The Anti-Abortion Movement's Response to the SCOTUS Leak
The Anti-Abortion Movement's Response to the SCOTUS Leak
The anti-abortion movement reacted to the leaked draft opinion from the U.S. Supreme Court with claims that the leak was intended to 'bully' the Justices.
The leaked draft opinion by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito that would overturn Roe v Wade has been responded to by the anti-abortion movement not with celebration of the movement’s apparent imminent victory, but with accusations and speculation about who was behind the leak:
Fr. Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life, claimed in an email to supporters that “without question pro-abortion extremists are using Monday night’s bombshell to rile up anti-life fanatics and intimidate the Court’s ‘moderate’ Justices from doing as they appear to have done and use Dobbs to overturn Roe v Wade.”
Troy Newman, president of Operation Rescue, claimed in a statement that “there’s little doubt that leftist proaborts, probably from Sotomayor’s office, leaked the Alito decision out of panic over the possibility of losing the Dobbs case. I can smell their fear and desperation.”
Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life, wrote in an email to supporters that “of course, we've always known Roe would be reversed,” and claimed that “it was leaked as a desperate measure by the pro-abortion movement to bully the Supreme Court Justices to change their minds before the final decision.”
Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of Susan B. Anthony List, said in a press release that the “American people have the right to act through their elected officials to debate and enact laws that protect unborn children and honor women. If Roe is indeed overturned, our job will be to build consensus for the strongest protections possible for unborn children and women in every legislature.”
Lila Rose, founder and president of Live Action, wrote in an email to supporters that “Planned Parenthood and their pro-abortion allies are using their influence in Congress, in the media, and in Hollywood to codify Roe and to make every state in the nation a sanctuary for abortion. They’re also trying to publicly pressure pro-life Justices to change their votes and to uphold Roe.”
Steven Aden, chief legal officer and general counsel at Americans United for Life, said in a press release that “it is outrageous that this draft language was leaked, presumably by pro-abortion staffers within the Court. It is a cynical and naked attempt to pressure justices to alter course in Dobbs and to perpetuate abortion violence. The Court should maintain the moral high ground, stick to the clear and courageous language of this draft opinion, and not allow itself to be ruled by the expectations of pro-abortion activists or proxy media allies.”
Diane Ferraro, CEO of Save the Storks, wrote in an email to supporters that “as much as it is cause for celebration, it will also cause a lot of chaos and panic, from abortion rights groups and abortion clinics, people who will be rallying and protesting this decision. The overturning of Roe v Wade will not eliminate abortion as states rush to pass their own pro-abortion laws.”
Serrin Foster, president of Feminists for Life of America, wrote in an email to supporter that after the Court overturns Roe v Wade the “debate will move to the states.” Foster also criticized reproductive justice advocates for noting how abortion restrictions disproportionately impact communities of color: “Using poor women and women of color to defend abortion is unacceptable. Nothing is more racist than abortion.”
They're right, but the leak was from the Right, probably Alito himself and if not him, then Thomas. There was probably some pushback from Roberts and possibly one other conservative justice, requesting at least some nod to stare decisis and slight moderation not to completely destroy Roe. The pressure is to keep the conservatives in line. Liberals knew Roe was endangered the minute that McConnell refused to act on Garland's nomination. When Trump was elected, the deal was sealed.