Abortion in Ohio: Partisan divide on report justices might overturn Roe v. Wade
Abortion opponents reacted optimistically Monday night after Politico reported that a leaked U.S. Supreme Court draft decision in a Mississippi abortion law case indicates the court's Republican majority intends to overturn Roe v. Wade.
According to the report, a draft of a Supreme Court majority decision that Politico says was penned by Justice Sam Alito in February denounces the 1973 decision which guaranteed federal constitutional protections of abortion rights, writing “Roe was egregiously wrong from the start.”
The highly unusual leak of a draft opinion, which USA TODAY could not independently verify Monday night, set off a firestorm around one of the nation's most divisive culture war issues and simultaneously raised questions about the court's ability to keep its deliberations secret.
Abortion in Ohio: With U.S. Supreme Court decision looming, abortion access in Ohio is on the ballot
Aaron Baer, president of Columbus-based Center for Christian Virtue, told The Dispatch he believed America was on course to end abortion.
“Countless hours have been spent in prayer, in pregnancy centers, at the polls, and in communities fighting to end abortion,” Baer said in a statement. “It now seems our prayers have been heard from heaven, and we may truly see Roe v. Wade overturned.”
Pro-Choice Ohio Kellie Copeland said in a statement that although many expected this could be the majority's decision on the court, this is not an official decision.
"Nevertheless, the heartbreak, pain and fear are not diminished," Copeland said.
“If legal access to abortion is lost in Ohio, we know that the people most impacted will be Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, disabled folks, trans people, minors, and low-income Ohioans," Copeland said. "We must, and will continue to fight back. There will be tough days ahead. But we will not be defeated, because we will not surrender.”
On Twitter, Tim Ryan, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate said that "overturning Roe would be absolutely wrong."
"Not to mention catastrophic for Ohio, where Republicans have introduced one extreme proposal after another to ban abortion before most women even know they're pregnant," Ryan said on Twitter.
While Baer noted that the leaked document is not “the final word from the Court” on the matter, he said it was a “reminder that overturning Roe is truly a possibility.”
Baer encouraged support of Ohio Senate Bill 123, sponsored by Republican Sens. Kristina Roegner, of Hudson, and Sandra O'Brien, of Ashtabula.
Ohio SB 123, called the "Human Life Protection Act," is a trigger law that would penalize doctors who perform abortions if the landmark decision were overturned. It's called a "trigger law" because the state ban would go into effect as a result of a U.S. Supreme Court decision or a constitutional amendment to ban abortion.
The measure is similar to Ohio House Bill 598, introduced by Rep. Jean Schmidt, R-Loveland, which received an state House committee hearing last week.
Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican seeking reelection, has signed multiple bills restricting access to abortion. However, in January, DeWine told the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau:
"I think it's wise for us, prudent for us, to wait until we have instructions from the United States Supreme Court."
Cole Behrens is a reporter at The Columbus Dispatch covering public safety and breaking news. You can reach him at CBehrens@dispatch.com or find him on Twitter at @Colebehr_report
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Roe v. Wade: Ohio Republicans moving ahead with abortion 'trigger law'
