• Politicians from both sides of the aisle reacted to the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. 
  • Former Vice President Mike Pence said the decision "righted a historic wrong." 
  • Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called Friday "one of the darkest days our country has ever seen." 

Politicians from both sides of the aisle are reacting to the Supreme Court's Friday decision to overturn the precedent set in Roe v. Wade. 

The decision, which was part of Justice Samuel Alito's opinion in favor of Mississippi in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health, eliminates the standard set in Roe, which allowed abortion until about 24 weeks of pregnancy, otherwise known as viability, the point at which a fetus can survive outside the womb.

Former President Barack Obama said that the Court's decision to overturn Roe "not only reversed nearly 50 years of precedent, it relegated the most intensely personal decision someone can make to the whims of politicians and ideologues—attacking the essential freedoms of millions of Americans." 

Former First Lady Michelle Obama also weighed in, saying she is "heartbroken for people around this country who just lost the fundamental right to make informed decisions about their own bodies."

A post shared by Michelle Obama (@michelleobama)

 

Former Vice President Mike Pence, meanwhile, said Friday's decision "righted a historic wrong." 

"Now that Roe v. Wade has been consigned to the ash heap of history, a new arena in the cause of life has emerged and it is incumbent on all who cherish the sanctity of life to resolve that we will take the defense of the unborn and support for women in crisis pregnancies to every state Capitol in America," Pence said in the statement. 

Sen. Lindsey Graham echoed Pence's sentiments, saying Friday's decision is "a long overdue constitutional correction allowing for elected officials in the states to decide issues of life." 

He added that Roe was "constitutionally unsound from its inception." 

 

Multiple democratic politicians weighed in, many of whom strongly oppose the Court's ruling. 

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi blamed the idea that "American women today have less freedom than their mothers" on Republican politicians, including former President Donald Trump and Sen. Mitch McConnell. 

"While Republicans seek to punish and control women, Democrats will keep fighting ferociously to enshrine Roe v Wade into law… But make no mistake: the rights of women and all Americans are on the ballot this November," Pelosi said. 

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called Friday "one of the darkest days our country has ever seen." 

"Millions upon millions of American women are having their rights taken from them by five unelected Justices on the extremist MAGA court," Schumer said in a statement shared with Insider. 

He said the conservative justices "have stolen a fundamental right to have an abortion" and said they "were intentionally appointed by Republicans to overturn Roe v. Wade." 

He blamed all "MAGA Republicans" for Friday's decision. 

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the "Supreme Court opinion will live in infamy as a step backward for women's rights and human rights." 

Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin said he is "deeply disappointed" with the Court's decision. 

"I trusted Justice Gorsuch and Justice Kavanaugh when they testified under oath that they also believed Roe v. Wade was settled legal precedent and I am alarmed they chose to reject the stability the ruling has provided for two generations of Americans," Manchin wrote in a statement.

He added that he supports legislation that would codify the rights Roe v. Wade previously protected. 

Sen. Chris Murphy, who has recently been a leader in the movement toward stricter gun control laws in America, pointed out the "inconsistency" of the Republican party. 

"The implausible inconsistency of the guns and abortion rulings is both sickening and revealing," Murphy said. 

Sen. Tammy Baldwin said "Republicans have taken Wisconsin women back to 1849." 

"It is Republicans who want to keep us there with support for having politicians interfere in the freedoms of women who will now have fewer rights than their mothers and grandmothers have had for decades," she said. 

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries said Friday's decision was a ploy by Republicans "to criminalize abortion and wipe out access to contraception nationwide" and called the decision "extreme" in a statement.  

Former Obama-era Attorney General Eric Holder said "Today is bad. But the worst is yet to come- watch what those states now do. Time for action, determination and reform." 

 

 

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