As news of the Supreme Court's probable overturning of the guarantee of reproductive rights, the media asked former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to comment. Clinton was attending the 2022 Met Gala on Monday night.
During the event, a draft of a SCOTUS majority opinion was leaked and shared by Politico.
Justice Samuel Alito reportedly wrote of the 1973—Roe v. Wade—and 1992—Casey v. Planned Parenthood—landmark opinions that ensured reproductive freedom:
"We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled."
On Tuesday, Chief Justice John Roberts verified the leaked draft is authentic, but not finalized.
Justice Roberts stated an investigation into the leak will be conducted.
The coalition of conservative justices—Alito, Clarence Thomas, Amy Coney Barrett, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh—maintained:
"Roe was egregiously wrong from the start."
"It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives."
Secretary Clinton—winner of the 2016 presidential popular vote by 2,868,686 votes over Donald Trump—shared her views on Twitter while attending the gala.
She wrote:
"Not surprising. But still outrageous."
"This decision is a direct assault on the dignity, rights, & lives of women, not to mention decades of settled law."
She also warned:
"It will kill and subjugate women even as a vast majority of Americans think abortion should be legal."
"What an utter disgrace."
Not surprising. But still outrageous. \n\nThis decision is a direct assault on the dignity, rights, & lives of women, not to mention decades of settled law. It will kill and subjugate women even as a vast majority of Americans think abortion should be legal. What an utter disgrace.https://twitter.com/zackstanton/status/1521287480347086849\u00a0\u2026— Hillary Clinton (@Hillary Clinton) 1651544295
Earlier that evening, Clinton tweeted:
"Women's rights are human rights and human rights are women's rights."
"An extreme wing of the Supreme Court may seek to deny that fundamental truth."
"They may try to force their views on a country where 70% of people want Roe upheld."
"We will not be quiet and we will not go back."
Women's rights are human rights and human rights are women's rights.\n\nAn extreme wing of the Supreme Court may seek to deny that fundamental truth.\n\nThey may try to force their views on a country where 70% of people want Roe upheld.\n\nWe will not be quiet and we will not go back.— Hillary Clinton (@Hillary Clinton) 1651586352
It could be noted, had Republicans not blocked President Barack Obama's final Supreme Court pick for over a year, one of the four judges signing onto the conservative opinion with Alito—Neil Gorsuch—would not be a Supreme Court justice.
Had the popular vote and not the electoral college vote determined the 2016 presidential election, President Hillary Clinton—not Donald Trump—would have filled the SCOTUS seats now occupied by Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett.
Back in December of 2015, Clinton warned voters of the damage a Republican President could do.
Hey Hillary, I'm from the future and you were right. You were always right.— Mike (@Mike) 1651542051
Though voters didn't listen to Clinton's warnings in 2015, they're listening now.
Thank you and you are absolutely right once again.pic.twitter.com/x17PA69NZR— Bathsheba Dreams in Blue \ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\udf3b (@Bathsheba Dreams in Blue \ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\udf3b\ud83c\udf3b) 1651547274
We will fight again. \n2022— Kathy Griffin (@Kathy Griffin) 1651545025
pic.twitter.com/5icvFcfbCR— awwHALEnaww (@awwHALEnaww) 1651546427
pic.twitter.com/AXA8hamr2Q— Mark James (@Mark James) 1651551912
We knew that in 2016.— Catherine Burke (@Catherine Burke) 1651544482
On Tuesday morning, former New York Senator Clinton urged people to attend a demonstration that evening in Foley Square in New York city.
If you're in New York this afternoon, join grassroots organizers in support of abortion rights at Foley Square.pic.twitter.com/U1tjEaC0Jd— Hillary Clinton (@Hillary Clinton) 1651586548
Protests are planned across the United States.