The Supreme Court on Friday ended constitutional protections for abortion that had stood in America for nearly a half-century. The decision by the court’s conservative majority overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling and is expected to lead to abortion bans in roughly half the states.
The ruling, unthinkable just a few years ago, was the culmination of decades of efforts by abortion opponents, made possible by an emboldened right side of the court that has been fortified by three appointees of former President Donald Trump.
Both sides predicted the fight over abortion would continue, in state capitals and Washington, and Justice Clarence Thomas, part of Friday’s majority, called on the court to overturn other high court rulings protecting same-sex marriage, gay sex, and the use of contraceptives. — (AP)
The president, from the White House Friday, slammed the high court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which protected “a woman’s right to choose” and “her right to make intensely personal decisions with her doctor, free from the interference of politics.”
Watch President Biden’s reaction to the Supreme Court’s decision on Roe v Wade:
Taylor Swift, who has become vocal about political issues over the past few years, tweeted Friday that she was “absolutely terrified that this is where we are” after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
I’m absolutely terrified that this is where we are – that after so many decades of people fighting for women’s rights to their own bodies, today’s decision has stripped us of that. https://t.co/mwK561oxxl
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) June 24, 2022
Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., released a statement Friday that praised the justices for overturning Roe. v. Wade:
Despite attempts to intimidate the justices, they did their work.
Roe v. Wade has misrepresented the Constitution since the ruling was rendered, and today’s decision to return the issue of abortion to the American people and the states corrects a legal and moral error.
— John Kennedy (@SenJohnKennedy) June 24, 2022
Planned Parenthood Wisconsin announced Friday that it was “temporarily suspending” abortion services in response to the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade.
“Because Wisconsin’s criminal abortion ban remains in effect, Planned Parenthood Wisconsin is temporarily suspending abortion services,” she said. “Please know that we are looking at all legal options available. This news is so incredibly devastating. The decision of whether or not to become a parent can be one of the most life-changing decisions a person can make,” she said. “You should be able to make the very personal, very needed health care decisions.”
Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, praised the Supreme Court’s ruling Friday in a brief statement.
“The sanctity of human life is a foundational American principle, and the lives of our children—both born and unborn—deserve our protection,” Romney said.
“I support the Court’s decision, which means that laws regarding abortion will now rightfully be returned to the people and their elected representatives,” he added.
Sen. Susan Collins said in a statement that the ruling was an “ill-considered action” and “not conservative.”
“The Supreme Court has abandoned a fifty-year precedent at a time that the country is desperate for stability. This ill-considered action will further divide the country at a moment when, more than ever in modern times, we need the Court to show both consistency and restraint,” Collins said. “Throwing out a precedent overnight that the country has relied upon for half a century is not conservative. It is a sudden and radical jolt to the country that will lead to political chaos, anger, and a further loss of confidence in our government.”
