- The Supreme Court confirmed the veracity of a leaked draft opinion that would gut Roe v. Wade.
- The court also noted that the draft "does not represent a decision by the Court or the final position of any member on the issues in the case."
- Chief Justice John Roberts said he's directed the court marshal to launch an investigation into the source of the leak.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday confirmed the authenticity of a leaked draft opinion that, if it stands, would gut the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that guaranteed the right to abortion.
"Although the document described in yesterday's reports is authentic, it does not represent a decision by the Court or the final position of any member on the issues in the case," the court said in a statement.
Chief Justice John Roberts also put out a statement saying the leak of the draft opinion, written by Justice Samuel Alito, was a "betrayal of the confidences of the Court intended to undermine the integrity of our operations," but that it "will not succeed."
"The work of the Court will not be affected in any way," Roberts added.
According to the draft, which was obtained and published in full by Politico late Monday, five justices appear poised to strike down Roe v. Wade: Alito, Justice Clarence Thomas, Justice Brett Kavanaugh, Justice Neil Gorsuch, and Justice Amy Coney Barrett.
All five were nominated by Republican presidents; Alito was nominated by George W. Bush, Thomas was nominated by George H.W. Bush, and Kavanaugh, Gorsuch, and Barrett were tapped by Donald Trump.
Roberts said in his Tuesday statement that he has directed the court marshal to launch an investigation into the source of the leak.
"This was a singular and egregious breach of that trust that is an affront to the Court and the community of public servants who work here," the statement said.
Alito's draft opinion, if it stands, would be the single most consequential decision on abortion rights since Roe v. Wade was decided in 1973.
"Roe was egregiously wrong from the start," Alito wrote, according to the draft published by Politico.
"We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled," he added, referring to the 1992 Planned Parenthood v. Casey ruling, which largely affirmed Roe's protections. "It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people's elected representatives."
This story is developing. Check back for updates.