain protestor complete

Caption

The Supreme Court is temporarily allowing use of the abortion drug mifepristone while it decides on its future availability. Credit: File

The panel

Donna Lowry, @donnalowrynews, host of GPB-TV’s Lawmakers

Kevin Riley, @ajceditor, editor-at-large, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Rick Dent, vice president, Matrix Communications

Stephen Fowler, @stphnfwlr, GPB News politics reporter

The breakdown

1. The Supreme Court is debating a lower court ruling on abortion drug access.

• The court temporarily allowed access to mifepristone through Friday after a federal judge in Texas ruled the FDA hadn't properly vetted the drug 20 years ago.
• Justice Samuel Alito released the extension. It's likely that the court may put out its opinion late Friday, and it could split the difference between the Texas ruling and the pill's previous availability.
• Georgia's own Supreme Court is still weighing a decision on the state's six-week abortion ban.

2. The DeKalb County autopsy of Manuel Teran was released last night.

• The autopsy concluded that no gunpowder residue was found on the protestor's hands. Teran was shot by police 27 times, leading to around 50 bullet wounds.
• Police allege Teran shot at police first, wounding one yet unnamed officer. An independent autopsy concluded that Teran was kneeling with their hands up when they were shot, but the DeKalb autopsy said was unable to come to a similar conclusion on that allegation.

3. Chris Christie says "it's over" for Republicans in 2024 if they can't win Georgia.

• Christie identified Georgia as a serious battleground state, saying on a conservative podcast, "Look, I know there’s a way you can get to 270 without Georgia as a Republican. But if you win those other states, you would have won Georgia because there’s a lot of similar dynamics."
• This comes days after Gov. Brian Kemp said 2020 election lies wouldn't be a winning strategy in 2024, without naming former president Donald Trump.

4. Trump and DeSantis PACs battle on the airwaves.

• A pro-DeSantis PAC accused Donald Trump of taking a page out of the "Biden/Pelosi" handbook by spreading lies about the Florida governor.
• A pro-Trump ad focuses on a story that alleges Ron DeSantis eats pudding with three fingers, pivoting to allegations that he'd slash Social Security benefits.

5. After a $66 million budget cut for the University System of Georgia, colleges may raise tuition.

• Chancellor Sonny Perdue sparred with Lt. Gov. Burt Jones over certificate of need legislation during the 2023 session. After the education budget was cut under the Dome, colleges are now threatening a tuition raise.

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