Roe v. Wade: Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey and other Massachusetts officials react to report of Supreme Court voting to overturn abortion rights

Massachusetts officials reacted on social media as news spread Monday night that the nation’s highest court seemed poised to reverse a half-century of legal precedent by overturning Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 case that legalized abortion nationwide.

The report from Politico included an unprecedented leak from the Supreme Court containing an early draft of a ruling that would overturn Roe v. Wade.

“This is devastating,” said Rep. Katherine Clark, Assistant House Speaker and representative of Massachusetts’ fifth congressional district. “Overturning [Roe] would create a second class of citizens [and] make the dystopian horrors of forced pregnancy a reality, especially for low-income women.”

“We will not go quietly,” she added.

Elizabeth Warren, the state’s senior senator, made a call for action to her 11 million followers across social media accounts.

“It’s time for the millions who support the Constitution and abortion rights to stand up and make their voices heard,” she said. “We’re not going back — not ever.”

As the Associated Press reported, a decision to overrule Roe would lead to abortion bans in half the states. But it is still unclear if the draft of Justice Samuel Alito’s opinion represented a final ruling from the court.

But “whatever the outcome, the Politico report represents an extremely rare breach of the court’s secretive deliberation process, and on a case of surpassing importance,” the AP wrote.

Other Massachusetts elected officials at the national and state level minced few words in their response to the potential Supreme Court decision.

“If true, this is a disgrace,” Rep. Jim McGovern, of Massachusetts’ second congressional district, said.

“If this opinion is officially released, tens of millions of women will lose access to lifesaving reproductive care,” said Rep. Lori Trahan, of the state’s third district. “Many won’t be able to access abortion care if they’re the victims of rape or incest.”

Some Massachusetts officials called for significant steps to be taken to reverse the court’s potential decision. Sen. Ed Markey said the court must be expanded. Rep. Ayanna Pressley insisted the Senate should abolish the filibuster.

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