New York Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand spoke to the press Thursday to address the leaked Supreme Court majority opinion draft of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. In the Justice Samuel Alito penned document, it is made clear the majority intends to overturn 1973's Roe v. Wade and 1992's Casey v. Planned Parenthood.
Asking her congressional colleagues to pass the Women's Health Protection Act (WHPA), Gillibrand said:
"I would like to speak to America's men for one minute. And imagine you do not have authority over your own body for 10 months."
"Imagine if that decision making would be taken away even if you would die in childbirth”
"I don't think a man in America could actually imagine not having control of his body, his bodily functions, what happens to him and what life would be like, for 10 months."
Gillibrand: \u201cI would like to speak to America's men for one minute. And imagine you do not have authority over your own body for 10 months. Imagine if that decision making would be taken away even if you would die in childbirth\u201d— Michael McAuliff (@Michael McAuliff) 1651775426
Gillibrand: "I don't think a man in America could actually imagine not having control of his body, his bodily functions, what happens to him and what life would be like, for 10 months."— Michael McAuliff (@Michael McAuliff) 1651777045
The Democratic Senator then turned her attention toward the SCOTUS justices.
She said:
"It is an outrage that we have 5 justices on the Supreme Court who lied, lied in their confirmation hearings in order to be confirmed.. that in America today our judicial system is so corrupted and so politicized and no longer representative of the will of the people"
"Five justices said they respect precedent precedent. Five said that Roe v Wade was established precedent."
"Five said they would never undermine established precedent. It is unconscionable what this decision will do to the American people."
Gillibrand: "It is an outrage that we have 5 justices on the Supreme Court who lied, lied in their confirmation hearings in order to be confirmed.. that in America today our judicial system is so corrupted and so politicized and no longer representative of the will of the people"— Michael McAuliff (@Michael McAuliff) 1651777137
Gillibrand: "Five justices said they respect precedent precedent. Five said that Roe v Wade was established precedent. Five said they would never undermine established precedent. It is unconscionable what this decision will do to the American people."— Michael McAuliff (@Michael McAuliff) 1651777241
You can see video of the Senator's impassioned speech here:
The words alone don't quite capture it, so here's a quick clip: pic.twitter.com/W3EnOQeBeO
— Michael McAuliff (@mmcauliff) May 5, 2022
The Senator added:
"It is barbaric, it is inhumane, it is unacceptable, and I hope every human being in this country understands that when you take away a woman's right to make her decisions about her health and well-being, she is no longer a full citizen."
"She no longer has freedom, she no longer has bodily autonomy, she no longer has basic civil rights or civil liberties."
"That is what this decision would do in America today."
After the press conference, Gillibrand reiterated her point about the justices who lied during the confirmation process and addressed the idea of impeaching those justices.
When it was pointed out to Gillibrand that the remedy for lying judges is impeachment, she said: "I'd like to see an investigation first... from either the House or Senate."— Michael McAuliff (@Michael McAuliff) 1651779518
Gillibrand stated she favored an investigation into judicial misconduct prior to impeachment of any SCOTUS justices.
People concurred with the Senator's concerns.
and I wanted to have my tubes tied. He REQUIRED my husband sign his APPROVAL for the procedure and refused to do it w/o his signature. This was years ago and I'm still pissed off.— Kathy-PRO CHOICE (@Kathy-PRO CHOICE) 1651781431
I've known for years this would happen. Who did you vote for in 2016?— Jim Balter (@Jim Balter) 1651786670
I\u2019ve had an abortion and I simply cannot imagine being told i no longer have the right to decide what I can and cannot do with my own body. Thank you @SenGillibrand for speaking outpic.twitter.com/IjjmV16v08— Freakin Reya Sunshine \ud83c\udf35 (@Freakin Reya Sunshine \ud83c\udf35) 1651783115
And it needs to be, clearly!— Thomas Deans Fine Art (@Thomas Deans Fine Art) 1651791043
Same as they'll do to gay citizens, becuase the SCOTUS decision legalizing SS Marriage was based on the same Clauses of the 14th Amendment as Roe vs Wade.\n\nThey're also the same clauses that outlawed anti- Miscegenation laws in Loving v Virginia.— VAwitch (@VAwitch) 1651816776
Ladies. It's time. Rise.\n\nI am with you. I will fight with AND FOR you. #RoeVWadepic.twitter.com/AWULTVRP7O— Biff Tannen (I'm/me) (@Biff Tannen (I'm/me)) 1651790621
Chief Justice John Roberts stated an investigation into who leaked the majority opinion draft would be completed.
The date the finalized opinions will be issued has not been specified.
26 states will restrict reproductive rights once the SCOTUS ruling overturns the legal precedents that guaranteed bodily autonomy.
