"The View" co-hosts clashed on Thursday over Gov. Gavin Newsom's, D-Calif., call to cut ties with Walgreens over its refusal to sell abortion pills in certain states depending on regulations, as Alyssa Farah Griffin argued the California governor had the "wrong target."
Farah Griffin and co-host Whoopi Goldberg went back and forth over the hot topic towards the end of the segment as Farah Griffin repeatedly insisted Newsom should not be targeting a private company.
"You’re targeting a company for following state laws," she said. Goldberg pushed back and said, "no, then I didn't say it right."
"20 attorney generals wrote to Walgreens and said, ‘don’t sell this.’ This is why you shouldn’t do that. So now Walgreens makes a decision after they’re told this is what they told you is not necessarily true by the Biden administration," Goldberg said.
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Goldberg referenced several letters sent to Walgreens and CVS by 20 Republican state attorneys general that warn the companies their plan to distribute abortion pills through the mail might violate state and federal laws.
"I just think his target is the attorney generals though," Farah Griffin responded. "Walgreens has to bear the brunt this social cause?"
Goldberg said, "yes." Co-host Sunny Hostin added that Newsom has the power to make corporations be "good corporate citizens."
"I think this is the wrong target by Governor Newsom," Farah Griffin said earlier in the segment. She added, "Walgreens is following a state law. His issue is with the state law. I don't think we should be targeting a private company for following a state law. Take it up with Texas if you think that abortion pills should be provided."
"And I would note, every company that sells, whether it’s Plan B or in this case, Mifeprostrone I believe is the pill that they use, CVS is going to run into this. Amazon is going to run into it. You can’t target the companies. And Gavin Newsom has made a name for himself after going after Ron DeSantis, and actually I think rightfully, for targeting Disney," Farah Griffin continued.
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She added that this was "more egregious" because Walgreens is following state laws.
Co-host Joy Behar argued that the drugstore chain should respond to the AG's warnings by refusing to sell Viagra pills.
"Somebody has to stick up for the women and he’s doing that. Thank goodness we have somebody like that. I agree the government should not be involved in the decisions a pharmacy makes. Walgreens should just say, ‘well you don’t want us to sell birth control pills or abortion pills, we’re not going to sell Viagra pills either.’ Then you’ll see some action. When these men can’t get their blue pill, to keep functioning with their young wives," Behar said.
Newsom tweeted Monday that California would no longer do business with Walgreens.
"California won't be doing business with @walgreen -- or any company that cowers to the extremists and puts women's lives at risk. We're done," Newsom said.
