Newsom proposes amendment to California constitution to protect abortion rights

At a press conference in Southern California on Wednesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom spoke on the leaked Supreme Court decision on abortion and his proposal to further protect abortion rights in the state Constitution.

The event seemed to kick off the governor's re-election campaign with ads that said, "Newsom will keep California at the forefront, protecting and respecting women's women's rights and women's health."

Outside the Planned Parenthood Headquarters in Los Angeles Newsom took to his bully pulpit.

"If privacy is not constitutionally protected, this opens up a panoply of issues," said Newsom.

He warned that any right, not specifically protected by the words of the U.S. Constitution, is at risk.

"Across a spectrum of issues. Do you think for a second that same-sex marriage is safe in the United States of America?," said Newsom.

He also said interracial marriage, was raised by one U.S. Senator as a possibility.

"And he actually suggested because that is unenumerated in the Constitution." said the governor.

By that logic, even contraceptives, to prevent pregnancies, also not enumerated in the Constitution, could also be at risk.

So, Newsom proposes to protect abortion as a state Constitutional right.

"We'll be presenting that to the voters this November," he said.

The governor, who is catholic, is well aware that his church opposes a pro-abortion state amendment.

"We're not mandating anything. We're providing the ability. We're not dictating the terms. They're dictating the terms. It's state sponsored birth. You have to come to terms with the birth, then it's, 'See you later. You're on your own.'" said Newsom.

The governor harshly criticized the less than 38% of Californians who the Pew, Guttmacher and Public Religion Research institutes say generally oppose abortion.

"Every single one of these folks that are out there trumpeting and championing this decision have consistently opposed prenatal care support, consistently opposed childcare, consistently opposed paid family leave, consistently opposed all things to strength the family," said Newsom.