House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Former President Obama and other Democrats heavily criticized the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, saying the court retracted a fundamental right and warning that Republicans may seek a nationwide abortion ban.
Driving the news: The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey on Tuesday, effectively ending all federal protections on abortion.
- In the court's 6-3 majority opinion, written by Justice Samuel Alito, the court ruled that "The Constitution does not confer a right to abortion; Roe and Casey are overruled; and the authority to regulate abortion is returned to the people and their elected representatives."
- Without Roe and other Supreme Court precedents guaranteeing abortion access, states have the legal authority to regulate or ban the procedure at any point in a pregnancy — including at fertilization, Axios' Oriana Gonzalez reports.
What they're saying:
Former President Obama
- Obama said in a tweet: "Today, the Supreme Court not only reversed nearly 50 years of precedent, it relegated the most intensely personal decision someone can make to the whims of politicians and ideologues—attacking the essential freedoms of millions of Americans."
- "Across the country, states have already passed bills restricting choice. If you're looking for ways to respond, [Planned Parenthood], [United State of Women] and, many other groups have been sounding the alarm on this issue for years—and will continue to be on the front lines of this fight," he added.
- "For more than a month, we’ve known this day was coming—but that doesn’t make it any less devastating," he added, referring to a leaked opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito and published by Politico in early May that showed that the Supreme Court was poised to overturn Roe v. Wade.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi
- Pelosi said in a statement: "Today, the Republican-controlled Supreme Court has achieved the GOP’s dark and extreme goal of ripping away women’s right to make their own reproductive health decisions."
- "Because of Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell, the Republican Party & their supermajority on the Supreme Court, American women today have less freedom than their mothers. Radical Republicans are now charging ahead with their crusade to criminalize health freedom," she added.
- "In Congress, Republicans are plotting a nationwide abortion ban. In the states, they want to arrest doctors offering reproductive care & women for terminating a pregnancy. GOP extremists are threatening to criminalize contraception, in-vitro fertilization & post-miscarriage care."
- "A woman’s fundamental health decisions are her own to make, in consultation with her doctor & her loved ones – not to be dictated by far-right politicians. While Republicans seek to punish & control women, Democrats will keep fighting ferociously to enshrine Roe v. Wade into law. "
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer
- Schumer said in a tweet: "Today is one of the darkest days our country has ever seen."
- "American women are having their rights taken by 5 unelected Justices on the extremist MAGA court," he added.
- "These justices—appointed by Republicans and presiding without accountability—have stolen the fundamental right to abortion."
Editor's note: This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
