SACRAMENTO, Calif. – In a bold move, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced on Wednesday that he is halting an effort by Louisiana to extradite a doctor from California, who is accused of mailing abortion pills.
This announcement by the Democratic governor comes shortly after Louisiana’s Republican Governor Jeff Landry declared that he had dispatched the necessary extradition documents to bring the doctor to trial. Louisiana is known for its stringent anti-abortion regulations, contrasting sharply with California’s laws which safeguard abortion providers from criminal charges when assisting patients from other states.
Governor Newsom emphasized that extraditing the doctor would breach an executive order he enacted in 2022. This order prohibits California state agencies from aiding other states in prosecuting abortion providers.
“We refuse to let out-of-state politicians with extreme agendas intrude into California and penalize doctors for offering reproductive health care,” Newsom stated emphatically. “Not today. Not ever.”
At the time of the announcement, Governor Landry’s office had not provided any comment regarding Newsom’s decision.
Louisiana’s attempt to extradite Dr. Remy Coeytaux, a physician practicing in the San Francisco Bay Area, was spearheaded by Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill. She stated that Dr. Coeytaux was facing a severe charge of performing an abortion using abortion-inducing medication, which could result in a prison sentence of up to 50 years if convicted.
An email and a telephone message seeking comment from Coeytaux Tuesday on the extradition push went unanswered.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
