Mason City Council repeals anti-abortion ordinance

MASON, Ohio — The Mason City Council voted to repeal the city's abortion ban Monday, with only former mayor Kathy Grossman voting against the repeal.

Mayor Barbara Spaeth, Vice Mayor Diana Nelson and council members Tony Bradburn, Ashley Chance, Mark Haake and Josh Styrcula voted 6-1 to repeal the sanctuary city for the unborn ordinance. The law, while unable to stop medical practices from opening in Mason, would have made performing or getting an abortion anywhere within city limits illegal.

The ordinance passed city council in a 4-3 vote in October, but opponents of the ban won in Mason's November election. After the election, Haake said both sides of the political aisle were against the ordinance.

"The Democrats, obviously, it’s a big issue for them...so I know it fired up the Democrat side, but I spoke to a lot of Republicans that felt the same way," Haake said. "This ordinance was not going to change anything for the city. It wasn’t going to stop abortions — [Grossman] even admitted that in a meeting. It became a political issue...timing seems pretty clear that it was meant to inflame one side that they felt was going to be stronger and get them more votes.”

TJ Honerlaw, the council member who sponsored the ordinance, finished last in Mason's city council election.

Seven Mason residents spoke at city council's meeting in favor of repealing the ordinance, while two spoke in support of the ordinance.

WCPO will have more on the vote tonight at 11 p.m.

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