Local advocacy group commemorates 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade

By Jon McGinty
Free-lance Writer

The Winnebago County Citizens for Choice (WCCC), a local advocacy group, held a press conference Tuesday, Jan. 22, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision to protect women’s rights to an abortion.

Several government officials spoke to the group in support of efforts to prevent further dilution of laws protecting women’s rights to choose whether to terminate a pregnancy. They included State Sen. Steve Stadelman, D-Rockford; Rockford Ald. Karen Elyea, D-11; Liseta Wallace, chief of staff for State Rep. Chuck Jefferson, D-Rockford; and Barb Giolito, president of WCCC.

Posted Jan. 25, 2013

Debi Demars-Ragsdale, treasurer of WCCC poses next to a copy of the Supreme Court Decision. (Photo by Jon McGinty)

Barb Giolitto, president of WCCC (Photo by Jon McGinty)

Litesa Wallace, State Rep. Chuck Jefferson’s chief of staff. (Photo by Jon McGinty)

State Sen. Steve Stadelman, D-Rockford, confers with Rockford Ald. Karen Elyea, D-11, at the meeting of Winnebago County Citizens for Choice. (Photo by Jon McGinty)