COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) _ Court records show that just before the Ohio Senate voted to pull a provision from the state budget aimed at closing the last abortion clinic in Toledo, the state's top lawyer was moving in a Toledo court to shutter the facility another way.
Attorney General Mike DeWine's motion against Capital Care Network of Toledo was time-stamped just before 4 p.m. Thursday. About 90 minutes later, the Republican-controlled Senate surprised onlookers and approved a budget revision from Democratic Sen. Sandra Williams removing language that effectively closed the clinic by setting a 30-mile distance for emergency patient transfers. Williams later supported the budget.
Messages seeking comment were left with DeWine and Senate President Keith Faber.
Abortion-rights groups praised Williams' amendment Friday, as clinic officials said they were looking into DeWine's filing.
