‘Gravest, Most Unforgivable Sin’: Experts Slam Leak Of SCOTUS Draft On Roe V. Wade

Numerous legal experts and other notable political figures have slammed the leak of the Supreme Court’s draft of the majority opinion overturning Roe v. Wade on Monday night, saying that the leak will severely damage the trust within the Court.

In the majority opinion draft, which was obtained by Politico, Justice Samuel Alito writes that “Roe and Casey must be overruled. The Constitution makes no reference to abortion, and no such right is implicitly protected by any constitutional provision, including the one on which the defenders of Roe and Casey now chiefly rely—the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.”

“Roe was egregiously wrong from the start,” Alito added. “Its reasoning was exceptionally weak, and the decision has had damaging consequences. And far from bringing about a national settlement of the abortion issue, Roe and Casey have enflamed debate and deepened division.”

In response to the leak, SCOTUSblog tweeted, “It’s impossible to overstate the earthquake this will cause inside the Court, in terms of the destruction of trust among the Justices and staff. This leak is the gravest, most unforgivable sin.”

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) replied to SCOTUSblog, saying, “The next time you hear the far left preaching about how they are fighting to preserve our Republic’s institutions & norms remember how they leaked a Supreme Court opinion in an attempt to intimidate the justices on abortion.”

The next time you hear the far left preaching about how they are fighting to preserve our Republic’s institutions & norms remember how they leaked a Supreme Court opinion in an attempt to intimidate the justices on abortion https://t.co/9W6jKCZQQt

— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) May 3, 2022

“If this story is true, the Court should issue its opinion right away,” said former federal prosecutor and Fox News contributor Andrew McCarthy. “Otherwise the disgraceful leak wins. I would say that if my side lost. If we lose the integrity of the Court’s process, we lose the Court. That should be intolerable to all of us who live the country.”

If this story is true, the Court should issue its opinion right away. Otherwise the disgraceful leak wins. I would say that if my side lost. If we lose the integrity of the Court’s process, we lose the Court. That should be intolerable to all of us who live the country.

— Andy McCarthy (@AndrewCMcCarthy) May 3, 2022

Quickly after the news broke, barriers were put in place around the Supreme Court building as many worried for the safety of some of the conservative Justices, including Alito, Clarence Thomas, Amy Coney Barrett, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh.

Right now: Barricades are up around the Supreme Court building, just minutes after reports from Politico were leaked indicating SCOTUS has voted to overturn Roe v. Wade. pic.twitter.com/LxR9rbs6TF

— Cami Mondeaux (@cami_mondeaux) May 3, 2022