The Supreme Court announced on Thursday it has not been able to figure out who leaked to Politico last May the draft opinion that overturned Roe v. Wade.
The investigation was conducted by Supreme Court Marshal Gail Curley, and her report released Thursday states that the inquiry focused on 82 employees who had access to either electronic or hard copies of the draft opinion in the case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
While the inquiry was "unable to identify a person responsible by preponderance of the evidence," investigators did discover that several Supreme Court staffers spoke with their spouses or partners about the draft decision, the report said, and they couldn't "rule out the possibility" someone left the draft in a public space.
"The leak was no mere misguided attempt at protest," the Supreme Court said in its statement. "It was a grave assault on the judicial process" and an "extraordinary betrayal of trust."
The court issued its decision in June with a vote of 5-4, and the final opinion closely matched the draft.
It's not clear if the Supreme Court justices themselves were interviewed as part of the probe, Politico reports. Former Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff reviewed Curley's investigation and report, and wrote that the Supreme Court "has already taken steps to increase security and tighten controls regarding the handling of sensitive documents. More significantly, the chief justice has also directed a comprehensive review of the court's information and document security protocols to mitigate the risk of future incidents."
-
A free speech debate is raging over sign language at the White HouseTalking Points The administration has been accused of excluding deaf Americans from press briefings
-
Glinda vs. Elphaba, Jennifer Lawrence vs. postpartum depression and wilderness vs. progress in November moviesthe week recommends This month’s new releases include ‘Wicked: For Good,’ ‘Die My Love’ and ‘Train Dreams’
-
‘The problem isn’t creation itself’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Newsom slams Trump’s climate denial at COP30speed read Trump, who has called climate change a ‘hoax,’ declined to send any officials to this week’s summit
-
UK, Colombia halt intel to US over boat attacksSpeed Read Both countries have suspended intelligence sharing with the US over the bombing of civilian boats suspected of drug smuggling
-
Trump pardons 2020 fake electors, other GOP alliesSpeed Read The president pardoned Rudy Giuliani and more who tried to overturn his 2020 election loss
-
Supreme Court to decide on mail-in ballot limitsSpeed Read The court will determine whether states can count mail-in ballots received after Election Day
-
Democrats split as Senate votes to end shutdownSpeed Read The proposed deal does not extend Affordable Care Act subsidies, the Democrats’ main demand
-
USDA orders states to ‘undo’ full SNAP paymentsSpeed Read The Trump administration is telling states not to pay full November food stamp benefits
-
Senate takes first step to end record shutdownSpeed Read Eight senators in the Democratic caucus voted with Republicans to advance legislation to reopen the government
-
Trump tariffs face stiff scrutiny at Supreme CourtSpeed Read Even some of the Court’s conservative justices appeared skeptical
