Politico has obtained a draft opinion showing the Supreme Court has voted to strike down the landmark Roe vs. Wade decision, which guarantees federal protection for abortion rights. The case before the court is a challenge to Mississippi's attempt to ban most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.
In the "Initial Draft Majority Opinion", Justice Samuel Alito calls Roe vs. Wade an "Ill-conceived and deeply flawed decision" that must be overturned. According to Politico, it's the first time a draft decision has been disclosed while a decision is still pending.
According to Politico, the draft was circulated earlier this year, but the final opinion has not been released. Votes can still change before opinions are formally released. The opinion in this case wasn't expected until June. But it shows a majority five justices would be voting to overturn, while Chief Justice John Roberts appears to have dissented from part of Alito's draft opinion.
The draft shows the court would overturn the constitutional right to an abortion, and could be the biggest decision on abortion rights and change how women would access reproductive health in the United States.
