Politico: Draft shows Supreme Court votes to overturn abortion rights

The Supreme Court will overturn Roe v. Wade, according to a draft majority opinion, Politico reports.

The draft is an overturn of the 1973 case, and the 1992 Planned Parenthood v. Casey case. Both guaranteed federal constitutional abortion protections.

“We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled,” Justice Samuel Alito wrote in the opinion. “It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives.”

Politico reports a person familiar with the court’s deliberations said four of the other Republican-appointed justices — Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett voted against the cases.

The three left-leaning justices –Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan — are working on dissents.

It’s unclear how Chief Justice John Roberts will vote.

The leak of the draft opinion is the first in modern history while a case is still pending.

The court’s holding will not be final until it is published. That could take a couple months.

Governor Kathy Hochul released a statement after the draft leaked. She said:

"I am horrified by the apparent draft Supreme Court opinion leaked this evening that would overturn the right to abortion guaranteed by Roe v. Wade. For the sake of women across the country, this should not be the Supreme Court’s final opinion when it comes to abortion rights.

"We have been fighting this battle for too long. I refuse to go backwards. I refuse to let my new granddaughter have to fight for the rights generations have fought for and won, rights that she should be guaranteed.

"For anyone who needs access to care, our state will welcome you with open arms. New York will always be a place where abortion rights are protected and where abortion is safe and accessible. Just as the Statue of Liberty lifts her lamp tall in our harbor, New York will never stop fighting for what’s right — unafraid and undeterred."