Members of EC community protest leaked SCOTUS draft on Roe v. Wade

May 4—EAU CLAIRE — When Robert Matthews learned about the leaked U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, the the news didn't quite sit right with him. He was disappointed, and he knew he needed to do something — to get involved.

So, he did.

Carrying a sign that read "Old white guys care too!," Matthews was among the first arrive at the Eau Claire County Courthouse Tuesday afternoon. He was there to protest, and he wasn't alone.

Monday's bombshell revelation from Politico sent shockwaves through the nation early this week as an end to the landmark Roe v. Wade decision appears to be in sight.

The political news outlet on Monday released a leaked initial majority opinion draft from the U.S. Supreme Court indicating that the court has voted to overturn the precedent that has guaranteed the constitutional protection of abortion rights since 1973. The draft also repudiates the Planned Parenthood v. Casey ruling, which reaffirmed that protection in 1992.

"We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled," the draft reads. "It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people's elected representatives."

The release of the 98-page draft, written by conservative Justice Samuel Alito, has been met with both praise and outrage across the country. Residents of the Eau Claire community expressed their anger with the unofficial ruling alongside Matthews during a protest outside the courthouse on Tuesday.

"(The ruling) affects everybody — men, women. The problems that women will have if they don't have resources and solutions — it's just unbelievable that they would even be thinking of this," Matthews said. "If they go through with this it will be just a huge injustice for women."

'Hell no, Roe won't go'

The protest was organized by the Eau Claire County Democrats, Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District candidate Deb McGrath and Bobbi Green, former chairwoman of the 3rd Congressional District Democratic Party of Wisconsin.

Green said planning for the protest began at the crack of dawn on Tuesday.

"I wasn't sure who was going to show up, but I was mad as hell," Green told the crowd.

McGarth, who would be the district's first female representative if elected, said the protest was about standing up for fundamental rights. A mother herself, McGarth said she knows that having a family is a responsibility that not every woman is able or willing to take on.

"When we get angry, we get organized," McGarth said of the protest. "If the Supreme Court is going to repeal Roe v. Wade, then this is an attack on our rights, an attack on our freedoms."

McGarth added that now is the time for concerned citizens to really invest in the electoral process, especially as elections near in the fall.

During the protest, attendees were given the opportunity to voice their thoughts, express their anger and share their stories. Speakers included older women who reflected on pre-Roe life, a pro-abortion pastor and a woman who was adopted after her biological mother was impregnated through rape.

Matthew Lehner, one of around 250 attendees at the protest, said he felt it was his duty to show his support.

Lehner, 18, recently ran for Eau Claire County Board, but lost to incumbent Supervisor James Dunning. Lehner said he is an active member of the local Democratic Party.

"I'm sick and fed-up with men politicians in this country thinking they can make decisions for the vast majority of women. It's a vast overreach," Lehner said. "I think there is more to come with this — this is just the start of, frankly, the GOP's agenda. Gay marriage is next, and I think many rights and things that we enjoy today as a country and as a people are under threat. This should be a wake-up call."

Also attending Tuesday's protest were UW-Eau Claire students Zoe Lewis, Hannah Kurth, Karley Baumgart and Ella Vanderbloemen.

Lewis, 19, said they were there to advocate for themselves and for others.

"I think it's important to advocate that the government should not have any control over our bodies," Lewis said. "As a future teacher and a future mother, that's something that I want to put forth towards future generations."

Kurth, also 19, noted that this is especially vital for college students.

"Being able to be active in politics at the university is one thing that we are able to do a little bit more as college students, whereas, in high school we were a bit more ignorant," Kurth explained. "Now that we're a little bit more educated, we're able to understand a little bit more of what's going on and be able to advocate for ourselves."

Lewis added that banning abortions only bans safe abortions. One way or another, people will find a way to get the help they need.

Vanderbloemen, 18, agreed, saying:

"The option of having it safe — there should be no question of that. It's nobody's business but a woman's."

"I think not everybody is realizing who this all affects," Baumgart added. "It truly affects everybody, no matter if you're going to be a parent one day in your life, or you're going to give birth, or you're going to teach children one day."

Together, the protestors marched with their signs from the courthouse to Owen Park, chanting, "Hell no, Roe won't go" along the way. The protest concluded with closing remarks from organizers.

Politicians respond

Gov. Tony Evers has expressed his disagreement with the supposed ruling, promising in a Tuesday news release to fight to maintain access to abortion in Wisconsin.

"I vetoed Republican bills designed to restrict reproductive freedoms and reduce access to healthcare in our state because reproductive healthcare is a right," Evers said. "Here's the bottom line: as long as I'm governor, I'm going to do everything in my power to defend access to reproductive health care and access to abortion."

On a more local level, state Rep. Jodi Emerson, D-Eau Claire, also condemned the SCOTUS ruling.

In a Tuesday news release, Emerson said all people deserve access to reproductive health care when needed.

"This leak proves what we have known for a long time — that the conservatives on the Supreme Court continue to serve the extremists and put politics ahead of providing safe reproductive health care. They care more about the leak of the drafted opinion itself, rather than its alarming contents," Emerson said. "Nonetheless, I am thankful that currently, for the time being, abortion is still legal in the United States."

Emerson pointed out that, if the drafted opinion is adopted, Wisconsin's criminal abortion ban from 1849 will take effect, criminalizing all abortion in Wisconsin. The law Emerson is referring to holds anyone (except for the mother) responsible for "intentionally destroying the life of an unborn child" guilty of a class H felony, which is punishable by up to six years in prison or a $10,000 fine.

"We know criminalizing abortion does not work," she added. "We know more than 70% of Wisconsinites disagree with overturning Roe. We know this is a personal choice and should not be dictated by politicians. We know this drafted opinion is the wrong decision. The severity of this situation calls for action, at all levels, to codify bodily autonomy, privacy, and access to reproductive healthcare in law. We must act now and we must not go backwards."

On the other hand, some Wisconsin politicians celebrated the news.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Rebecca Kleefisch tweeted Monday night, "It's about time!" in response to the Politico story. Another Republican gubernatorial candidate, Kevin Nicholson, tweeted, "I pray this is true."

Some conservative politicians directed their displeasure surrounding the Politico article toward another issue.

Derrick Van Orden, Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District Republican candidate, called for an investigation into the leak in a Monday news release.

"I respect the Supreme Court's decision making process and the leaking of this draft ruling jeopardizes that process. This is a clear attempt by the left to interject politics by bullying the Court and it is unacceptable on every level and a direct assault on our democracy." Van Orden stated. "It needs to be thoroughly investigated so that we can protect the rule of law and the sanctity of the Court's deliberations."

The court's ruling will not be official until a final majority opinion is published, "likely in the next two months," Politico reported.

While SCOTUS justices "can and do" change their votes as draft opinions circulate, the Politico article said, it is unlikely that the 6-3 conservative majority court will flip before a final draft is published.