A recent social media post by "Mollie" has ignited discussion by alleging that liberal Supreme Court Justices Stephen Breyer, Elena Kagan, and Sonia Sotomayor intentionally delayed the landmark Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision. According to the tweet, this alleged "slow-walking" of their dissent occurred for months, even as the nation witnessed violent protests, an assassination attempt, and daily demonstrations targeting conservative Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett, along with their families. The tweet specifically stated, "> Breyer, Kagan, Sotomayor intentionally delayed the landmark Dobbs decision for months by slow-walking their dissent, even as the left engaged in violent protests, assassination attempts, and daily protests against Thomas, Alito, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, Barrett and their families."
The Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade was officially released on June 24, 2022, following the unprecedented leak of a draft majority opinion in early May 2022. This leak intensified public scrutiny and led to widespread protests both in favor of and against the anticipated ruling, with demonstrations occurring outside the Supreme Court building and the homes of several justices. The period between the leak and the final decision was marked by significant public unrest and increased security measures for the justices.
During this tumultuous time, an individual named Nicholas John Roske was arrested on June 8, 2022, near Justice Brett Kavanaugh's Maryland home. Roske was charged with attempting to murder a Supreme Court justice, admitting to authorities that he intended to kill Kavanaugh due to the impending Dobbs ruling and other issues. This incident highlighted the severe security threats faced by the justices as the nation awaited the final judgment.
While the internal deliberations and dissent writing processes of the Supreme Court are typically confidential, the timeline for submitting dissents can vary depending on the complexity of the case and the number of justices involved. Justices often circulate draft opinions and dissents among chambers, a process that can take weeks or months. Official records do not publicly detail any specific delays attributed to the dissenting justices in the Dobbs case, but the claim from the social media post suggests a perceived strategic maneuver.
The Dobbs decision remains one of the most polarizing rulings in recent U.S. history, fundamentally altering abortion rights nationwide. The allegations of intentional delay by the dissenting justices, as highlighted in the social media post, add another layer to the complex narrative surrounding the contentious decision and the intense political climate in which it was delivered.
