A bombshell report published by Politico shows a draft opinion by the Supreme Court striking down Roe v. Wade. The draft document, which the court says is not a fake, will make abortion immediately illegal in over a dozen states across the country. Cheddar News speaks with Lala Wu, co-founder and executive director of Sister District who breaks down the possible implications if the ruling were to become official. 

Cheddar's News Wrap

Making Sense of The Draft Ruling Overturning Roe v. Wade

Welcome back to Chester's news wrap. The nation is stunned after politico published a bombshell report showing the draft of a Supreme Court ruling overturning roe v wade. Now, if this becomes official, the ruling would make abortion immediately illegal in over a dozen states, more would most likely follow the straps seemed to show little room for leeway stating quote row was egregiously wrong from the start. Joining me Now to discuss is La La woo, co founder and executive director of Sister District La La welcome to the show. This news was shocking, to say the least, despite several states moving to limit abortion rights for months. Now, what was your reaction when you first heard about this leak last night? Well, first, the result that it points to is not shocking for a long time. We have thought that the Supreme Court in this decision was going to either effectively gut or to overturn roe V wade, but it was shocking and it was rather confusing at first reading the headline that seeing this leaked decision, obviously having a opinion be leaked in draft is extremely unusual for a very secretive Supreme Court. So this is the first time in modern history that a ruling has been leaked. What do you think happened here? I cannot even begin to speculate. But the um you know, the Chief Justice roberts has asked for an investigation. The Marshal of the Court will be launching an investigation into this. Um and I do think that what is very interesting is as you said, how little leeway there is um in Justice Alito's language um that it is nearly mocking at times that it speaks so strongly of overturning roe v wade and Casey. Um it's as if he's been waiting for this moment and so um as shocking as the leak was as unprecedented as that method of learning this information was the result was not surprising and I I like many other people just felt a deep pit in the stomach even though, you know, you knew it was coming, it still felt like a punch in the gut. And you know, I myself have a very young daughter and you know, trying to imagine her growing up in a country where rho is not the law of the land is is very emotional. No political report of the five justices had initially voted to overturn roe do you think because anything can happen between now and june do you think one of them may change your mind in the next few weeks? Their mind, certainly anything could happen. And this decision is not final. This is just a draft opinion. But the that all signs point to a row being overturned. Um If you just look at who is on the Supreme Court right now, unfortunately, it is a hyper, it's a conservative majority and there have been unfortunately trump was able to appoint um you know, both Brett Kavanaugh and Amy coney Barrett to the Supreme Court and they have both indicated very strongly their desire to see roby overturned. So if roe falls, what will that mean for abortion rights in different parts of this country, La La. So abortion is already very unequally accessible depending on the state that you live in. And that is only going to become all the more true. If roe is indeed overturned, the uh your rights to get an abortion will be determined by the state that you live in. This will become a two world, a country that has basically two worlds, one where you can get access to an abortion and another where you can't and it all depends on what state you live there. Uh So the Guttmacher Institute has a really wonderful resource that has an interactive map that you can look up your state and understand the impact that it's going to have. This decision that will come down the line will have in your state. But it really becomes a state by state battle. And well, those of us who believe in reproductive justice and abortion as a right, I wish that there could be federal action on this. Um that's not forthcoming and we need to be realistic about that and understand how we can be clear eyed and strategic and we're going to have to focus on this battle. Each state by state of course, this potential ruling affects pregnant women. But this conversation. This decision is so much wider than that. Who else will will this impact, La La. This will impact all of us. Of course it's about pregnant women who are now pregnant or who plan to become pregnant or who don't plan to become pregnant. Those folks who um, you know, are already mothers have several Children. Um, you know, who want Children, but just don't think that this is the right time. It's really going to impact family planning, which all of us are in families. And so this is a decision that has wide wide will have wide around the ramifications for absolutely all of us. I think the other thing that's important to point out is that Justice alito in his draft opinion, talks about how the um, what he wants to say, what he's, what he's saying is that, you know, unless a right is really enumerated in the constitution really clearly, unless it's something that was originally contemplated, then we should kind of look a scan on it. He does try to have it both ways and say that this decision will not extend to anything beyond reproductive rights. But we know that the republicans are going to be very strategic. They're going to take to give an inch take a mile and we should look out for all of our civil rights. La La thank you so much for coming on and explaining this to me and the viewers further, La La woo co founder and executive director of Sister District