Pro-lifers ask for prayers that the United States Supreme Court Justices would be steadfast in overturning Roe v. Wade in the face of the leaked draft opinion on the Dobbs v. Jacksons Women's Health case.
Prayers For Supreme Court Justices
The Christian Headlines reported that pro-lifers such as Cissie Graham Lynch of Samaritan's Purse took to Twitter to urge the public to pray for the justices. Lynch raised that the leak was unprecedented and may have been done intentionally to pressure the Supreme Court justices to vote against overturning Roe v. Wade. She particularly requested that people pray for the justices to remain steadfast.
Something is fishy in DC tonight. This is unprecedented. How is this leaked almost 2 months early? Will Justices be bullied by the left to change their votes in the 11th hour? PRAY THEY STAY STRONG. #RoeVWade https://t.co/7Ab36XLiAV
"” Cissie Graham Lynch (@CissieGLynch) May 3, 2022
Live Action Founder Lila Rose supported Lynch's tweet and similarly asked for prayers for the justices every night until the decision comes out in June. Rose also expressed fears the justices will face severe pressure such as unprecedented threats because of the leak.
Accordingly, a similar situation happened in 1991 when five justices voted to overturn Roe v. Wade in line with the Casey v. Planned Parenthood case but one Justice Anthony Kennedy switched his vote before the final decision was released in 1992. The switch cased the 5-4 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade into one that upholds it.
Christianity Daily reported that the 98-page opinion of Associate Justice Samuel Alito to overturn Roe v. Wade was published by Politico on Monday. The draft was reportedly made in February and unclear if it was revised since then.
Also Read: Draft Overturning Roe V. Wade Leaked From Supreme Court
Investigating the Supreme Court Leak
In the opinion, Alito stressed the need to overturn Roe v. Wade and pointed out that the Constitution does not consider abortion a right. He underscored that Roe v. Wade has damaging consequences that are divisive to the nation.
"We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled. The Constitution makes no reference to abortion, and no such right is implicitly protected by any constitutional provision, including the one on which the defenders of Roe and Casey now chiefly rely--the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Roe was egregiously wrong from the start," Alito said.
"Its reasoning was exceptionally weak, and the decision has had damaging consequences. And far from bringing about a national settlement of the abortion issue, Roe and Casey have enflamed debate and deepened division. It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people's elected representatives," he added.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court confirmed that the draft opinion published by Politico was written by Alito. Chief Justice John Roberts has ordered the Marshal of the Court to investigate the matter. The chief justice condemned it as a betrayal of the Court's confidence that is set to undermine the integrity of their operations.
Roberts pointed out that it was normal and necessary for draft opinions to circulate internally among the justices. He stressed that draft opinions do not necessarily represent the final position of the high court. He said the leak was a a singular and egregious breach of the trust of those who work in the Supreme Court.
