US Rep Madison Cawthorn joined fellow Republican lawmakers in praising Donald Trump after a leaked draft showed the Supreme Court’s conservative justices were planning to vote to overturn Roe v Wade.
Politico‘s bombshell report on Monday night revealed the court’s five right-wing justices plan to strike down the 1973 decision that legalised abortion.
Three Trump Supreme Court appointees – Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett – joined Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito in supporting the draft opinion.
Scandal-plagued North Carolina Congressman Madison Cawthorn said the landmark decision was only possible because of the former president.
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“Because of Donald J Trump, Roe v Wade will be overturned,” he tweeted.
Because of Donald J. Trump, Roe v. Wade will be overturned.
— Madison Cawthorn (@CawthornforNC) May 3, 2022
Far-right Arizona Congressman Paul Gosar tweeted: “Thank you to President Trump for making this possible. Pray that SCOTUS makes the right decision!”
Thank you to President Trump for making this possible. Pray that SCOTUS makes the right decision!
— Rep. Paul Gosar, DDS (@RepGosar) May 3, 2022
Some of Mr Trump’s most zealous supporters in Congress, including Lauren Boebert, Marjorie Taylor Greene and Jim Jordan, did not mention the former president by name in their initial public statements welcoming the draft decision.
Right-wing commentators were also quick to applaud Mr Trump.
“If Roe vs Wade is really overturned, Trump and McConnell deserve loads of credit any way you slice it,” wrote syndicated radio host Jesse Kelly.
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The draft, written by Justice Samuel Alito, states that “Roe was egregiously wrong from the start.”
During the 2016 presidential campaign, Mr Trump promised to appoint conservative justices that would overturn Roe v Wade.