Walker Doubts Roe v. Wade at Risk
Governor says new Supreme Court justice unlikely to overturn Roe, make abortion illegal in state.
Gov. Scott Walker addresses the Eau Claire Chamber of Commerce Wednesday, July 11, 2018. After his speech he told reporters it was pure speculation to say President Donald Trump’s nomination of Brett Kavanaugh for the U.S. Supreme Court would lead to Roe v. Wade being overturned. Photo by Rich Kremer/WPR.
Despite concerns from Democratic lawmakers, Gov. Scott Walker says he isn’t convinced that President Donald Trump‘s second U.S. Supreme Court pick will open the door to overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade abortion rights decision.
Speaking to reporters after an Eau Claire Chamber of Commerce luncheon, Walker said Trump’s nominee, U.S. Circuit Court Judge Brett Kavanaugh, is a principled jurist committed to upholding the constitution. But critics worry the pick could tip the nation’s high court in a way that leads to the overturning of the decision that blocked states from banning abortions.
“I think there’s a lot of speculation and this is a guy who part of his experience is he clerked for Justice Kennedy,” said Walker. “So for those who suggest he’s going to be a stark contrast, most clerks are pretty well aligned with the person they clerk for. His track record suggests he’s going to uphold the constitution and if he does that I don’t expect there’ll be major changes.”
“My guess is the one thing that seems pretty clear is that anything like that wouldn’t happen immediately,” said Walker. “You’re talking years. So, probably any sort of change wouldn’t have any impact for me and other state officials until long after the term I’m running for is over.”
Democrats and abortion rights supporters in Wisconsin are condemning Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court.
“If he is not blocked, Brett Kavanaugh will be the deciding vote to overturn Roe v. Wade and do what Scott Walker has been trying to do for 25 years: criminalize women having abortions,” said Analiese Eicher of the liberal advocacy group One Wisconsin Now.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Kelda Roys, who is a past head of NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin, said Kavanaugh will be a “rubber-stamp” for Trump.
“This Supreme Court vacancy, and Trump’s pledge to appoint anti-choice justices, poses the clearest threat to reproductive rights in decades,” said Roys. “This appointment underscores the importance of electing a governor with a strong track record of championing women’s health. I have that record, and I have pledged to pardon anyone charged under Wisconsin’s current abortion ban, which will go into effect immediately if Roe is overturned.”
Listen to the WPR report here.
Walker Not Convinced Trump’s Supreme Court Pick Will Lead To Roe V. Wade Being Overturned was originally published by Wisconsin Public Radio.
It’s true that Walker is playing a waiting game, but in a different way. He sees the steady march toward an autocratic nation as beneficial to folks like him. Downplaying the likelihood of Roe vs. Wade being overturned is Walker saying he believes Liberals can be distracted from fighting with a bit of encouragement to not worry. In that way he is sort of like a malevolent Alfred E. Neuman. The only cure is too get out and vote despite all the anti-voting tactics rife in our country. Let’s get some better folks in office.
Like the clown car of the Democratic debate last night?? At least that gave me a good laugh. Your ‘front-runner’ Evers can barely assemble a coherent sentence. What a lineup of stinking failure on that stage… it was glorious to see.
this is the same guy who said he would not go for “right to work laws just before the election, then shows he was not honest