Sen. Hawley blasts left for 'celebrating' Supreme Court leak
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., responds to 'disgusting' threats of protests against conservative justices on 'The Story.'
In the wake of the leak of a draft opinion that would signal an overturning of Roe v. Wade and return abortion policymaking back to state governments, Sen. Josh Hawley slammed left-wing activists "celebrating" the development.
The Missouri Republican told "The Story" on Fox News Thursday that President Biden is one of many on the left who believe there should be only one singular acceptable national view on abortion.
Hawley, who clerked for Chief Justice John Roberts, said the leak is a "threat to judicial independence."
A crowd of people gather outside the Supreme Court, Monday night, May 2, 2022 in Washington following reports of a leaked draft opinion by the court overturning Roe v. Wade. (AP Photo/Anna Johnson)
"I know the leftists are celebrating it. And what they're trying to do is use it to pressure the Supreme Court into changing its opinion, into changing its deliberations," he said, adding that threats by protesters to go to justices' homes is "dangerous."
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"They're trying to undermine the independence and integrity of the court," Hawley said.
Biden (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Responding to a 1982 clip of then-Delaware Sen. Joe Biden speaking as he emerged as the only Democrat to side with Republicans in support of an amendment to let state governments legislate against the Roe ruling, Hawley said the change in tone has been stark.
The video showed then-Sen. Biden calling upon his Catholic faith to explain his siding with pro-life Republicans. Earlier this week, President Biden used the phrase "abort a child" to defend the abortion rights argument.
"He wants to say that there's only one view on abortion and the Supreme Court's going to control it. And he, Joe Biden, is going to dictate it," Hawley said.
Hawley (Tom Williams-Pool/Getty Images)
If the court sides with the state of Mississippi in Dobbs v. Jackson as the leaked draft opinion suggests, Hawley said Americans would be able to decide what abortion laws should be in their states in a "small-d" democratic form of governance.
Observers have pointed out that left-leaning state governments in New York and California are likely to thereby legislate far to the pro-choice side of the spectrum, while right-leaning states like Texas and Florida are likely to support the pro-life view through legislation
"That's what the Constitution gives to the people -- the right to control this issue and to make up their own minds," Hawley said.
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