DRAFT SETS OFF ROW OVER ROE
Supreme Court confirms the document is 'authentic'
The bombshell leaked draft ruling that would overturn abortion rights is authentic, the Supreme Court confirmed on Tuesday as “angry” Democrats organized against the potential ruling while Republicans focused on investigating the leak.
Politico on Monday night published that the Supreme Court voted to strike down Roe v. Wade on a 5-4 ruling, according to a leaked draft opinion from Justice Samuel Alito.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday confirmed the draft document is “authentic,” but it doesn’t represent the court’s decision in the pending abortion rights case — nor the final position of any justice. However, Democrats didn’t waste any time, sounding the alarm about the potential devastating blow to abortion rights for millions of women across the country.
Democrats on Capitol Hill are pushing for legislation to protect abortion rights on the federal level, but it doesn’t appear they currently have the votes in the Senate.
“I am angry,” U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren told reporters outside the Supreme Court. “Angry and upset and determined. The United States Congress can keep Roe v. Wade the law of the land.
They just need to do it.
“The Republicans have been working toward this day for decades,” she added. “They have been out there plotting, carefully cultivating these Supreme Court justices, so they could have a majority on the bench who would accomplish something that the majority of Americans do not want.”
President Biden’s administration has argued before the
Supreme Court in defense of Roe v. Wade — arguing “a woman’s right to choose is fundamental,” Biden said in a statement.
“If the Court does overturn Roe, it will fall on our nation’s elected officials at all levels of government to protect a woman’s right to choose,” he added. “And it will fall on voters to elect pro-choice officials this November.”
Meanwhile, Republicans focused on the leak.
“Last night’s stunning breach was an attack on the independence of the Supreme Court,” U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said in a statement. “By every indication, this was yet another escalation in the radical left’s ongoing campaign to bully and intimidate federal judges and substitute mob rule for the rule of law.”
“This lawless action should be investigated and punished as fully as possible,” he added.
Chief Justice John Roberts said he has directed the Marshal of the Court to launch an investigation into the source of the leak.
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, who was a law clerk at the Supreme Court, said on Fox Business, “I hope whoever is responsible for this, not only is fired instantly, but is prosecuted and serves real jail time for violating the confidences of the Supreme Court.”