Attorney General Wilson praises SCOTUS decision upholding South Carolina’s authority in Planned Parenthood Case

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson today applauded the United States Supreme Court for ruling in favor of South Carolina in Medina v. Planned Parenthood, affirming that states, not abortion providers, decide who participates in their Medicaid programs.

“I want to thank the six Justices who stood up for the Constitution and the rule of law,” said Attorney General Wilson. “The Supreme Court just slammed the door on Planned Parenthood’s latest attempt to force its radical agenda through the courts on our state. South Carolina, not federal judges or D.C. activist groups, gets to decide how we run our Medicaid program.”

In a 6–3 opinion authored by Justice Gorsuch, the Court held that the Medicaid Act’s “any qualified provider” language does not give private individuals or organizations the power to sue states under federal civil rights law. The Court emphasized that Medicaid is a  cooperative partnership between the states and federal government, not an entitlement program for politically connected providers.

“Planned Parenthood and its allies tried to turn Medicaid into a weapon to force their agenda on our State. The Court just told them: No,” Wilson said. “This is about who runs South Carolina—our elected leaders, or out-of-state activists and unelected judges. We’re glad the Court got it right.”

Attorney General Wilson pledged to keep fighting for the rule of law and thanked Governor McMaster and his team for taking a principled stand in this case.

You can read the Court’s full opinion here.