This week, the Supreme Court dominated headlines after issuing major rulings reversing the constitutional right to abortion established by Roe v. Wade and overturning a restrictive New York gun law. Additionally, Congress passed a sweeping bipartisan gun control bill, and the Jan. 6 committee held public hearings that caused headaches for some Republican lawmakers. Here are the quotes of the week.
“Abortion presents a profound moral question. The Constitution does not prohibit the citizens of each State from regulating or prohibiting abortion. Roe and Casey arrogated that authority. We now overrule those decisions and return that authority to the people and their elected representatives.”
– The Supreme Court holds in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization that there is no constitutional right to abortion, overturning Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. The majority opinion was authored by Justice Samuel Alito.
“Today’s decision, which is the biggest WIN for LIFE in a generation, along with other decisions that have been announced recently, were only made possible because I delivered everything as promised, including nominating and getting three highly respected and strong Constitutionalists confirmed to the United States Supreme Court.”
– Former President Donald Trump takes credit for the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs.
“This fall, Roe is on the ballot. Personal freedoms are on the ballot. The only way we can secure a woman’s right to choose is for Congress to restore Roe v. Wade as federal law.”
– President Joe Biden tries to make abortion an issue in the midterm elections during a speech following the release of the Dobbs decision.
“In future cases, we should reconsider all of this Court’s substantive due process precedents, including Griswold, Lawrence, and Obergefell. Because any substantive due process decision is “demonstrably erroneous,” we have a duty to “correct the error” established in those precedents.”
– Justice Clarence Thomas calls for Supreme Court cases establishing rights to contraception, same-sex sexual activity, and same-sex marriage to be overturned in his concurring opinion in Dobbs.
“I trusted Justice Gorsuch and Justice Kavanaugh when they testified under oath that they also believed Roe v. Wade was settled legal precedent, and I am alarmed they chose to reject the stability the ruling has provided for two generations of Americans.”
– Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) slams Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, whose Senate confirmations he supported, for voting to overturn Roe v. Wade.
“This decision is inconsistent with what Justices Gorsuch and Kavanaugh said in their testimony and their meetings with me, where they both were insistent on the importance of supporting long-standing precedents that the country has relied upon.”
– Pro-abortion rights Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), who voted to confirm both Gorsuch and Kavanaugh after she said they would not vote to overturn Roe, accuses the two justices of misleading her.
“The hell with the Supreme Court — we will defy them.”
– Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) joins a chorus of Democratic lawmakers questioning the Supreme Court’s legitimacy in the wake of the court’s Dobbs ruling.
“I hope [Biden] has recovered because, as you know, he fell off his bicycle. No, I’m serious. I hope he’s OK. Fell off a bicycle. I make this pledge to you today — I will never, ever ride a bicycle.”
– Trump jokes that he wouldn’t be seen on a bike after Biden’s recent mishap.
“The senator had no involvement in the creation of an alternate slate of electors and had no foreknowledge that it was going to be delivered to our office. This was a staff to staff exchange. His new Chief of Staff contacted the Vice President’s office.”
– A spokesman for Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) denies that the senator was involved in efforts to field a slate of fake presidential electors after the Jan. 6 committee provided evidence allegedly showing he wanted to submit fake electors paperwork to then-Vice President Mike Pence.
“This Court continues to dismantle the wall of separation between church and state that the Framers fought to build.”
– Justice Sonia Sotomayor accuses the Supreme Court of eroding the barrier between church and state with its ruling striking down a Maine policy that barred religious schools from receiving taxpayer-funded tuition aid.
“I stand by my statement that I never sought a Presidential pardon for myself or other Members of Congress. At no time did I speak with Miss Hutchinson, a White House scheduler, nor any White House staff about a pardon for myself or any other Member of Congress — this never happened.”
– Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA) denies that he sought a pardon from former President Donald Trump for his activities related to Jan. 6 after testimony from former Trump White House officials asserted otherwise.
“Our nation is in the middle of a gun violence epidemic and instead of working to protect our communities, this court has made it even easier for potentially dangerous people to carry concealed handguns in public spaces.”
– Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) condemns the Supreme Court for its ruling in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen striking down a New York law regulating the concealed carry of firearms.
“While the Far-Left continues to push unconstitutional gun control measures as New York’s failed bail reform policies have made our communities more unsafe, this ruling comes at a crucial time. Now, law-abiding gun owners in New York State and across the nation can again exercise their Constitutional right to concealed carry to protect themselves and their families.”
– Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) praises the Supreme Court for its ruling in NYSRPA v. Bruen.
“Being at that meet, seeing firsthand, not just in terms of height but just jumping off the starting block, Thomas is [already] about half a length ahead, feeling how it affected everyone else, including myself, seeing the tears and seeing the discomfort in the locker room, the talk of anger and frustration was just majorly eye-opening.”
– Riley Gaines, who competed against the transgender athlete Lia Thomas in college swimming, speaks out about her experience.
“Today, madam speaker, we take a historic first step toward ending the epidemic of gun violence in this nation — the only developed nation with this problem. We come to this moment after the tragic loss of so many innocent lives — 10 African Americans in Buffalo targeted because of their race, 19 young students and two teachers for … Uvalde just a few days short of their summer vacations.”
– Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) speaks in favor of bipartisan gun control legislation in a speech on the House floor.
“With the hearing that was pointed at me and targeting me today with, you know, the special audience member of Sean Penn … it looks highly coincidental, and Tucker, you know, I just don’t believe in coincidences.
“I just think we’re living in an era that I don’t recognize, and increasingly, Tucker, I don’t recognize the country anymore with these kinds of Stasi-like things happening.”
– Jeffrey Clark slams the Justice Department for the search of his home that came a day before a public House Jan. 6 committee hearing that focused heavily on him.
