Supreme Court Sets Roe v. Wade In Its Sights
WASHINGTON, D.C., May 17, 2021 – This morning, the Supreme Court announced it would take up the case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a challenge to Mississippi’s law prohibiting nearly all abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. There is no split among appeals courts and even the conservative Fifth Circuit recognized that the law must be struck down. The obvious conclusion is that the Supreme Court is considering reversing its past precedent ensuring abortion access before a fetus is viable.
Alliance for Justice President Nan Aron issued the following statement:
“President Trump made clear he would appoint justices who would overturn Roe v. Wade and Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett’s records made clear they fit the bill. Now we are already seeing the possible consequences of their confirmations. There is no way Mississippi’s restrictive abortion law can stand without narrowing the precedents in Roe and Casey to accommodate it. We should all be extremely concerned that the Supreme Court would even consider this case given the damage it could do to abortion access. It will also surely encourage more state legislatures to test out their own restrictive laws.
“We will continue to fight for judges who will secure and uphold important rights like access to abortion and resist the conservative takeover of the courts however we can.”
Bolder Advocacy reminds organizations that speaking about court cases, or even weighing in through an amicus brief, does not constitute lobbying under federal tax law. Of course, most nonprofits can lobby, so you can urge state legislators to protect abortion rights and advocate for protections in federal law that allow all people to make their own decisions.
If you’re not sure what constitutes lobbying, or whether (or how much) you can do, please reach out (advocacy@afj.org).