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DOJ Intensifies Investigation into Supreme Court Roe v. Wade Leak
Confirmed
In Short: The Justice Department is pursuing a criminal investigation into the leak of the Supreme Court's draft decision overturning Roe v. Wade, sending grand jury subpoenas and seeking information from court employees.
The Justice Department is intensifying its criminal investigation into the leak of the Supreme Court's draft decision overturning Roe v. Wade, according to reports.
Prosecutors have sent grand jury subpoenas to court employees and are seeking testimony and information from individuals who worked at the court at the time of the leak.
The leak, which occurred two months before the high court released the decision, was an unprecedented breach of the institution's secrecy.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro is overseeing the investigation, with one of her top lieutenants and several career prosecutors assigned to the case.
The investigation has not yet developed new evidence pointing to the source of the leak, and it is unclear which laws prosecutors believe may have been broken.
Some conservatives, including former President Donald Trump, believe the leak was orchestrated by an abortion-rights supporter hoping to derail the ruling.
Justice Clarence Thomas, in a statement shortly after the leak, expressed concern about the loss of trust in the institution, saying it had fundamentally changed the court.
The Supreme Court's internal investigation, which interviewed 97 court employees and clerks, failed to identify a responsible party in January 2023.
The investigation is ongoing, and the Justice Department has not commented on the specifics of the probe.
The leak has raised questions about the court's ability to operate in secrecy and resist oversight from other branches of government.
What this adds
The investigation's acceleration and the use of grand jury subpoenas indicate a more serious approach by the Justice Department.
The Supreme Court's internal investigation did not find conclusive evidence, suggesting the current DOJ probe may face similar challenges.
The leak has sparked broader discussions about the transparency and oversight of the Supreme Court.
What's confirmed
- The Justice Department is intensifying its criminal investigation into the leak of the Supreme Court's draft decision overturning Roe v. Wade, according to reports.
- Prosecutors have sent grand jury subpoenas to court employees and are seeking testimony and information from individuals who worked at the court at the time of the leak.
- The leak, which occurred two months before the high court released the decision, was an unprecedented breach of the institution's secrecy.
- U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro is overseeing the investigation, with one of her top lieutenants and several career prosecutors assigned to the case.
- The investigation has not yet developed new evidence pointing to the source of the leak, and it is unclear which laws prosecutors believe may have been broken.
- Some conservatives, including former President Donald Trump, believe the leak was orchestrated by an abortion-rights supporter hoping to derail the ruling.
- Justice Clarence Thomas, in a statement shortly after the leak, expressed concern about the loss of trust in the institution, saying it had fundamentally changed the court.
- The Supreme Court's internal investigation, which interviewed 97 court employees and clerks, failed to identify a responsible party in January 2023.
- The investigation is ongoing, and the Justice Department has not commented on the specifics of the probe.
- The leak has raised questions about the court's ability to operate in secrecy and resist oversight from other branches of government.
What's still developing
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- “The Department cannot discuss ongoing investigations,” a justice department spokesperson said in a statement.
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