As Senator Elizabeth Warren made her way to a car outside of the Supreme Court, her outrage was palpable.
“I am angry. Angry and upset and determined. The United States Congress can keep Roe v. Wade the law of the land. They just need to do it,” Warren said as she was surrounded by reporters. The scene was captured on video, and quickly ricocheted across social media Tuesday.
The Massachusetts Democrat was reacting to the leak of a draft opinion penned by Justice Samuel Alito, first reported by Politico, that demonstrates the nation’s highest court is poised to overturn the pivotal 1973 ruling.
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Chief Justice John Roberts has since ordered an investigation into what he referred to as an “egregious breach of trust” because of the leak.
A visibly shaken and angry Senator Elizabeth Warren just spoke in-front of #SCOTUS. @TheNationalNews pic.twitter.com/KzQ2Z0Lg3b
— Willy Lowry (@willy_lowry) May 3, 2022
After a reporter observed that they had “never seen” Warren so angry, she responded with a direct aim at her colleagues on the other side of the aisle. Her visible indignation was emblematic of the tensions embroiling Washington over the loaded issue and how to proceed following the breach.
“Republicans have been working toward this day for decades. They have been out there plotting, carefully cultivating these Supreme Court justices so they could have a majority on the bench who would accomplish something that the majority of Americans do not want,” Warren said.
She proceeded to reference polling numbers indicating that 69 percent of Americans oppose the landmark decision being overturned.
“We’ve heard enough from extremists and we’re tired,” she concluded.
I am angry because an extremist Supreme Court thinks they can impose their extremist views on all of the women of this country and they are wrong.
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) May 3, 2022
I have seen the world where abortion is illegal. We’re not going back—not now, not ever. pic.twitter.com/5lE8rCQz5U
Warren earlier declared her anger with the Supreme Court, labeling it “extremist” and blasting the body for “think[ing] they can impose their extremist views on all of the women of this country and they are wrong.”
“I have seen the world where abortion is illegal. We’re not going back — not now, not ever,” she tweeted. Warren called for Congress to eliminate the filibuster and codify Roe, an unlikely outcome given the lack of support from Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema.
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But the genuine display of emotion appeared to resonate with many online, with one person tweeting that Warren is “one of the only national Democrats I’ve seen even come close to channeling the rage so so so so many are feeling.”
If an extremist Supreme Court overturns Roe, wealthy women will still get safe abortions — by traveling to another state or country. But women of color, those with lower-incomes, and victims of abuse will suffer the most.
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) May 3, 2022
Congress must eliminate the filibuster and protect Roe.
Shannon Larson can be reached at shannon.larson@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @shannonlarson98.