Shock in the US after the revelation – shock about the right to abortion

The revelation that the US Supreme Court may overturn the historic 1973 ruling that legalized women’s right to abortion sparked pro- and anti-abortion protests in the streets of Washington. A draft of the Conservative majority in the Supreme Court, which leaked to the media, shows that a vote has already been held to overturn the historic decision in the Rowe-Wade case, according to the Politico news website.

The Supreme Court and the White House declined to comment on the article.

Hours after the news broke, anti-abortion protesters gathered outside the Supreme Court building, shouting “Rowe vs. Wade must leave,” while women’s advocates said “abortion equals medical treatment.”

Abortion has been one of the most divisive issues in American society for almost half a century.

A 2021 poll by the Pew Research Center found that 59% of American adults believe that abortion should be legal in all or most cases, while 39% that it should be illegal in most or all cases.

The verdict in the 1973 case was “blatantly wrong from the start,” Judge Samuel Alito said in the draft opinion, dated February 10, according to Politico.

Based on Alito’s opinion, the Supreme Court ruled that the Rowe v. Wade ruling, which allowed the United States to have abortions until the fetus could survive outside the womb – around the 24th to 28th week of pregnancy – was wrong. The US Constitution does not specifically mention the right to abortion.

“Abortion is a deeply moral issue. “The Constitution does not forbid the inhabitants of any state to regulate or prohibit abortion”, Alito pointed out, according to the leaked document.

This unprecedented leak shocked the US, mainly because the Supreme Court has a reputation for keeping its internal processes secret and leaks of this kind are not uncommon.

But the news did not surprise doctors and non-governmental organizations offering abortion services, according to Reuters and the Athens News Agency. On Monday night, Andrea Galegos, executive director of the Tulsa Women’s Clinic in Oklahoma, had just telephoned about 25 women to inform them that the abortion they had scheduled for Tuesday would be canceled as it would soon take effect. very strict legislation in the state, similar to that adopted in Texas.

“I can not say that I am surprised,” he said.

“This period Conservative states like Oklahoma pass the same legislation as Texas. “I have to say that I am less optimistic and much more afraid of Rowe’s future.”

Conservative majority

The decision on the right to abortion will be the most important that the Supreme Court has taken since former US President Donald Trump managed to appoint three judges to it, consolidating the 6-3 majority in favor of the Conservatives.

“The votes of Republican-appointed judges in overthrowing Rowe v. Wade will go down in history as an abomination, one of the worst and most damaging decisions in modern history,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and its leader. in the Senate Chuck Sumer, both Democrats.

The news comes just over six months before the November midterm elections in the United States, which will determine whether Democrats will be able to maintain a slim majority in Congress for the next two years of Joe Biden’s presidency.

The Supreme Court ruling appears to be based on an oral argument cited in December by Mississippi lawyers defending state law banning abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy. The implementation of this legislation has been hindered by lower courts.

According to the Politico publication, the majority of the Court seems to be considering the Mississippi law as legal and that there will be five votes to overturn Rowe v. Wade. The official ruling of the Court will be announced before the end of June.

Four Republican-appointed judges – Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsatz, Brett Cavanaugh and Amy Connie Barrett – were in favor of Alito’s position in the debate, according to the report.

After the presentation of oral arguments and after a vote has taken place, a member of the majority group undertakes to draw up the draft opinion. The document is then distributed to members of the Supreme Court. In some cases, views may change between the initial vote and the announcement of the decision. Any decision is considered final only after it is made public.

Rowe v. Wade recognized that the right to privacy, enshrined in the US Constitution, protects women who wish to terminate a pregnancy.

Christian Conservatives and many Republican officials have been trying to overturn this decision for years.

If that happens, abortion is likely to remain legal in the liberal states. More than 12 states in the United States have legislation that protects the right to abortion. However, many Republican states have passed bills restricting this right, defying Rowe v. Wade.

Republicans will try to impose an abortion ban nationwide, while Democrats will seek to protect that right.

Democrats have said the release of the draft opinion undermines this year’s election, while Republicans have criticized the move, saying it was an attempt to pressure the Supreme Court to reverse its decision.