‘It’s precedent’: how supreme court justices spoke about Roe v Wade in the past

With Roe v Wade on the brink of defeat, following the leak of a supreme court opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito and signed by four other conservative judges, the court’s views – and track record – on abortion are under extreme scrutiny.

The Guardian looks back at what Alito and four other justices have said on the landmark 1973 case in the past. Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch were adamant when pressed at their own confirmation hearings that they viewed Roe v Wade as 'precedent', with Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett citing the Planned Parenthood v Casey decision in 1992, which reaffirmed the landmark ruling.

#Abortion #SupremeCourt #RoeVWade #RoeVsWade #BrettKavanaugh #AmyConeyBarrett #PlannedParenthood #NeilGorsuch

[fallofegg]

We need younger people running this country. The majority are gonna be dead and gone within the next decade or two, there’s no reason they should be choosing how we will all live.

[star]

If they are allowed to lie under oath, why can’t people accused lie under oath? Shouldn’t justices be put a higher standard than the normal people about honesty and literally court processes. If they are allowed to evade the oath, shouldn’t everyone be? Do they not realize they are going against the very thing a judge stands for: honesty?

[AragornRespecter]

If anyone honestly thinks that precedent is this sacred thing that should never ever be touched I have three words for you.

Plessy vs. Ferguson

[bramak]

Alito has the tendency to tilt his head when he talks. Still, the way he was talking, his body language was like, I am lying, don't look at me.

Gorsuch. He had smirks, you can see in his face as he is trying to mimic and keep posture, from this you can tell that he practised this answer. He was clearly lying.

Kavanaugh is a hard one, his posture is hard to read, very probably he is a chronic liar. His history tells volumes, he is a jester, everyone knows.

Barret is easy. Look at how she controls, twitches her eyes, she loses it, then starts focusing on her mouth, when she squirms. But you don't have to understand these human elements, her verbals are clear. You look into her history, her contacts, and then she says she has no agenda.

Not only the senate but the sc is a joke.

[dee]

girl is molested by her uncle and gets pregnant. However young she may be, Republicans will force her to have the child or she will go jail.
But take part in an insurrection you're a hero that needs leniency?

[Bob-hqlj]

Slavery was once a Constitutional right but it was properly taken away

[nigelpar]

They all seem to be making a great case for limiting Supreme Court judges to a fixed term of say 7 years.

[bunbwre]

A country is in a lot of trouble when you can’t trust a judges word.

[BBountyHunter]

It’s the precedent until it isn’t. Like all precedents.

[RGAMBLER]

*MOLOCH WARNS OF LOOMING CHILD SACRIFICE SUPPLY CHAIN SHORTAGES*

[OrcusMaximus]

Maybe wealthy couples should be forced to adopt unwanted babies as a civic duty. Just watch the views on abortion change when you face the consequences of your vote.

[marioluigi]

Well courts don't have to follow precedents when those precedents are based on faulty reasoning. Otherwise we could never have got rid of things like "separate but equal" schools for black people

[ticklingoscillators]

‘It’s precedent’ doesn’t mean it’s constitutional or a federal matter. It is the sole function of supreme justices to determine this, they have every right to overturn it.

[cg]

Guardian getting ratioed!! A few second out of context clip designed to deceive you into believing they lied about a tremendously complex issue

[Zindo.Majesty.HisMajesty]

Need Joe Wilson in the room to yell “you lie”

[reklaw]

Cope harder. There was no foundation to Roe v Wade. Precedent with zero foundation should be rescinded.

[jdallow]

The Federal Government could lease property on Federal lands inside of anti-abortion states i.e parks, military bases, so-forth, to abortion providers. This would circumvent local laws while providing the service to the local populace. The Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution would protect these providers and their patients from local laws seeking to interfere with the clinics. It would be an easy out for the Federal Government to do this.

[ed]

And just like that, we’re back at my body my choice & we decide our healthcare 😂

[richardanson]

If so many people supposedly back abortion in US why is there so much outrage with a decision which ultimately hands over a greater level of democratisation to the people on this issue through a more granular state legislative process?

[satyasyasatyasya]

Its called *lying.* Whats the story here?