California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) called a draft Supreme Court majority opinion published by Politico that overturns Roe v. Wade an “appalling attack” on women and declared the state’s constitution would be amended to protect abortion access.
“This draft opinion is an appalling attack on the rights of women across this country and if it stands, it will destroy lives and put countless women in danger. It will be the end of fundamental constitutional rights that American women have had for nearly 50 years,” Newsom wrote in a statement early Tuesday morning.
“I’m furious that my own daughters and sons could grow up in an America that is less free than the one they were born into,” he added. “We have to wake up. We have to fight like hell. We will not be silenced.”
The remarks come after Justice Samuel Alito’s draft opinion was obtained by Politico in an unprecedented leak for the Supreme Court. In the draft, which was prepared in the early stages of deliberations and could change before the court’s final decision in the summer, Alito called Roe v. Wade “egregiously wrong” and said the case has “inflamed debate and deepened division” in the U.S.
If Roe v. Wade is overturned, the legality of abortion would be determined by individual state legislatures, with Republican states likely to ban the procedures and Democratic states likely to protect abortion access.
Along those lines, Newsom, along with other Democratic legislatures, declared California would enshrine abortion access.
“California will not stand by as women across America are stripped of their rights,” Newsome’s office tweeted. “With @SenToniAtkins and @Rendon63rd, we are proposing an amendment to enshrine the right to choose in the California constitution. #RoeVsWade”
Multiple Democratic states have laws on the books that would protect abortion access if Roe v. Wade gets overturned by the conservative-leaning court.
Democrats have been quick to condemn the reported court ruling with protests at the Supreme Court erupting quickly after the report was published.
Republicans have decried the leak of the decision saying this is an attempt to pressure justices to change their minds before the final decision is released.
