Two years ago today, the Supreme Court ruled to overturn Roe v. Wade, ending the constitutional right to an abortion. The court ruled 5–4 to overturn Roe, arguing in its majority opinion that the 1973 decision was “wrongly decided.”
Justice Samuel Alito penned the majority opinion. He wrote:
“Roe was egregiously wrong from the start. 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. It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives.”
The court’s Roe ruling came on the heels of a 6–3 ruling upholding Mississippi’s 15-week abortion ban.
Five of the court’s six conservatives ruled to overturn Roe. Chief Justice John Roberts joined the liberals in dissent.
Roberts wrote in a concurring opinion:
“The Court’s decision to overrule Roe and Casey is a serious jolt to the legal system — regardless of how you view those cases. A narrower decision rejecting the misguided viability line would be markedly less unsettling, and nothing more is needed to decide this case.”
Several leaders reacted to the decision with outrage: then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the decision a “slap in the face.”
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez showed up to a protest outside of the Supreme Court to speak out against the ruling.
California Rep. Maxine Waters was also spotted attending the demonstration outside of the Supreme Court.
Pres. Joe Biden called the decision “a sad day” for the country and called on Congress to codify abortion rights.
Vice President Kamala Harris also criticized the ruling during an event in Illinois, calling it a “health care crisis.”
Rep. Lauren Underwood also addressed the ruling during the event: “Today’s ruling ignores our stark reality.”
Then-House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy celebrated the ruling, calling it a “victory for the sanctity of life.”
The court’s ruling also made waves abroad: then-UK PM Boris Johnson criticized the decision, calling it a “step backwards.”
Canadian PM Justin Trudeau called the ruling an “attack on women’s freedom.”
Thousands across the U.S. also took to the streets that weekend to protest the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade.
According to CNN, 14 states have banned abortion in all or nearly all circumstances since Roe’s overturning.
