Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman announced Saturday that 'abortion activists' were illegally flying a banner advertising the abortion pill over the Kentucky State Fair. The group behind the banner, Mayday Health, has already faced sanction for advertising abortion pills in states where most preborn children are protected from abortion.

Key Takeaways:

• Mayday Health was seen flying a banner advertising the abortion pill over the Kentucky State Fair last week.

• Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman called the group's actions illegal.

• Kentucky law protects most preborn children from abortion.

• Coleman previously announced an investigation into Mayday Health after the group ran an ad campaign at several of the state's gas stations.

The Details:

Kentucky Right to Life shared a photo on Facebook of a plane pulling a banner that read, "Abortion Pills by Mail. Mayday Health." The pro-life group said the plane had been flying over the Kentucky State Fair.

"Mayday Health is back at it — flying their abortion pushing-pill-propaganda over Kentucky. Kentuckians deserve better than out-of-state activists pushing dangerous abortion drugs into our Commonwealth. We will continue to stand firm and protect life!" wrote Addia Wuchner, Executive Director of Kentucky Right to Life.

On August 29, Coleman responded to the news on X, writing, "It appears abortion activists are flying over Louisville advertising illegal drugs. They are breaking the law. Since January, our Office has been investigating mail order abortion pills. We will not tolerate this illegal danger."

Mayday Health is known for advertising the abortion pill in high profile locations; in June, its banner was seen flying over the US Open golf tournament in New York.

While the organization does not provide abortion pills, it operates a website where visitors find recommendations for five mail-order abortion businesses where they can order the lethal pills.

The group's executive director, Leo Raisner, defended its actions.

"Mayday shares information about abortion pills in states where clinics are banned or restricted," Raisner told Kentucky Today, adding, "We've found it's just as important to step outside the digital fight altogether and reach people with facts the old-fashioned, analog way."

Banner promoting abortion pills flown over Kentucky State Fair causes stir

Zoom Out:

This isn't the first run-in Mayday Health has had in Kentucky.

In January, Coleman announced an investigation into the organization after its ads were seen at several gas stations in the state.

In 2022, the state passed HB 3, which prohibits the mailing or delivery of abortion-inducing drugs in the state. Coleman has also referenced the state's Consumer Protection Act in relation to abortion pill advertising; the act "prohibits deceptive or misleading communications with Kentuckians."

“Out of state activist groups who are targeting the vulnerable here should be on notice: Keep your illegal pills out of our commonwealth or face the full weight of the Attorney General’s Office,” Coleman said at the time. “These deadly and unlawful pills cannot be allowed to continue flooding into Kentucky through the mail, and we will thoroughly pursue every lead to hold bad actors accountable.”

The Bottom Line:

Though Kentucky lawmakers attempted to pass a bill earlier this year that would have made it illegal to mail, distribute, or traffic the abortion pill within the state, the bill failed to progress.

Rep. TJ Roberts told Fox 56 News he hopes to revive the bill in the upcoming legislative session, to solidify that actions like those of Mayday Health are illegal.

“I hope that Plan C and Mayday are among the first people indicted under a bill to ban the importation of the abortion pill,” he said.