The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to halt a Texas law that bans most abortions, ruling 5 to 4 the law can remain in effect even while legal challenges against it continue. It’s the court’s biggest break yet from the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion nationwide. Chief Justice John Roberts joined the court’s three liberal justices in their dissent, with Justice Sonia Sotomayor writing, “The court should not be so content to ignore its constitutional obligations to protect not only the rights of women, but also the sanctity of its precedents and of the rule of law.” All five of the justices who allowed the abortion ban to stay in effect were appointed by Republican presidents, three of them by Donald Trump.
President Biden said the Texas law “blatantly violates” the constitutional right to abortion enshrined in Roe v. Wade. It’s the most restrictive anti-choice law in the nation, barring abortions about six weeks into a pregnancy — before many people even know they’re pregnant. There is no exception for rape or incest. The law also allows anyone in Texas to sue patients, medical workers, or even a patient’s family or friends who “aid and abet” an abortion. This is Alexis McGill Johnson, president of Planned Parenthood.
Alexis McGill Johnson: “It’s empowering really bad behavior, incentivizing really bad behavior. We’re seeing people outside of clinics documenting license plates, taking pictures of people going into clinics. And, you know, it’s having its intended effect, right? It’s trying to sow chaos and confusion and, most importantly, fear.”
Texas clinics say they’ve had to cancel most of their appointments since the law took effect Wednesday. Providers say at least 85% of abortions that they performed are now outlawed.