Leaked Document says Supreme Court to Overturn Roe V Wade
Danielle Sanders, Managing Editor
News organization Politico obtained a draft of a majority opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito that would overturn Roe V Wade. The draft document states the Supreme Court would overturn a woman’s right to choose. According to Politico, the 98-page draft was obtained by a person familiar with the proceedings and was authenticated.
In the draft, Justice Alito argues that the over 50-year-old ruling was “ill-conceived and deeply flawed”. If published, the overturning of Roe V Wade would drastically alter women’s reproductive rights and disproportionately affect minorities, the poor, and immigrants. The Supreme court circulates these drafts as part of the process. During circulation, justices can write dissents and attempt to coerce other justices to their side with votes often changing. The opinion is not expected until the last day of the term which is in the next two months.
The unprecedented beach of secrecy in the leaked draft is sure to provoke stronger debates about women’s reproductive rights and the attack on civil rights by the GOP, especially as the nation heads into midterm elections. Politicians and activists weighed in on the leaked draft.
House Speaker Nacy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader, Chuck Schumer issued a joint statement saying,” Every Republican Senator who supported Senator McConnell and voted for Trump Justices pretending that this day would never come will now have to explain themselves to the American people.”
“Tonight, I join the chorus of millions of people nationwide who are sickened and enraged to learn that the Supreme Court has seemingly voted to strike down Roe v. Wade. This landmark decision has paved the way for women in need of reproductive care to access safe abortions for decades and importantly, decide for themselves the circumstances under which they chose to bear children. If this draft opinion becomes the law of the land, women and their families will suffer, needlessly. The Court’s draft opinion will establish a precedent for gutting the legal underpinnings used to protect against gender-based discrimination overall including women’s rights, trans rights, immigrant rights, and of course, the right to same-sex and interracial marriage. This decision truly epitomizes the dangers that exist at the intersection of racism and sexism…Chicago will continue to be a haven for those seeking access to the full range of safe reproductive care. We will also continue to fight in Chicago to protect the right to choose and will not stop fighting to protect this right in our surrounding counties and states. Do not let this setback be a lasting defeat. People of goodwill still have the most important tool in our democracy — the right to vote. We will and we must vote them out.”-Mayor Lori Lightfoot
Hell no! In Illinois, we trust women. We cannot let their most profound and personal rights be violated. -Illinois Governor JB Pritzker
“This news is gutting. This isn’t a legal opinion – it’s a declaration of war. This is a violent, coordinated right-wing assault on our abortion rights–“We cannot afford to wait for SCOTUS to overturn Roe next month. Democrats have to act now. We need to abolish the filibuster and pass the Women’s Health Protection Act. Immediately. And we need to expand the Supreme Court. -IL-07 Congressional Candidate and Activist, Kina Collins
“If the Supreme Court does indeed issue a majority opinion along the lines of the leaked draft authored by Justice Alito, the shift in the tectonic plates of abortion rights will be as significant as any opinion the court has ever issued,” said American Civil Liberties Union Executive Director Anthony Romero.
Women’s rights groups also expressed anger, disappointment, and extreme resolve. Planned Parenthood said on Twitter, “Let’s be clear: This is a draft opinion. It’s outrageous, it’s unprecedented, but it is not final. Abortion is your right — and it is STILL LEGAL.”
An extremist Supreme Court is poised to overturn #RoeVWade and impose its far-right, unpopular views on the entire country. It’s time for the millions who support the Constitution and abortion rights to stand up and make their voices heard. We’re not going back—not ever. -Sen. Elizabeth Warren
Five Conservative judges currently make up the majority of the Supreme Court with three of those judges appointed to the Supreme Court during the Trump Presidency. There are 26 states currently ready to overturn Roe V Wade such as Mississippi, Florida, Idaho, Oklahoma, Texas, and more. Pro-Choice advocates fear the overturning of Roe V Wade could put more women and young girls at risk by banning abortions, particularly in the cases of rape and incest, and forcing women into “back-alley” abortions.
By turning the clock back fifty years with this bombshell draft, legislators say now is the time to act and pass the Women’s Health Protection act and eliminate the filibuster.
The Supreme Court has yet to respond to the leaked draft.
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