The Supreme Court confirmed the authenticity of a leaked draft opinion suggesting the court is poised to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case that legalized abortion nationwide, according to the Associated Press.
“Although the document described in yesterday’s reports is authentic, it does not represent a decision by the Court or the final position of any member on the issues in the case,” Chief Justice John Roberts said in a statement.
Politico publish a draft majority opinion Monday night authored by Justice Samuel Alito, striking down Roe and Planned Parenthood v. Casey which upheld a right to have an abortion that was established under Roe.
Conservative Justices Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett voted with Alito.
In the Tuesday statement, Roberts called the leak a “betrayal of the confidences of the Court intended to undermine the integrity of our operations, it will not succeed.”
Roberts said he has directed the Marshal of the Court to investigate the source of the leak.
“This was a singular and egregious breach of that trust that is an affront to the Court and the community of public servants who work here,” he said.
