'Hell no!' Pritzker, Lightfoot react to report suggesting Roe v. Wade will be overturned
CHICAGO - Late Monday night, Politico exclusively reported that the U.S. Supreme Court appears poised to overturn Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion across the nation in 1973.
Now, two of Illinois’ most high-profile politicians are weighing in.
Gov. JB Pritzker kept it short, but clear, on Twitter in the evening: "Hell no! In Illinois, we trust women. We cannot let their most profound and personal rights be violated."
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot also shared her thoughts, expounding a little more on the subject.
"Tonight, I join the chorus of millions of people nationwide who are sickened and enraged to learn that the Supreme Court has seemingly voted to strike down Roe v. Wade. This landmark decision has paved the way for women in need of reproductive care to access safe abortions for decades and importantly, decide for themselves the circumstances under which they chose to bear children. If this draft opinion becomes the law of the land, women and their families will suffer, needlessly."
According to a draft majority opinion obtained by Politico, the U.S. Supreme Court plans to strike down Roe versus Wade, overturning abortion rights.
The outlet reports no draft decision in the court's modern history has ever been publicly disclosed while the case was still pending.
In the opinion, Justice Samuel Alito says the 1973 landmark decision guaranteeing constitutional protections of abortion rights, must be overruled. Alito, a member of the court's 6-3 conservative majority who was appointed by former President George W. Bush, went on to criticize the 1992 decision from Planned Parenthood versus Casey, which upheld the right to an abortion.
"Roe was egregiously wrong from the start. It's reasoning was exceptionally weak. And the decision has had damaging consequences," Alito wrote.
"We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled," the draft opinion states.
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The majority draft was written in response to the Mississippi case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which bans most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.
Politico cautions the draft was written in February and may have already been re-written. And sometimes justices change their votes. FOX News has not independently verified this draft opinion.
If Roe v. Wade is overturned, it would remove the federal guarantee of abortion protection and allow each state to set its own rules.
The court is expected to rule on the case before its term is up in late June or early July.
Leak of Supreme Court draft opinion in Roe v. Wade ruling was 'highly unusual,' law professor says
Carolyn Shapiro, professor at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law, talks about the potential ramifications after a Supreme Court draft opinion was leaked, suggesting a potential overturning of the Roe v. Wade ruling.
Planned Parenthood of Illinois President and CEO Jennifer Welch condemned the leaked draft in a statement Tuesday:
"Planned Parenthood of Illinois is furious that the Supreme Court is prepared to ignore half a century of settled law and end the constitutional right to an abortion by overturning Roe v. Wade. But it’s also not a surprise. We have been preparing for this decision for years, and we will continue to ensure that every patient, no matter where they live, has access to the health care they need and deserve.
We are proud to say that abortion is still safe and legal in Illinois."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.