SCOTUS Justice Alito Cancels Conference Appearance After Roe Draft Leak
Reuters reported that U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has canceled an appearance at a judicial conference set to begin on Thursday after a draft decision he wrote was leaked which indicated the high court would overturn its landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that guaranteed the right to abortion nationwide.
Justice Alito had been set to appear at the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ judicial conference, a gathering of judges from the New Orleans-based federal appeals court and the district courts of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters.
U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts confirmed the draft’s authenticity on Tuesday but emphasized it was not final, and said the court will investigate the leak, which he called a “betrayal.”
The scene outside the Supreme Court right now, large “Fuck Alito” chant going: pic.twitter.com/a1iWhraTCy
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) May 3, 2022
Both Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Clarence Thomas were slated to speak separately on Thursday and Friday at the 11th Circuit’s judicial conference in Atlanta, according to the event’s program, but it was unclear at press time if they would still attend.
#FuckAlito should trend, because free speech. And also because Fuck Alito @AdamParkhomenko @samyoungman
— Tara Dublin 🇺🇦🌻 (@taradublinrocks) May 4, 2022
Some SCOTUS-watchers have suggested Roberts leaked the memo himself, as he and Alito have drifted apart in both their friendship and ideologies over the years.
Alito’s assault on privacy and the Constitution will not be the last word — women will remember in November! -NP pic.twitter.com/nvsAyQInll
— Nancy Pelosi (@TeamPelosi) May 5, 2022
Patricia McCabe, a spokesperson for the Supreme Court, said on Wednesday that Justice Alito would not be attending the conference. McCabe gave no reason why Justice Alito was not going, as he is the justice assigned to hear emergency appeals from the 5th Circuit.