Supreme Court Overturns Roe vs. Wade: Governor, Other KY Officials Issue Statements

U.S. Supreme Justices Vote 6-3 To Overturn 50 Year-Old Ruling

Darren Doyle, story:
Today, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade, declaring, "The Constitution does not confer a right to abortion; Roe and Casey are overruled; and the authority to regulate abortion is returned to the people and their elected representatives," according to the official text of the ruling.

Justice Samuel Alito, who wrote for the Court's majority, said that the 1973 Roe ruling must be overruled because the 50 year-old arguments were weak and damaging.

Those who agreed with Justice Alito's opinion were Justices Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett, as Chief Justice Roberts agreed in the judgment only, and said he would have limited the decision to upholding the Mississippi law (Dobbs vs. Jackson) which banned abortions after 15 weeks.

Dissenting were Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan.

"With sorrow — for this Court, but more, for the many millions of American women who have today lost a fundamental constitutional protection — we dissent," they wrote.

Multiple KY elected officials issued statements on today's ruling, including Governor Andy Beshear who posted comments on his social media.

"Today’s decision triggers an extremist Kentucky law that creates a total ban in Kentucky that will eliminate all options for victims of rape or incest," he posted to his official Twitter account. "As the former chief prosecutor of Kentucky, I know that these violent crimes happen, and not having options for victims of rape and incest is wrong."

Congressman Brett Guthrie's comments, as well as several other republican officials, had contrasting comments.

“Today’s ruling is a significant victory and sets a new precedent for unborn babies’ right to life," he said. "Despite the biggest breach in the Supreme Court’s history and justices being unlawfully harassed at their own homes, the Supreme Court majority opinion upheld pro-life protections in the Mississippi law and overturned Roe v. Wade. The question of abortion is now up to each individual state. Despite this monumental ruling, the work is never over to protect the dignity of life, especially with congressional Democrats’ extreme efforts to allow abortion on-demand up to nine months. I will continue to stand up for the right to life, vote for polices that prohibit federal taxpayer dollars from going towards funding abortions, and always push back against congressional Democrats’ radical pro-abortion agenda for America."

Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron also supported today's ruling.

“Today is a day that many have hoped for—the issue of abortion has been returned to the people and to the states, where it belongs.  This moment deserves to be celebrated, but it also calls for renewed commitment.  Renewed commitment to life-affirming care for the unborn, for mothers, and for Kentucky families," Cameron said in a statement.

Kentucky Treasurer Allison Ball and Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts Mike Harmon issued similar statements in support of today's ruling.

U.S. Senator Rand Paul also Tweeted support. His statement said, "This Supreme Court decision is a monumental step to not only protect life but also for the court to finally correct the mistake it made and return governance back to the people and their elected representatives. I’ve been the sponsor of a federal law to overturn Roe since I came to Washington, and I’m pleased to see the court make this decision today."

Abortion is still legal in over half the United States, despite today's ruling.

All abortions are now illegal in Kentucky, except where necessary to save the life of the mother.