GOP: End abortion rights decision

WASHINGTON >> A cascade of Republicans called on the U.S. Supreme Court to roll back constitutional abortion protections, potentially by overruling the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized the procedure nationwide.

In a brief filed Thursday, 228 GOP members of Congress urged the court to uphold Mississippi’s ban on abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy — and overturn Roe along the way if necessary. A separate brief from 12 Republican governors asked the court to toss out its abortion rights precedents, arguing that “the authority to regulate abortion should be returned to the states.”

The congressional filing, following a separate one Monday on behalf of three GOP senators.

Four of Southern California’s six Republican House members signed the brief, urging the Supreme Court to loosen federal law that safeguards abortion rights. That included Reps. Darrell Issa of El Cajon and Ken Calvert of Corona, who are both in solid GOP districts — at least before boundaries are redrawn later this year. But signers also included Reps. Michelle Steel of Seal Beach and Mike Garcia of Santa Clarita, who both narrowly flipped their districts back to red in the 2020 elections.

Two Southern California Republicans didn’t join a majority of their party in signing the brief: Reps. Young Kim of La Habra and Jay Obernolte of Big Bear Lake. Kim’s 39th District leans blue and previously was held by a Democrat, while Obernolte’s 8th District has been solidly red.