Florida leaders react to leaked Supreme Court draft opinion purportedly about overturning Roe v. Wade
ORLANDO, Fla. - Hours after Politico reported on an apparently leaked Supreme Court draft opinion that purportedly indicates the Court has voted to overturn Roe v. Wade, Florida and national leaders and representatives have reacted and released statements regarding the report.
To be clear, the U.S. Supreme Court has not officially announced a decision regarding the future of Roe v. Wade, and it is widely understood that until the Court announces a decision, no decision is considered to be final or official.
Chief Justice John Roberts on Tuesday confirmed that the leaked document was real while noting that it does not necessarily reflect a final verdict from the justices or the Court in the case. He also ordered an investigation.
The apparent leak of the Supreme Court document itself is "unprecedented," said Aubrey Jewett, an associate professor at the University of Central Florida. He appeared on Good Day Orlando Tuesday morning to discuss the significance of the leak and the purported report. Watch his interview in the player above.
Here is a collection of leaders who've issued statements. We will continue to add as more statements come into the newsroom.
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio
Florida Sen. Rick Scott
U.S. Rep. Val Demings
U.S. Rep. Brian Mast
"I fought on battlefields to protect the innocent and uphold the Constitution. Abortion does neither. As a soldier, I’ve seen what true evil looks like. But as a father, I’ve seen pure innocence. There’s no doubt in my mind that every heartbeat of an innocent child is worth protecting. This decision has the opportunity to protect millions of vulnerable, unborn babies, and it is undoubtedly the right one."
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried
Florida Democratic Party
"This is what Republicans stand for. By overturning Roe v. Wade, they are severely limiting women’s rights to control their own bodies and make their own health care decisions. If this report is true, the Supreme Court’s decision will only embolden extremist Republicans to continue attacking the right to choose nationwide. Florida Democrats are determined to fight back against every effort to do so."