Plural Marriage Recognized In New York Under Key Precedent

Here's how Evan Spiegel got his start. He's the CEO of Snap, married to model Miranda Kerr, and was once one of the world's youngest billionaires. Snap CEO Evan Spiegel has net worth of around $2.6 billion according to estimates from Forbes.Getty Evan Spiegel became one of the world's youngest billionaires at age 25. Spiegel, who is now 33, has a net worth of $2.6 billion according to Forbes.  Here's everything you need to know about Snap CEO Evan Spiegel. Evan Spiegel is no stranger to the ups and downs of helming a major tech company.In 2015, Spiegel became one of the youngest billionaires in the world — just four years after launching Snap. Between 2021 and 2022, though, Spiegel saw his net worth tank by almost 83% as Snap contended with year-over-year losses and problems with its advertising business. Now, at 33, he's worth around $2.6 billion, according to the latest estimates from Forbes.Snap still ranks among the world's most recognized social media brands, and boasts almost 400 million daily active users, Spiegel said in the company's 2023 second quarter earnings release. However, during the last year, the company underwent sweeping layoffs, shut down projects, and saw a shakeup in its executive ranks, as it struggled with profitability and steady revenue growth. Here's how Evan Spiegel got his start and became a billionaire by the time he was 25. Spiegel was born in 1990, and grew up in a $2 million house in the Pacific Palisades, a ritzy Los Angeles enclave just east of Malibu.Google MapsHe is the oldest of three children and his parents are lawyers educated at Harvard and Stanford, according to a report from LA WeeklySpiegel spent his early years at an ultra-exclusive school called Crossroads, which costs tens of thousands per academic year.A Google Maps street view of Crossroads School in Santa Monica.Google MapsThe Santa Monica private school's notable alumni include celebrities like Jonah Hill, Jack Black, and Gwyneth Paltrow.  Spiegel was reportedly bullied in school from a young age, according to LA Weekly.Snap CEO Evan Spiegel.Steve Jennings/Getty Images for TechCrunch"I was a pretty nerdy kid and shy through most of school," Spiegel said in an interview with the Palisadian-Post. "I was best friends with my computer teacher and built my own PC by the time I was in sixth grade." The Spiegel family was a member of a number of exclusive clubs, including the Jonathan Club in Santa Monica and the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club.La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club.La Jolla Beach & Tennis ClubThey often went on trips to Europe, employed a full-time housekeeper, and even went snowboarding by helicopter in Canada.  When Spiegel turned 16 and got his driver's license his parents gave him a new Cadillac Escalade.CadillacLess than a year later, his parents announced they were getting divorced, and Spiegel went to live with his father full-time during his senior year of high school, the LA Weekly reported.  Around this time, Spiegel landed a marketing internship with Red Bull, during which he reportedly racked up expenses, and held several parties at his father's home.John Spiegel, father of Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel.Drew Angerer/Getty ImagesAccording to LA Weekly, Spiegel's father forced him to instate a budget, and Spiegel asked for his discipline to be rewarded with a $75,000 BMW 550i. After his dad refused, Spiegel moved back in with his mom, who leased him the BMW."Cars bring me sheer joy," Spiegel wrote in a letter to his parents in 2008 asking them to lease him the car. "I would really appreciate you validating me and all of my hard work by leasing the BMW." Spiegel went on to study product design at Stanford University, his father's alma mater.Stanford Universityturtix/ShutterstockA friend of the family let him sit in on a graduate-level class on entrepreneurship and venture capital, where he heard talks from tech luminaries like Google CEO Eric Schmidt and YouTube cofounder Chad Hurley, according to LA Weekly.  Spiegel befriended Intuit cofounder Scott Cook after he gave a talk at one of those classes.Intuit cofounder Scott Cook.GettySpiegel begged him for a job, and Cook ended up letting him work on a product that Intuit planned to release in India. This experience reportedly inspired Spiegel to launch his own project, and Cook later became an early Snapchat investor. At Stanford, Spiegel met future Snapchat cofounders Reggie Brown and Bobby Murphy who were all part of the fraternity, Kappa Sigma, at some point.From left to right: Reggie Brown, Bobby Murphy, and Evan Spiegel.LA County Superior Court"We weren't cool," Murphy later told Forbes, "So we tried to build things to be cool." Spiegel was social chair of his fraternity, which was temporarily kicked off campus during his sophomore year for a party it hosted.Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel.Getty/Michael KovacIn leaked emails to his fraternity, Spiegel made offensive, expletive-laden jokes about having sex with women. He was forced to apologize in 2014 when those emails went public, saying the messages "no way reflect who I am today." Early on, Spiegel and Murphy worked together on failed startup ideas, including one to help high schoolers apply for college.Evan Spiegel, left, and Bobby Murphy.SnapchatThe idea for Snapchat came later in spring 2011, reportedly spurred on by a conversation among fraternity brothers about sexting — that is, sending explicit messages and photos. However, the early founding story of Snapchat is murky and disputed.Reggie Brown, from a deposition clip obtained by Business Insider.Business Insider/Alyson ShontellIn a lawsuit years later, Brown alleged he was the first to propose an app for sending disappearing photos, and that Murphy was brought in afterwards to write code. In the summer of 2011, the three college students stayed at Spiegel's dad's house in the Palisades to work on their project: an app for sending pictures that would expire and disappear after a set amount of time.The Spiegel home in Pacific Palisades where Snapchat was launched.Google Street ViewWhile Spiegel focused on design, Murphy did the coding and Brown led marketing. The app's ghost logo was developed around this time, named "Ghostface Chillah" after Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah.Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival"He's a silly dude,"Spiegel told Business Insider in 2013. The app first launched in July 2011 under the name Picaboo, and was spread by simple word-of-mouth and invites to the founders' friends.The Snapchat app logo is seen on a smartphone in this illustrationReutersLater that year, the app's name was changed to Snapchat. Not long after the launch, the relationship between the three founders began to fray, and Brown was forced out of the company.AP Photo/Jae C. HongBrown later sued Spiegel and Murphy in 2013, claiming he wasn't given his equity: one-third of the company. The lawsuit was eventually settled, and Snapchat paid Brown $157.5 million to disappear. In 2012, Spiegel dropped out of Stanford just a few credits short of graduation to work on Snapchat full-time.Stanford University.David Madison/Getty ImagesAlthough he didn't earn it, he nonetheless walked across the stage to collect a diploma with his friends in June.However, he wasn't the only Spiegel sibling to attend — and drop out of —Stanford.Caroline Spiegel, sister of Snap CEO Evan Spiegel.Caroline SpiegelHis younger sister, Caroline, is the CEO of Quinn, a platform for free audio- and text-based porn. She's described her platform as "a much less gross, more fun PornHub." The same year that Evan Spiegel dropped out of Stanford, Snapchat moved into an office on the Venice boardwalk.GlassdoorAt its peak, Snapchat occupied thousands of square feet of office space in Venice, including an office steps from the beach on Market Street that once served as its headquarters. In 2019, Snap moved to Santa Monica. By mid-2013, Snapchat had nearly 60 million downloads and was valued at $800 million.Illustration adapted from Bruce Turner/FlickrIt wasn't long before would-be acquirers came knocking on Spiegel's door to buy Snapchat. He famously rebuffed a $3 billion offer from Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in 2013 — and then turned down a subsequent $4 billion offer from Google. Zuckerberg also reportedly di cussed the possibility of an acquisition of Snapchat again in 2016.  Although he previously joked he wouldn't move out of his dad's house "until he kicks me out," Spiegel finally moved into his own place in November 2014.Lucas Jackson / Reuters, Facebook / David Offers Fine HomesHe bought his own three-bedroom house for $3.3 million in Los Angeles' wealthy Brentwood neighborhood — less than four miles from his dad's place. Spiegel, who has long been fascinated with the music industry, explored the idea of Snapchat launching its own music label in 2014.Michael Lynton, former Sony Entertainment CEO and current Snapchat chairman.David McNew/GettyHe was reportedly interested in buying Big Machine — the record label that represents Taylor Swift — but the deal never went through. The former CEO of Sony Entertainment, Michael Lynton, is the chairman of Snap's board. Spiegel is not shy about living the life of luxury.Matrix / ContributorAfter Snapchat completed a big funding round in 2013 Spiegel bought himself a Ferrari. Spiegel is also a licensed helicopter pilot. Spiegel cares about fashion more than most tech CEOs, and he made headlines in October 2015 for appearing on the cover of Vogue Italy.Vogue ItalySpiegel dons several looks in the shoot from a fur coat (with a puppy in hand) to a plaid suit.  In 2015, Spiegel said his work uniform includes $460 Common Projects sneakers, $255 Patrik Ervell black jeans, and a $60 James Perse white v-neck that he once told GQ has been a "staple since high school."Mike Blake/ReutersHe has also said he uses Kora Organics Daily Hand Cream, telling GQ, "In 2nd grade, a teacher made our class hold hands. A girl made fun of me for how dry my hands were, and I haven't forgotten." Spiegel values secrecy highly in both his business dealings as well as in his personal life.A security camera over the door of Snapchat's headquarters in Venice.Thomson ReutersSnap rarely holds all-hands meetings, and employees often don't know about products the company is working on until they're announced publicly. Snapchat employees have painted Spiegel as an "aloof" leader.Michael Loccisano/Getty ImagesSpiegel has often flanked by a heavy security team, and he traveled on his own private jet separate from bankers during Snap's IPO roadshow. He reportedly once requested an armed security detail (but didn't get it), and $890,399 of Snapchat's money was spent on security for Spiegel in 2016. Spiegel has said he's incredibly shy, and rarely addresses and interacts with employees because he finds it intimidating and awkward.Snap CEO Evan Spiegel.Michael Kovac/GettyDuring board meetings, Spiegel reportedly spends much of his time using Snapchat and playing with his phone. "I remember growing up I was taught to be small, be a turtle," Spiegel told Bloomberg in 2018. Snap employees told Recode in 2016 that Spiegel is involved in all business decisions, and that his opinions are final — up to point he's killed "all-but-finalized" deals at the last minute.Snap CEO Evan Spiegel.AP"When you go to work at Snapchat you go to work for Evan," one source told Recode. "You don't go to teach Evan. You don't go to show him the ropes." As Snapchat's user base and valuation continued to swell, Spiegel quickly became a bona fide celebrity in the worlds of tech and media, and he regularly rubs shoulders with A-listers and celebrities.Spiegel, center, with George Lucas, left, and Vice CEO Shane Smith in October 2014.Michael Kovac / Getty ImagesIn 2013, he was romantically tied to a model who was later a contestant on "The Bachelor."Spiegel eventually started dating Australian supermodel Miranda Kerr in 2015 after the two met the year before at a dinner for Louis Vuitton.AP ImagesThe night they met, Harper's Bazaar editor-in-chief Glenda Bailey said to Kerr, "I bet you two are going to get married." Things moved quickly for the couple after that. In May 2016, Spiegel and Kerr purchased a house in Brentwood for $12 million.ZillowThe 7,164-square-foot home was once owned by Harrison Ford, and has a gym, pool and guest house. A few months later, in July 2016, the couple announced they were engaged. Kerr showed off her ring on Snapchat, no less.Miranda Kerr and Evan Spiegel.Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for LACMASpiegel proposed to Kerr with a ring that is worth an estimated $55,000.  Kerr has not hesitated to weigh in on Spiegel's company.Brad Barket/Getty ImagesAfter some of Snapchat's core features were replicated on Instagram and Facebook's other apps in 2016, Kerr said she was "appalled" by Facebook's strategy. "Can they not be innovative?" she said in an interview. "Do they have to steal all of my partner's ideas?" Spiegel eventually addressed Facebook's copying of Snapchat, which his company internally referred to as "Project Voldemort."Snapchat Stories, one of the features Facebook has been accused of copying.Snapchat"At the end of the day, just because Yahoo has a search box, it doesn't mean they're Google," Spiegel said in mid-2017. "You have to get comfortable with and enjoy the fact that someone is going to copy you if you make great stuff." In September 2016, Spiegel renamed his company to Snap Inc., which he called it a "camera company" in an interview with the Wall Street Journal.Snapchat/YouTubeSnap also expanded its offerings beyond the Snapchat app, and unveiled smart sunglasses with a built-in camera called Spectacles. In February 2017, Spiegel and cofounder Bobby Murphy established the Snap Foundation to support nonprofit arts, education, and youth programs.Murphy (left) and Spiegel (right).J.Emilio Flores / Contributor/Getty ImagesIn an S-1 filing Snap, and cofounders, pledged to donate up to 13,000,000 shares of Class A common stock over a period of 15 to 20 years to the Snap Foundation.  Snap went public on March 2, 2017 at a valuation of roughly $33 billion.Snap cofounders Evan Spiegel, left, and Bobby Murphy during the company's IPO debut.Hollis Johnson/Business InsiderSpiegel added about $1.6 billion to his net worth based on Snap's 44% jump in share price in the first day of trading, according to Bloomberg.  Not long after, Kerr and Spiegel tied the knot in a backyard ceremony at their home in Brentwood in May 2017.Steve Granitz/WireImageThe wedding was an "intimate affair" with less than 50 guests in attendance, and included pre-nuptial yoga and after-hours karaoke.Spiegel and Kerr honeymooned on the private island of Laucala in Fiji, at a resort owned by Red Bull billionaire Dietrich Mateschitz. In November 2017, Spiegel and Kerr announced they were expecting their first child together. A baby boy, named Hart, was born in May 2018.Emma McIntyre/Getty ImagesTheir son was born at Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles and was named Hart after Spiegel's grandfather.   When Spiegel isn't running Snap, Kerr says her husband loves to come home and chill with the family.HEV/BuzzFoto via Getty Images"He acts like he's 50. He's not out partying," Kerr once said. "He goes to work in Venice. He comes home. We don't go out. We'd rather be at home and have dinner, go to bed early." Spiegel said the couple imposes a limit on screen time for Flynn, Kerr's eldest son from her previous marriage to actor Orlando Bloom.Snap CEO Evan Spiegel and wife Miranda Kerr.Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for Snap IncFlynn is allowed only 1.5 hours of screen time per week, a rule Spiegel said is inspired by his own parents not allowing him to watch TV until he was nearly a teenager. Nonetheless, Spiegel and his 8-year-old stepson are reportedly close.Snap CEO Evan Spiegel.Snap"He's already on his iPod," Spiegel said in a 2018 interview. "We email. Very emoji heavy. It's good!" Spiegel has also been a French citizen since 2018.Evan Spiegel, left, and French president Emmanuel Macron.APSpiegel was granted citizenship through a rare process for French-speaking foreign nationals who have taken "exceptional action" for France. "Honestly, he loves France," a Snap spokesperson said. 2018 also presented Spiegel with some new challenges. Snap rolled out a redesign to its app in February that was massively unpopular with users.Michael Buckner/BMA2015/Getty ImagesThe redesign lead user count to drop, its stock to fall, and employee layoffs to follow. Kylie Jenner even publicly criticized the app. Kerr, Spiegel's wife, also told him she hated the redesign.Greg Sandoval/Business InsiderHowever, Spiegel later said he doesn't regret the disastrous redesign, and said it actually helped to drive more users to watch "premium content" on Snapchat. Although 2018 proved difficult for Spiegel, Snapchat rebounded in 2019 to recover its disastrous losses.Snap CEO Evan Spiegel.Steve Jennings/Getty Images for TechCrunchSpiegel, however, still had advice for founders: "Don't go public." In March 2019, Kerr and Spiegel said they were expecting their second child together. Kerr announced on Instagram in October that she had given birth to a baby boy named Myles.Photo by JB Lacroix/Getty Images"We are overjoyed at the arrival of Myles and so appreciate everyone's kind words and wishes during this special time," Kerr wrote on Instagram, alongside a photo of her son's embroidered name. "We couldn't be more excited to welcome our beautiful son into our family." 2019 was also a massive year for another social platform: TikTok, the viral video-sharing app.A 3-D printed figures are seen in front of displayed Tik Tok logo in this picture illustrationReutersWhile CEOs like Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg have labelled the app as a competitor, Spiegel said he considered TikTok as a "friend" helping people to spend even more time on their smartphones.  In an interview with CNBC's "Squawk Alley" later that year Spiegel once again asserted that TikTok was not encroaching on Snap's user base.Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube are all defendants in the lawsuit.Chesnot/Getty Images"Snapchat is about communicating with close friends and seems like TikTok is a popularity contest," Spiegel said.  Spiegel also spoke out about the challenges of running a public companyRafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty ImagesIn an interview with the Wall Street Journal in November 2019, Spiegel discussed the struggles of implementing the controversial redesign. "As a public company, people are looking for more predictable growth. Making drastic changes can actually harm the business in a way that makes it harder going forward. We've found ways to introduce products in a smoother way, which should hopefully help us move faster," he said.   Spiegel has also said he didn't watch television until he was a teen.Getty Images / Handout/Getty Images"No TV until I was a teen. When I applied to college, I wrote my essay about how when my friends talked about "South Park," I thought it was a park. My friends eventually explained," Spiegel told the Wall Street Journal.   In January 2021, Spiegel and Kerr purchased a $30 million mansion in ParisPierre Mouton /Stringer/Getty ImagesThe 10,000 square foot house, located near the Seine river in Paris, includes six bedrooms, five bathrooms, a swimming pool, courtyard, garden, library, music room, wine cellar, private dressing rooms, and space for nurses, maids, or chefs. 2021 was a banner year for the company as it marked Snap's highest growth in users since going public in 2017.Snap's CEO Evan SpiegelGetty Images for Snap, Inc. The company announced that it had accrued close to 300 million daily active users over the second quarter of 2021, representing an increase in 55 million users from the year prior. "Our second quarter results reflect the broad-based strength of our business, as we grew both revenue and daily active users at the highest rates we have achieved in the past four years," Spiegel said at the time. At the same time, Spiegel was forced to reckon with charges against the lack of diversity in Snap's workforce.Snapchat CEO Evan SpiegelMichael Kovac/Getty ImagesAt an internal meeting in July 2020, Spiegel said that the company keeps its diversity reports private because releasing data would reinforce the idea that minority groups are underrepresented in the tech industry. He also told employees that the company's numbers were in line with those at other tech companies which tended to skew white and male. Later that month, though, the company released its first diversity report. The report broke down employee demographics going back all the way back to when Snap was first founded in 2011. It showed that Black and Latinx employees comprised less than 11% of the company's staff and less than a third of the company's staff identified as women.  Snap also launched an investigation into allegations of racism and sexism at the company.Youtube/SnapchatThe investigation came after some former employees spoke out in June about diminishing diversity and biased editorial practices. The company also hired lawyers from Seattle-based firm William Kastner to conduct interviews as part of a "confidential investigation" sources previously told Insider. Later that year, Spiegel and Kerr purchased property in the ritzy Los Angeles neighborhood of Holmby Hills where other tech execs like Sean Parker own homes.The ritzy neighborhood of Holmby Hills in Los Angeles.Google MapsThe Spiegels purchased a vacant lot spanning 1.4 acres for $25 million in 2021. By August 2022, they closed on a second parcel of land with an unfurnished mansion for $120 million, according to the New York Post. After laying off about 20% of the company's staff in late August 2022, Spiegel told remaining employees at an all hands meeting to "prove the haters wrong."Snap CEO Evan Spiegel demos the company's AR glasses.Snap Inc/Getty Images for Snap IncSpiegel also diverted blame for the company's massive hiring spree over the previous 18 months in which headcount grew by thousands of people. Between October 2021 and October 2022, Spiegel's net worth plunged from $13.9 billion to $2.3 billion, according to estimates by the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.Co-Founder and CEO of Snap Inc. Evan Spiegel speaks onstage during Vanity Fair New Establishment Summit at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on October 3, 2017 in Beverly Hills, California.Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty ImagesSpiegel's losses came as Snap itself struggled with year-over-year losses, struggles with its advertising business, and Snapchat contended with stagnating user growth. Despite Snap's expansion into augmented reality, Spiegel has been more skeptical of virtual reality — and the metaverse.Getty Images"The metaverse is 'living inside of a computer.' The last thing I want to do when I get home from work during a long day is live inside of a computer," Spiegel previously said. This year, as US lawmakers consider ways to implement a ban on TikTok, Spiegel has said the company would love a "short-term" one in the US.Evan Spiegel.Justin Sullivan/Getty Images"We'd love that. In the short term," he told a reporter in April. "In the short term, that is something that would help us out."At the same time he acknowledged the ban could set a problematic precedent for other technology platforms."I think there are some big questions about what that would mean longer term, single out a single technology company, instead of developing a more comprehensive regulatory well," he said.Alex Heath, Madeline Stone, Paige Leskin, and Avery Hartmans contributed to earlier versions of this article.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

New bills take aim at doctors providing trans health care and change custody law to classify providing gender-affirming care as abuse. Protesters lay on the ground holding cardboard signs shaped like tombstones in front of the Marriott Fort Lauderdale Airport as the Florida Board of Medicine met inside on Aug 5, 2022.Jose A. Iglesias/El Nuevo Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images A slate of anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced in Florida this month. If passed, the bills would restrict access to gender-affirming care and classify it as child abuse. Experts told Insider the bills are posturing ahead of the 2024 presidential race. A series of new bills in Florida taking aim at health care providers offering gender-affirming care and parents who support their trans kids are part of a targeted attack against gender nonconforming people in the state, legal and mental health experts told Insider, with the aim to "erase them from public life entirely."In addition to a proposed Florida House bill that would prohibit a person's sex from being changed on their birth certificate and make gender-affirming care for minors illegal, GOP legislators in the state of Florida also proposed bills this month that would:Allow the state to modify child custody agreements if a parent supports their trans child in transitioning and classify providing gender-affirming care as child abuseMakes it a misdemeanor for a trans person to enter a bathroom that does not align with their sex assigned at birthExpand the state's controversial "Don't Say Gay" bill to include charter schools and prohibit instruction on gender identity and sexuality through the 8th grade"Florida Republicans are methodically pushing policies that encourage transgender people and their families to flee the state or erase them from public life," Carlos Guillermo Smith, a special project manager for Equality Florida and a former representative in the Florida House, told Insider. "It's government-imposed gender conformity, and if it isn't stopped, it will not end here."Smith, the first openly LGBTQ Latino lawmaker in the state, said the anti-trans legislation in Florida has escalated quickly in recent years after a bill was introduced in 2021 that banned trans kids from participating in school sports, which lawmakers claimed was over concern about fairness."That has quickly escalated to now, where we have this frightening plan to criminalize and imprison parents who help their own children access gender-affirming care, which is to tell you that it was never about women's sports," Smith told Insider. "This is Republicans, empowered by Ron DeSantis, methodically pushing policies to push trans people out of the state of Florida or erase them from public life entirely."Representatives for DeSantis did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.New legislation 'short circuits existing law'The proposed new bills go further to expand anti-trans legislation than others across the nation, disrupting established custody and health care precedent, legal experts told Insider.Brett Ward, co-chair of the top 100 law firm Blank Rome's Matrimonial and Family Law Practice Group, told Insider that Florida state Senator Clay Yarborough's proposed bill, SB 254, which would allow disapproving parents to take "emergency jurisdiction" over their children if the minor receives or is "at risk of" receiving gender-affirming care, is unprecedented in how it interferes with parental rights."It's really concerning not just from a moral perspective, which is not my area of expertise, but from a family law perspective," Ward said. "Other than the anti-trans messaging that goes along with this bill, you have the state interfering with the fundamental right of parents to make decisions concerning the care of their children, which is a Supreme Court-recognized due process right. This is an absolute trampling on that right and also, in my opinion, a trampling on the sovereignty of other states."Alejandra Caraballo, a clinical instructor at Harvard Law School's Cyberlaw Clinic and former staff attorney at the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund, told Insider that Yarborough's bill "short circuits existing law and completely blows it up" by incentivizing state-sponsored kidnapping.Representatives for Yarborough told Insider the bill was proposed to protect Florida youth from "life-altering gender dysphoria therapies" and gender-affirming surgeries that are "mutilating young children."After Insider's initial reporting on SB 254, Yarborough amended the bill language to include a provision that the court is authorized to act "only to the extent necessary."A Reuters investigation found that, as of 2021, fewer than 1,500 youth in the United States under the age of 17 were taking physician-prescribed puberty blockers, and fewer than 4,500 on hormone therapies. Less than 300 received mastectomies or "top surgery," and only 56 youth under the age of 17 have received gender-affirming "bottom" or genital surgery.Representatives for Florida state Rep. Randy Fine, who proposed HB 1421, a bill that would restrict gender-affirming health care in the state, did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment."I think that's important, just to note how brazen the language has become — it's genocidal rhetoric," Caraballo told Insider. "I mean, when you're talking about eradicating something like that, that's genocidal."She added: "For a long time trans people have been called alarmist because we've been seeing this bubble up from the swamps of the internet, but it's becoming more and more vocal, and it's being backed by legislation. And I think that's one other aspect to this, just how much of this is being driven by a pure drive to eliminate trans people from public life."Driven by political aspirationsAdvocates, legal scholars, and mental health professionals each told Insider the push for the latest anti-trans measures in the state of Florida appears to be driven by Gov. Ron DeSantis's apparent White House aspirations. "This is all about politics, and this is all about bolstering DeSantis is run for the presidency," Caraballo told Insider. "I think what you're seeing is essentially a race to the bottom in terms of the sheer level of depravity and animus and hatred that they can exhibit and just plain cruelty that they can exhibit towards trans people. And DeSantis has every incentive to participate and demonstrate in that cruelty."As part of that "race to the bottom," proving a track record of legislating transgender issues has become a galvanizing issue among Republican lawmakers, which both Caraballo and Ward said can be used to score easy "points" among voters who are critical of transgender people."It's a popular opinion, unfortunately, that people who get gender-affirming health care are wrong, the children who get it are wrong," Ward told Insider. "It is the state, the government, coming into the privacy of the home and invading it — which is very, very inconsistent with their positions on other issues, such as if someone has a gun in the home. That attack is extremely unfortunate, and discriminatory, and in my opinion morally wrong, and they're attacking it from every angle."As a result of the widespread attempts to legislate gender issues, Ward said, industries from health care to academia are navigating new legal territory, facing potential liability issues if they run afoul of the new laws."So there's a chilling effect on the medical community, there's a chilling effect on the educational community, about openly talking about it," Ward said. "And now they're trying to tell parents 'don't you dare go in this direction and support your children's actual identity because the legal community and the government will come down on you.' It's a comprehensive attack on the trans community."An untold impact on Florida's trans youthCaught in the middle of the attempts to legislate health care, custody agreements, and education related to trans people, are gender non-conforming youth in the state, advocates told Insider."Research has consistently found that when transgender young people feel supported by their parents and families, their odds of suicide risk can lower significantly," Casey Pick, director of law and policy at The Trevor Project, said in a statement to Insider. "This call to take trans youth away from vital parental support — especially as 54% of trans and nonbinary youth in Florida seriously considered suicide in the past year — is the latest in a series of egregious efforts by anti-trans politicians to marginalize trans young people even further."Christian Jorbal, a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in LGBTQ health told Insider that, in addition to the practical realities of these proposed bills making life more challenging for trans youth, watching the political process where individual rights are under attack can be particularly troubling for kids in the state."Ultimately, this legislation is particularly difficult and challenging for children and adolescents," Jorbal told Insider. "And I say that because as adults, who may be sort of transgender or specifically gender diverse, on one level, we have more resources, more money, more physical access to resources, for example, to be able to connect with others who may identify with or to even participate, for example, in political protests — there are ways in which we can we can exercise our sense of agency."In adolescence, Jorbal said, it's much more difficult to feel a sense of control over one's future, and for a trans kid watching their rights get legislated away without being able to vote or participate in the political process, that can be particularly disheartening."They don't have money. They don't necessarily have the ability to access resources unless their parents are specifically supporting them and really sort of directing them through the process," Jorbal said. "They don't necessarily have the resources to be able to connect with others with whom they can identify, and they don't have the ability to engage in things that help them to feel a sense of agency. There's a lot of powerlessness in childhood and adolescence, and so it makes them pretty vulnerable."Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

New bills take aim at doctors providing trans health care and change custody law to classify providing gender-affirming care as abuse. Protesters lay on the ground holding cardboard signs shaped like tombstones in front of the Marriott Fort Lauderdale Airport as the Florida Board of Medicine met inside on Aug 5, 2022.Jose A. Iglesias/El Nuevo Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images A slate of anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced in Florida this month. If passed, the bills would restrict access to gender-affirming care and classify it as child abuse. Experts told Insider the bills are posturing ahead of the 2024 presidential race. A series of new bills in Florida taking aim at health care providers offering gender-affirming care and parents who support their trans kids are part of a targeted attack against gender nonconforming people in the state, legal and mental health experts told Insider, with the aim to "erase them from public life entirely."In addition to a proposed Florida House bill that would prohibit a person's sex from being changed on their birth certificate and make gender-affirming care for minors illegal, GOP legislators in the state of Florida also proposed bills this month that would:Allow the state to modify child custody agreements if a parent supports their trans child in transitioning and classify providing gender-affirming care as child abuseMakes it a misdemeanor for a trans person to enter a bathroom that does not align with their sex assigned at birthExpand the state's controversial "Don't Say Gay" bill to include charter schools and prohibit instruction on gender identity and sexuality through the 8th grade"Florida Republicans are methodically pushing policies that encourage transgender people and their families to flee the state or erase them from public life," Carlos Guillermo Smith, a special project manager for Equality Florida and a former representative in the Florida House, told Insider. "It's government-imposed gender conformity, and if it isn't stopped, it will not end here."Smith, the first openly LGBTQ Latino lawmaker in the state, said the anti-trans legislation in Florida has escalated quickly in recent years after a bill was introduced in 2021 that banned trans kids from participating in school sports, which lawmakers claimed was over concern about fairness."That has quickly escalated to now, where we have this frightening plan to criminalize and imprison parents who help their own children access gender-affirming care, which is to tell you that it was never about women's sports," Smith told Insider. "This is Republicans, empowered by Ron DeSantis, methodically pushing policies to push trans people out of the state of Florida or erase them from public life entirely."Representatives for DeSantis did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.New legislation 'short circuits existing law'The proposed new bills go further to expand anti-trans legislation than others across the nation, disrupting established custody and health care precedent, legal experts told Insider.Brett Ward, co-chair of the top 100 law firm Blank Rome's Matrimonial and Family Law Practice Group, told Insider that Florida State Senator Clay Yarborough's proposed bill, SB 254, which would allow disapproving parents to take "emergency jurisdiction" over their children if the minor receives or is "at risk of" receiving gender-affirming care, is unprecedented in how it interferes with parental rights."It's really concerning not just from a moral perspective, which is not my area of expertise, but from a family law perspective," Ward said. "Other than the anti-trans messaging that goes along with this bill, you have the state interfering with the fundamental right of parents to make decisions concerning the care of their children, which is a Supreme Court-recognized due process right. This is an absolute trampling on that right and also, in my opinion, a trampling on the sovereignty of other states."Alejandra Caraballo, a clinical instructor at Harvard Law School's Cyberlaw Clinic and former staff attorney at the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund, told Insider that Yarborough's bill "short circuits existing law and completely blows it up" by incentivizing state-sponsored kidnapping.Representatives for Yarborough told Insider the bill was proposed to protect Florida youth from "life-altering gender dysphoria therapies" and gender-affirming surgeries that are "mutilating young children."After Insider's initial reporting on SB 254, Yarborough amended the bill language to include a provision that the court is authorized to act "only to the extent necessary."A Reuters investigation found that, as of 2021, fewer than 1,500 youth in the United States under the age of 17 were taking physician-prescribed puberty blockers, and fewer than 4,500 on hormone therapies. Less than 300 received mastectomies or "top surgery," and only 56 youth under the age of 17 have received gender-affirming "bottom" or genital surgery.Representatives for Rep. Randy Fine, who proposed HB1421, a bill that would restrict gender-affirming health care in the state, did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment."I think that's important, just to note how brazen the language has become — it's genocidal rhetoric," Caraballo told Insider. "I mean, when you're talking about eradicating something like that, that's genocidal."She added: "For a long time trans people have been called alarmist because we've been seeing this bubble up from the swamps of the internet, but it's becoming more and more vocal, and it's being backed by legislation. And I think that's one other aspect to this, just how much of this is being driven by a pure drive to eliminate trans people from public life."Driven by political aspirationsAdvocates, legal scholars, and mental health professionals each told Insider the push for the latest anti-trans measures in the state of Florida appears to be driven by Gov. Ron DeSantis's apparent White House aspirations. "This is all about politics, and this is all about bolstering DeSantis is run for the presidency," Caraballo told Insider. "I think what you're seeing is essentially a race to the bottom in terms of the sheer level of depravity and animus and hatred that they can exhibit and just plain cruelty that they can exhibit towards trans people. And DeSantis has every incentive to participate and demonstrate in that cruelty."As part of that "race to the bottom," proving a track record of legislating transgender issues has become a galvanizing issue among Republican lawmakers, which both Caraballo and Ward said can be used to score easy "points" among voters who are critical of transgender people."It's a popular opinion, unfortunately, that people who get gender-affirming health care are wrong, the children who get it are wrong," Ward told Insider. "It is the state, the government, coming into the privacy of the home and invading it — which is very, very inconsistent with their positions on other issues, such as if someone has a gun in the home. That attack is extremely unfortunate, and discriminatory, and in my opinion morally wrong, and they're attacking it from every angle."As a result of the widespread attempts to legislate gender issues, Ward said, industries from health care to academia are navigating new legal territory, facing potential liability issues if they run afoul of the new laws."So there's a chilling effect on the medical community, there's a chilling effect on the educational community, about openly talking about it," Ward said. "And now they're trying to tell parents 'don't you dare go in this direction and support your children's actual identity because the legal community and the government will come down on you.' It's a comprehensive attack on the trans community."An untold impact on Florida's trans youthCaught in the middle of the attempts to legislate health care, custody agreements, and education related to trans people, are gender non-conforming youth in the state, advocates told Insider."Research has consistently found that when transgender young people feel supported by their parents and families, their odds of suicide risk can lower significantly," Casey Pick, director of law and policy at The Trevor Project, said in a statement to Insider. "This call to take trans youth away from vital parental support — especially as 54% of trans and nonbinary youth in Florida seriously considered suicide in the past year — is the latest in a series of egregious efforts by anti-trans politicians to marginalize trans young people even further."Christian Jorbal, a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in LGBTQ health told Insider that, in addition to the practical realities of these proposed bills making life more challenging for trans youth, watching the political process where individual rights are under attack can be particularly troubling for kids in the state."Ultimately, this legislation is particularly difficult and challenging for children and adolescents," Jorbal told Insider. "And I say that because as adults, who may be sort of transgender or specifically gender diverse, on one level, we have more resources, more money, more physical access to resources, for example, to be able to connect with others who may identify with or to even participate, for example, in political protests — there are ways in which we can we can exercise our sense of agency."In adolescence, Jorbal said, it's much more difficult to feel a sense of control over one's future, and for a trans kid watching their rights get legislated away without being able to vote or participate in the political process, that can be particularly disheartening."They don't have money. They don't necessarily have the ability to access resources unless their parents are specifically supporting them and really sort of directing them through the process," Jorbal said. "They don't necessarily have the resources to be able to connect with others with whom they can identify, and they don't have the ability to engage in things that help them to feel a sense of agency. There's a lot of powerlessness in childhood and adolescence, and so it makes them pretty vulnerable."Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Sen. Lindsey Graham: States Should Decide On Same-Sex Marriage Authored by Matthew Vadum via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours), Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Aug. 7 that states, not the federal government, should decide whether same-sex marriage should be legally recognized. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington on March 5, 2021. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) Graham’s comments came during a panel discussion on CNN’s “State of the Union” after HR 8404, the proposed Respect for Marriage Act, passed the House of Representatives 267-157 on July 19 with the support of 47 Republicans. The bill is pending in the 50/50 Senate where it is expected to enjoy the support of Sens. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Susan Collins (R-Maine.) Among the Republicans voting for the bill were House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) and Scott Perry (R-Penn.), who chairs the conservative House Freedom Caucus. Voting no were Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.). Lindsey Graham on CNN says that "I think states should decide the issue of marriage," but when Dana Bash asks him if states should also decide whether interracial marriage is legal, he dismisses the question as a distraction from inflation pic.twitter.com/L1rGv6ZGBi — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 7, 2022 The bill would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), a 1996 law that defined marriage as the union of one man and one woman and allowed states to refuse to accept same-sex marriages recognized under other states’ laws. After then-President Bill Clinton signed DOMA, about 40 states banned same-sex marriage. DOMA was found to be unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in Obergefell v. Hodges (2015), a ruling that held that the Fourteenth Amendment requires states to license and recognize same-sex marriage. The new bill would also codify the Obergefell ruling. Respect for Marriage Act supporters say the bill is needed because the Supreme Court’s June 24 decision overturning 49-year-old abortion precedent Roe v. Wade potentially opened the door to the future reversal of Obergefell by the court. Although Graham said he did not believe the Supreme Court would actually reverse Obergefell, neither the court nor the federal government should be deciding the issue of same-sex marriage for the entire nation. “I’ve been consistent. I think states should decide the issue of marriage and states should decide the issue of abortion,” Graham told CNN. “I have respect for South Carolina. South Carolina voters here I trust to define marriage and to deal with [the] issue of abortion and not nine people on the court. That’s my view.” The proposed Respect for Marriage Act is a distraction from the problems Americans are really facing, Graham suggested. “We’re talking about things that don’t happen because you don’t want to talk about inflation, you don’t want to talk about crime,” Graham said, with Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) at his side. Blumenthal said the Obergefell ruling must be codified because “there’s a real danger of it being overturned” by the high court. “This Supreme Court has indicated it has a hit list, beginning with marriage equality, contraception, possibly others as well, Loving v. Virginia,” the senator said. In Loving, the Supreme Court ruled in 1967 that laws forbidding interracial marriage violate the Fourteenth Amendment. In his concurring opinion (pdf) in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overruled Roe v. Wade, Justice Brett Kavanaugh specifically wrote that the Dobbs ruling “does not threaten or cast doubt” on Loving or Griswold v. Connecticut, a 1965 Supreme Court decision recognizing the right to use contraceptives. In a separate concurring opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas said the court, now that it has overturned Roe, should also reconsider its “demonstrably erroneous” rulings in cases such as Obergefell and Griswold. Thomas did not identify Loving as a precedent that should be overturned. Tyler Durden Tue, 08/09/2022 - 18:05.....»»

The Supreme Court has overturned the 1973 landmark Roe v. Wade ruling that granted a nationwide, constitutional right to an abortion. Abortion rights and anti-abortion rights activists fill the street in front of the U.S. Supreme Court during a protest in the wake of the decision overturning Roe v. Wade outside on June 25, 2022, in Washington, DC.Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on last week. The 1973 landmark ruling established the constitutional right to an abortion. Over a dozen states have laws meant to immediately outlaw abortion upon a reversal of Roe. The Supreme Court last week overturned the 1973 landmark Roe v. Wade ruling that established the constitutional right to an abortion. The opinion in the case Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization threw out the ruling as the nation's highest court sided with Mississippi and other states, which passed restrictive anti-abortion laws.Immediately after last week's ruling, politicians on both sides of the aisle issued statements — with Republicans praising the Supreme Court and Democrats slamming the decision. Over a dozen states have "trigger laws" meant to ban abortion immediately upon the overturning of Roe, as the legality of abortion is now left up to state legislatures. Olivia Rodrigo calls out SCOTUS justices who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade with a rendition of 'F--- You'Olivia Rodrigo performing at the Glastonbury Festival on Saturday.Shirlaine Forrest/WireImage via Getty ImagesPop star Olivia Rodrigo on Saturday sent a message to the Supreme Court justices responsible for overturning Roe v. Wade, calling them out during her set at the Glastonbury music festival. Rodrigo invited her guest, British singer Lily Allen, on stage and the pair performed Allen's 2009 song, "Fuck You" — but not before Rodrigo named all five SCOTUS justices who helped gut the landmark ruling that protected abortion rights in America."Today is a very, very special day. This is actually my first Glastonbury," Rodrigo said. "But I'm also equally as heartbroken over what happened in America yesterday." Rodrigo told the crowd that the SCOTUS decision infringed on a woman's ability to secure a safe abortion, which she called a basic human right. Read Full StoryAfter Roe fell, Steve Bannon called for an 'army of the awakened' to 'shatter' DemocratsIn a Gettr post, Steve Bannon urged "patriots" to take advantage of the "Roe momentum" to win the MAGA movement a "massive victory" at the midterm elections.Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty ImagesRight-wing figure Steve Bannon has called for an "army of the awakened" to "shatter" the Democratic party in post-Roe America. Bannon made a post on Gettr on Saturday lauding the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade, a controversial decision that has led to abortion being halted in some states.In his post, Bannon called on "the army of the awakened" to rally and capitalize on the verdict. "This is the key take-away for MAGA … the pro-abortion movement is shattered and is now turning in on itself — because for 50 years they didn't have to work— the Courts and Regime Media covered for them — now The Abyss," Bannon wrote."That's the Democratic Party in November— we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to shatter it into a million small pieces," Bannon added, referring to the upcoming midterm elections.Read Full StoryTexas abortion clinic staff describe how patients 'begged for help' when Roe v. Wade was overturned: reportA patient at the Alamo Women's Reproductive Services Clinic in San Antonio, Texas, is informed by a staff member on Friday that the clinic can no longer provide her with an abortion.Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty ImagesStaff at an abortion clinic in Texas said they had to turn away people seeking abortions away just minutes after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on Friday.Speaking to The 19th, an independent news organization, clinic administrator Andrea Gallegos described how she had to turn away a dozen patients waiting in the lobby of the Alamo Women's Reproductive Services clinic in San Antonio, Texas. Gallegos told The 19th that she and the clinic's staff had to tell the people gathered that, because of the ruling, "unfortunately, your geographical location affects your bodily autonomy." Per the outlet, Gallegos described the scene at the clinic as being one of "complete despair," with people screaming, crying, and begging for help.Read Full Story'Full House' star Jodie Sweetin was thrown to the ground by LAPD during freeway protest for abortion rightsJodie Sweetin told People that she was "proud" of those who showed up to protest.Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty ImagesLos Angeles Police Department officers shoved Jodie Sweetin onto the ground of a freeway in Los Angeles on Saturday during an abortion rights protest, video shows.The "Full House" and "Fuller House" star, wearing all black with a black backpack, can be seen in a video of the incident with a megaphone in hand when a couple of LAPD officers shove her to the ground. Protesters can be heard yelling "Jodie, you good?" and  "What the f*** is wrong with you guys?"Sweetin is then picked up and the crowd immediately begins to chant "no justice, no peace."Read Full StorySince the Roe ruling a gynecology clinic in Texas has received increased requests for permanent sterilization: 'I sense that they're scared'Protesters march during an abortion-rights rally on June 25, 2022 in Austin, Texas.Sergio Flores/Getty ImagesA women's health clinic in Austin, Texas, has received dozens of requests for permanent sterilizations after Friday's decision by the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision that established a constitutional right to an abortion. After the Women's Health Domain closed on Friday evening for the weekend, it received 109 new patient requests, the majority of which were requesting tubal ligation, or permanent sterilization. Read Full StoryThe impact of Kavanaugh's confirmation on the 2018 elections may reveal how the reversal of Roe v. Wade could impact this year's midtermsU.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh.Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesAs political analysts seek to understand the possible impact of Roe v. Wade being overturned on this year's midterm elections, some suggest that data from 2018 may reveal possible trends. In 2018, following the contentious confirmation hearings of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh — who was accused of sexual assault by Christine Ford — 40 Republican US House seats flipped to Democratic candidates. GOP candidates led in polls taken prior to the hearings and went on to lose in November in 27 of those races, indicating increased mobilization among partisan voters following the hearings.  Read Full StoryLindsey Graham said Alito's abortion opinion was correct for distinguishing Roe from same-sex marriage and contraception rulingsRepublican Sen. Lindsey Graham.J. Scott Applewhite/APRepublican South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham said Sunday that Justice Samuel Alito, unlike Justice Clarence Thomas, was correct for saying same-sex marriage and contraception would not be affected by the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. In his concurring opinion on the ruling, Thomas wrote "we should reconsider all of this Court's substantive due process precedents" for cases regarding contraceptive access, same-sex relationships, and same-sex marriage.Read Full StoryAOC says Supreme Court justices who lied under oath must face consequences for 'impeachable offense'U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY).Alex Wong/Getty ImagesRep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Sunday said she believes it's an "impeachable offense" for a Supreme Court justice to lie under oath. Following the overturn of Roe v. Wade, Sens. Susan Collins and Joe Manchin said they felt misled by Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch during their individual confirmation hearings. The two senators, both pro-choice, voted to confirm Kavanaugh and Gorsuch because they assured them that they believed Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark Supreme Court decision that made abortion a constitutional right nationwide, was law. Both Gorsuch and Kavanaugh, however, voted to strike down Roe earlier this week.Ocasio-Cortez, speaking in an interview with NBC News' "Meet the Press," said she believes the court is facing a "crisis of legitimacy" and justices must face consequences if they lie under oath. "If we allow Supreme Court nominees to lie under oath and secure lifetime appointments to the highest court of the land and then issue, without basis," she said, "we must see that through. There must be consequences for such a deeply destabilizing action and a hostile takeover of our democratic institutions."Read Full StoryElizabeth Warren: Supreme Court 'set a torch' to the last of its legitimacySen. Elizabeth Warren.Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty ImagesSen. Elizabeth Warren said the US Supreme Court has lost all legitimacy following the rollback of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark decision that made abortion a constitutional right nationwide.Speaking on ABC News' "This Week" on Sunday, Warren suggested that Republicans have tried to stack the Supreme Court with justices who would be against abortion. "The Republicans have been very overt about trying to get people through the court who didn't have a published record on Roe, but who they knew — wink wink nod nod — were going to be extremist on the issue of Roe v. Wade." Warren said. "And that is exactly what we have ended up with.""This court has lost legitimacy. They have burned whatever legitimacy they may still have had," Warren continued. "They just took the last of it and set a torch to it with the Roe v. Wade opinion."Read Full StoryAn abortion clinic in North Dakota has raised more than $500,000 in two days to fund its move to MinnesotaActivists march along Constitution Avenue to the US Supreme Court on May 14, 2022.Astrid Riecken for The Washington Post via Getty ImagesAn abortion clinic based in North Dakota has raised more than $550,000 to fund its move in the two days since the Supreme Court's decision to roll back Roe v. Wade. The Red River Women's Clinic of Fargo, North Dakota, set up a GoFundMe to assist with a planned move to Moorhead, Minnesota. North Dakota is one of the at least 13 states that has a "trigger" law, which immediately bans abortions following the overturn of Roe v. Wade. But moving out of North Dakota means there will no longer be an operating abortion clinic in the state. READ FULL STORYThe overturning of Roe v. Wade will 'exacerbate the mental health crisis' in the US, American Psychological Association saysRear view of an unrecognizable abused woman sitting on her bed looking out the window. - stock photoAlvaro Medina Jurado/ Getty ImagesThe American Psychological Association warned on Friday that the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade will exacerbate mental health in the United States.Research suggests that "adding barriers to accessing abortion services may increase symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression," APA President Frank C. Wornell said in a statement."We are alarmed that the justices would nullify Roe despite decades of scientific research demonstrating that people who are denied abortions are more likely to experience higher levels of anxiety, lower life satisfaction and lower self-esteem compared with those who are able to obtain abortions," Wornell added. READ FULL STORYTrump congratulated his conservative Supreme Court justice picks for their 'courage' amid the overturn of Roe v. WadeFormer President Donald Trump.AP Photo/Joe MaioranaFormer President Donald Trump on Saturday thanked his three conservative justice picks on the Supreme Court, all of whom voted to overturn Roe v. Wade."Yesterday the court handed down a victory for the Constitution, a victory for the rule of law, and above all, a victory for life," Trump said during a rally in Mendon, Illinois. "Thanks to the courage found within the United States Supreme Court, this long divisive issue will be decided by the states and by the American people," he added.He congratulated his three picks — Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett — and praised the decision.READ FULL STORYAOC recalls thanking God she had the choice to get an abortion when she took a pregnancy test after being rapedRep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.Drew Angerer/Getty ImagesRep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Friday shared a personal sexual assault story during a pro-abortion rights rally, saying she felt grateful she had the freedom to obtain an abortion if she needed one in that moment. "I myself, when I was about 22 or 23 years old, was raped while I was living here in New York City," she told a crowd in New York's City Union Square Park. "I was completely alone. I felt completely alone. In fact, I felt so alone that I had to take a pregnancy test in a public bathroom in midtown Manhattan.""When I sat there waiting for what the result would be, all I could think was thank God I have, at least, a choice," she continued. "Thank God I could, at least, have the freedom to choose my destiny."READ FULL STORYGloria Steinem slams Roe v. Wade repeal, says 'there is no democracy' without the right to choseGloria Steinem was one of the most important activists of the Women's Movement.Mike Coppola/Getty ImagesJournalist and feminist leader Gloria Steinem has slammed the impact of repealing Roe v. Wade will have on democracy, in an email to AP."Obviously, without the right of women and men to make decisions about our own bodies, there is no democracy," she said. She has called for action to fight the Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, protecting US abortion rights."Banning abortions does not stop the need. It just bans their safety."Read Full StoryGOP privately worrying overturning Roe v. Wade could impact midterms: 'This is a losing issue for Republicans,' report saysProtests outside of the Supreme Court after it overturned Roe v. WadeCamila DeChalusWhile Republicans are publicly celebrating the overturning of Roe v. Wade, some are privately worrying that the timing could negatively impact the November midterms. Some Republicans fear the abortion ruling could give Democrats ammunition to attack them and mobilize voters, Politico reported, based on interviews with more than a dozen GOP strategists and officials."This is not a conversation we want to have," Republican strategist John Thomas told Politico. "We want to have a conversation about the economy. We want to have a conversation about Joe Biden, about pretty much anything else besides Roe. This is a losing issue for Republicans."Read Full StoryPlanned Parenthood sues Utah to stop trigger law that makes abortion a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prisonPro-choice supporters and staff of Planned Parenthood hold a rally outside the Planned Parenthood Reproductive Health Services Center in St. Louis, Missouri, May 31, 2019.SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty ImagesThe Planned Parenthood Association of Utah is suing to stop the state's "trigger law" abortion ban that took effect on Friday following the overturning of Roe v. Wade.The Utah law makes abortions, with limited exceptions, a second-degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Read Full StoryMany Republicans rejoiced at Roe being overturned but these 4 GOP governors want to protect the right to abortionGov. Chris Sununu of New Hampshire.AP Photo/Charles Krupa, FileAfter Friday's Supreme Court Roe v. Wade ruling, which revoked the constitutional right to abortion, many Republicans celebrated it as a win. The GOP has long been at the forefront of the fight to restrict abortion access and many Republican-led states have enacted or will enact abortion bans as a result of the decision.Read Full StoryGeorgia Democratic nominee for Governor Stacey Abrams explains the change in her position on abortion: There is 'no place in that medical decision for ideology or for politicians'Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams speaks to the media during a press conference, May 24, 2022Joe Raedle/Getty ImagesGeorgia Democratic nominee for Governor Stacey Abrams explained in a Friday interview with CNN how her perspective on abortion rights has evolved over the years and how she came to support the right to abortion services after being raised in a religious household. "I was very much on the side of anti-abortion, through much of my upbringing. I grew up in Mississippi, in a very religious family, in a religious community," Abrams told CNN host Sara Sidner. "And I was raised to have a very uncritical eye to this question."Read Full StoryWhat is the Hyde Amendment and how is it related to the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade?People protest the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v Wade abortion decision in New York City, New York, U.S., June 24, 2022.REUTERS/Caitlin OchsFollowing the Supreme Court's Friday decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, there have been renewed calls from lawmakers and activists to abandon the Hyde Amendment, a legislative provision preventing federal funds from being used on abortion services. The Hyde Amendment, named for anti-abortion Congressman Henry Hyde who introduced the provision, was passed in 1976, just four years after the landmark Roe vs. Wade ruling that established the right to an abortion. The amendment, which prevents federal funds from services such as Medicaid to be used to provide abortions, was mired in legal challenges for its first years, leading to the Supreme Court case Harris v. McRae. Read Full StoryAfter calls from AOC and other Dems to expand the court, White House says Biden 'does not agree' with the movePresident Joe Biden.Getty ImagesAs calls for remedies to restrictions on abortion access grow, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Saturday that President Joe Biden "does not agree with" expanding the Supreme Court. "I was asked this question yesterday, and I've been asked it before... about expanding the Court. That is something that the President does not agree with. That is not something that he wants to do," Jean-Pierre said during a press briefing on Air Force One.Read Full StoryVirginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin pushes state lawmakers for a 15-week abortion banRepublican Gov. Glenn Youngkin of Virginia.AP Photo/Steve HelberRepublican Gov. Glenn Youngkin of Virginia on Friday said he would push for a ban on most abortions after 15 weeks in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade.Youngkin, who took office earlier this year, said in a statement that the court's decision was an "appropriate" return of power "to the people and their elected representatives in the states.""Virginians do want fewer abortions as opposed to more abortions," the governor said in a meeting at The Washington Post shortly after the decision was made public. "I am not someone who is going to jump in and try to push us apart … There is a place we can come together."Youngkin assembled four Republican legislators to help write legislation that could potentially attract bipartisan support in a legislature. In the state, the GOP has a 52-48 majority in the House of Delegates while Democrats have a 21-19 edge in the Senate.Read Full StoryMan uses truck to repeatedly block entrance to Mississippi's only abortion clinic as tensions run high after Roe v. Wade rulingA man blocked the entrance to the Jackson Women's Health Organization, Mississippi's only abortion clinic, with his truck on June 25, 2022 after the Supreme Court overturned Roe V. Wade earlier in the week.Kenneth NiemeyerJACKSON, MS — A man used his truck to block the entrance to Mississippi's only abortion clinic on Saturday as tensions continue to run high at the clinic after the Supreme Court overturned Roe V. Wade earlier in the week.The Jackson Women's Health Organization, the only abortion clinic in Mississippi, has vowed to remain open for at least nine more days after the Supreme Court voted 5-4 to overturn Roe V. Wade, a landmark decision that legalized abortion nationally. Mississippi has a trigger law that requires the state attorney general to certify the Supreme Court's decision and allows for the clinic to remain open for 10 days after the certification.Pro-life demonstrators continued to clash with clinic volunteer escorts, who call themselves Pink House Defenders, on Saturday. The clinic, housed in a large pink building, is commonly referred to locally as the Pink House.A man in a white truck blocked the entrance to the clinic at least twice on Saturday.Read Full StoryDemocratic lawmakers urge FTC to investigate Apple and Google over mobile tracking data practices targeting abortion seekersDaniil Dubov/Getty ImagesFour Democratic lawmakers on Friday urged the Federal Trade Commission to investigate Apple and Google's mobile tacking practices regarding abortion seekers. Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Cory Booker of New Jersey, Ron Wyden of Oregon, and Sara Jacobs of California wrote a letter to FTC Chair Lina Khan — accusing Apple and Google of collecting and selling "Hundreds of millions of mobile phone users' data." The lawmakers argued that for individuals seeking abortion services in states where abortion would be illegal it is essential that their data won't fall into the wrong hands.Read Full StorySens. Susan Collins and Joe Manchin, who voted to confirm justices Kavanaugh and Gorsuch, say they were misled on Roe v. WadeSen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME).Drew Angerer/Getty ImagesCentrist Senators Susan Collins and Joe Manchin criticized Friday's landmark Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, suggesting they felt misled by Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch.Collins, a Maine Republican, and Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat, both voted to confirm Kavanaugh and Gorsuch. Both senators are pro-choice and said that the justices had assured them they believed Roe v Wade was settled law."I trusted Justice Gorsuch and Justice Kavanaugh when they testified under oath that they also believed Roe v. Wade was settled legal precedent. I am alarmed they chose to reject the stability the ruling has provided for two generations of Americans," Manchin said in a statement.Manchin, a self-described centrist, was one of three Democrats to vote to confirm Gorsuch in 2017 and the only Democrat who voted to confirm Kavanaugh in 2018. Kavanaugh's 50-48 confirmation vote was historically close.Manchin said that while he is personally pro-life, he would "support legislation that would codify the rights Roe v. Wade previously protected."Read Full StorySenators Elizabeth Warren and Tina Smith call on Biden to 'declare a public health emergency' now that Roe v Wade 'is gone'Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., right, and Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn.Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)US Senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Tina Smith of Minnesota are calling on President Joe Biden to  "declare a public health emergency," following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.In an op-ed for the New York Times on Saturday, the Democratic senators said that "with the release of the Dobbs decision," the US is facing " a perilous time that threatens millions of women across this nation.""We urge the president to declare a public health emergency to protect abortion access for all Americans, unlocking critical resources and authority that states and the federal government can use to meet the surge in demand for reproductive health services. The danger is real, and Democrats must meet it with the urgency it deserves," Warren and Smith wrote. The senators blamed the reversal of Roe v. Wade on "right-wing politicians and their allies" who they said "have spent decades scheming."Read Full StorySearches for how to move to Canada from the US spike by over 850% after Roe v. Wade rulingMary Meisenzahl/InsiderSearches for how to move to Canada spiked over 850% on Google after the Supreme Court ruled to overturn Roe v Wade, Axios reported. Citing Simon Rogers' Google Trends newsletter, Axios reported that searches for  "How to become a Canadian citizen" also rose by 550% as of Friday evening.In a 5-4 majority opinion, the Supreme Court on Friday overturned the 50-year-old landmark ruling that legalized abortion nationwide.Read Full StoryA pickup truck driver in Iowa ploughed into pro-choice protesters opposing the overturning of Roe v. Wade abortion rightsProtesters approach a pickup truck that attempted to run over abortion-rights protesters in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.Isacc Davis via ReutersA truck drove into a group of pro-choice protesters in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Friday, leading to at least one woman being hospitalized. The group of mostly women protesters was demonstrating against the landmark Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade when an unidentified man driving a black Ford truck drove into them.In videos of the incident, protesters can be seen trying to stand in the car's way and shouting at the driver to stop. He accelerates and a protester is knocked to the ground.Read Full StoryBill Gates and George Soros among billionaires denouncing Roe v. Wade decisionBill Gates voiced opposition to the Roe v. Wade decision, while Warren Buffett is reportedly planning a big investment in abortion rights.Spencer Platt/Getty ImagesSome of America's most prominent billionaires have denounced the overturning of Roe v. Wade, as Warren Buffett reportedly sets in motion plans for big donations to reproductive rights.Bill Gates, Melinda French Gates, and George Soros all tweeted their opposition to the Supreme Court decision to roll back abortion rights nationally, overturning a near-50-year precedent. Bill Gates tweeted: "This is a sad day. Reversing Roe v. Wade is an unjust and unacceptable setback. And it puts women's lives at risk, especially the most disadvantaged."Read Full StoryMeta bans staff from open discussion of Roe v. Wade decision and is deleting internal messages that mention abortion: reportMeta has disallowed employees to discuss abortion on internal messaging system.Joan Cros/Getty ImagesMeta has warned employees not to discuss the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade on its internal system and deleting messages that do so, The New York Times reported.Managers cited a policy that put "strong guardrails around social, political and sensitive conversations" in the workplace, according to company insiders, the newspaper reported. Read Full StoryVatican praises US Supreme Court for overturning Roe v. Wade, says it 'challenges the whole world'Pope Francis gestures, during his weekly general audience in the Paul VI Hall, at the Vatican, Wednesday, March 23, 2022.Alessandra Tarantino/Associated PressThe Vatican's Pontifical Academy for Life has praised the US Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v Wade which protected abortion rights for women. They also called that legislation ensures that those giving birth are given the support needed to keep and care for their children. In a statement released on Twitter, the Catholic organization said "The fact that a large country with a long democratic tradition has changed its position on this issue also challenges the whole world."Read Full Story The Arizona State Senate had to be evacuated after tear gas police deployed on protesters spread into the buildingArizona State Capitol Building at sunrise, features Winged Victory statue and was modeled after Greek statue Nike of Samothrace.Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images GroupThe Arizona State Senate Building in Phoenix was evacuated on Friday after police deployed tear gas at demonstrators.A video posted on social media by Republican State Senator Michelle Ugenti-Rita shows dozens of people protesting outside the government building in response to the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Read Full StoryObergefell, the plaintiff in the SCOTUS same-sex marriage ruling, said it's 'quite telling' Clarence Thomas omitted the case that legalized interracial marriage after saying the courts should go after other right to privacy casesAssociate Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and his wife and conservative activist Virginia Thomas arrive at the Heritage Foundation on October 21, 2021.Drew Angerer/Getty ImageJim Obergefell, the plaintiff behind the Supreme Court's landmark ruling on same-sex marriage, said Friday that Justice Clarence Thomas omitted Loving v. Virginia on his list of  Supreme Court decisions to "reconsider" because it "affects him personally." "That affects him personally, but he doesn't care about the LGBTQ+ community," Obergefell said on MSNBC's "The Reid Out."Read Full StoryStanding among protestors after the fall of Roe vs. Wade, AOC calls on Biden to create abortion clinics on federal landRep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) speaks to abortion-rights activists in front of the U.S. Supreme Court after the Court announced a ruling in the Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization case on June 24, 2022 in Washington, DC.Nathan Howard/Getty ImagesRep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Friday called on President Biden to create abortion clinics on federal land, following the landmark Supreme Court ruling which overturned Roe v. Wade and removed federal abortion protections. Speaking to a crowd of protestors gathered in New York's Union Square, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez encouraged people to "be relentless to restore and guarantee all of our rights." She detailed her own experience after sexual assault in her 20s, when she was grateful that abortion would have been an option for her if she needed it, and pushed for federal action to preserve access to reproductive healthcare.  Read Full StoryThe states passing strict abortion bans have some of the highest maternal and infant mortality rates in the countryPRODUCTION - 17 April 2021, Berlin: A midwife listens to the heart tones of an unborn child with an ultrasound device. The woman is in her 2nd trimester of pregnancy and is lying on a bed in the midwife's office. 5.5.2021 is International Midwifery Day, which is intended to draw attention to the importance of the profession.Annette Riedl/picture alliance via Getty ImagesWith Friday's Supreme court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade – the landmark case guaranteeing a right to abortion – 13 states with automatic trigger laws enacted total or near-total bans on abortions. The surge of new abortion bans and clinic closures has highlighted the recent rise in America's maternal mortality rates that are disproportionately affecting women of color and have placed the US first in maternal deaths among all developed nations.Read Full StoryPro-choice advocates come out in force vowing to continue the fight after the Supreme Court strikes down Roe v. WadeA massive crowd gathered in New York's Washington Square Park, hours after the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade.Anna Watts for InsiderHours after the Supreme Court announced it had struck down the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, throngs of pro-choice Americans took to the streets vowing to continue the fight. In New York's Washington Square Park, a somber and angry crowd began assembling at 5 p.m. ET. They held handwritten signs with words like "Betrayed" or "My corpse has more rights." Some were smeared with red paint.Read Full StoryWhich Supreme Court justices voted to overturn Roe v. Wade? Here's where all 9 judges standReproductive rights activists hold cut out photos of the Supreme Court justices as oral arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization case are held on Wednesday, December 1, 2021.Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty ImagesThe Supreme Court on Friday overturned Roe v. Wade in a 5-4 majority opinion that guts federal abortion rights protections previously upheld by the nearly 50-year-old landmark ruling.The conservative majority voted to uphold the Mississippi law at the heart of the case which seeks to ban abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy, a contradiction to the standard set by Roe, which allowed abortions until about 24 weeks of pregnancy, at which point a fetus could feasibly survive outside the womb. Six justices ruled in favor of upholding Mississippi's 15-week ban, but it was the majority opinion of five judges that ultimately led to the total overhaul of Roe v. Wade. Read the full story to find out how each justice voted. READ FULL STORYThis map shows where abortion is illegal, protected, or under threat across all 50 US statesPro-life and abortion-rights advocates crowd the Supreme Court building after Roe v. Wade was overturned Friday morning.Brandon Bell/Getty ImagesOn Friday, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the near 50-year-old court ruling that legalized abortion across all 50 US states.Some states have been preparing for years for the possibility that Roe could be overturned.A handful of states had trigger laws designed to immediately ban abortions within their borders once the decision was reversed. Some "sanctuary states," like New York, put in place legal framework that would protect abortion, even if Roe were overturned. In other areas of the country, it isn't totally clear what happens next — abortion isn't legally protected, but it's also not expressly forbidden.Read Full StoryThe Supreme Court just overturned Roe v. Wade, but the vast majority of Americans don't even know who the court's justices areSeated from left: Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, John Roberts, Stephen Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor, Standing from left: Brett Kavanaugh, Elena Kagan, Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett.Erin Schaff-Pool/Getty ImagesThe Supreme Court on Friday overturned Roe v. Wade, the nearly 50-year-old landmark ruling that protected abortion rights nationwide.But recent polling suggests that the vast majority of American voters don't even know who these influential justices are, highlighting an apparent disconnect between the nation's top court and the very people affected by its rulings.Ahead of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's Senate confirmation earlier this year, C-SPAN and Pierrepont Consulting & Analytics surveyed more than 1,000 likely voters to gauge the public's interest in and awareness of the Supreme Court's work and relevance. While 84% of voters said the Supreme Court's decisions affect their everyday life, far fewer respondents could provide basic details about the court's history or inner workings.Keep ReadingWisconsin patients who were scheduled to receive abortions were turned away in the waiting room after Roe v. Wade was overturnedA volunteer escort outside Affiliated Medical Services, a Milwaukee abortion clinic, on Wednesday, May 28, 2014, in Milwaukee.AP Photo/Dinesh Ramde FileIn Wisconsin, Planned Parenthood clinics had been scheduling patients through Saturday, June 25, but had stopped scheduling for next week in anticipation of the Supreme Court ruling that would overturn Roe v. Wade, which was leaked in May.When the news broke Friday morning that the court had rendered its opinion, Tanya Atkinson, president of Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, said her clinics had patients waiting to receive services."Our team had to go out into the lobby and let those individuals know that they would not be able to access the healthcare that they needed," Atkinson told the local PBS station.Keep ReadingProtestors planning to protest on Justice Clarence Thomas' streetProtestors are planning to head over to Justice Clarence Thomas' house on Friday night after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade."Enraged? Devastated? Pissed the fuck off? So are we," Our Rights DC tweeted on Friday afternoon."Meet us at 5711 Burke Centre Pkwy. 6:30 PM we meet, 7 PM we carpool to the Thomas's street. WEAR A MASK," the human rights organization added. Read Full StoryThe sports world is speaking out against Friday's Supreme Court rulingPro-choice activists protest in response to the leaked Supreme Court draft decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in front of the US Supreme Court May 3, 2022 in Washington, DC.Alex Wong/Getty ImagesSome of the biggest names in sports — from tennis to basketball — are speaking out after the Supreme Court ruled to overturn Roe v. Wade on Friday.The Minnesota Lynx's Natalie Achonwa wrote on Twitter that she's "feeling sick & heartbroken" after hearing about the decision. Tennis legend and feminist icon Billie Jean King said on Twitter that it's a "sad day" in the US. The WNBA's Seattle Storm tweeted that they are "furious and ready to fight."Orlando Magic point guard Devin Cannady tweeted that the "country needs to be better," adding in a follow-up note that the ruling is "a POWER grab over WOMEN."Read Full StoryThese organizations are asking for donations after Roe v. Wade was overturnedIn the wake of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, organizations fighting for abortion rights are calling on supporters to donate.Click the link below for some organizations that are asking for help to either fight the ruling or provide access to abortion for women in states where it will be banned. Read Full StoryAttorney General says states can't ban abortion pills that are approved by FDAUS Attorney General Merrick Garland said states can't ban abortion medication mifepristone "based on disagreement" with the US Food and Drug Administration.Garland said on Friday that the FDA already ruled on the pill's "safety and efficacy," so the decision can't be overturned by states that want to restrict abortion access."Women who reside in states that have banned access to comprehensive reproductive care must remain free to seek that care in states where it is legal," Garland said, after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade earlier.He continued: "Moreover, under fundamental First Amendment principles, individuals must remain free to inform and counsel each other about the reproductive care that is available in other states."Read Full Story House Democrats sang 'God Bless America' on Capitol steps as crowds protested at Supreme CourtHouse Speaker Nancy Pelosi leads a rally celebrating the passage of gun safety legislation as protesters swarm the court just yards away on June 24, 2022.Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesHouse Democrats gathered outside the Capitol on Friday to celebrate passing new gun safety legislation, and cheerfully sang "God Bless America."Across the street, however, protesters swarmed the Supreme Court after the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Read Full StoryVideos show police in riot gear head to Supreme Court after decisionCapitol Police in riot gear could be seen marching towards the Supreme Court earlier on Friday after Roe v. Wade was overturned. A video shared to Twitter by CNN correspondent Manu Raju showed dozens of officers march from the Capitol building and to the Court.Law enforcement also closed streets around the high court, where peaceful protesters gathered by the hundreds after the decision. —Manu Raju (@mkraju) June 24, 2022 Read Full StoryMassive protests erupt outside Supreme Court after Roe v. Wade rulingProtesters outside of Supreme CourtCamila DeChalusHundreds of people gathered outside the Supreme Court on Friday to protest the ruling that overturns Roe v. Wade. Abortion-rights advocates waived green and black signs and shouted "my body, my choice."Across from the abortion-rights protesters, a group of abortion opponents wore red shirts with white letters that read: "The pro-life generation votes."Read Full StoryThe 13 states with abortion-ban 'trigger laws' are not prepared to enforce themThirteen states with abortion "trigger laws" — where the practice could become illegal — are not prepared for how to go about implementing a ban.An Insider investigation over the last few months found that, through over 100 records requests and reaching out to nearly 80 state and local officials, just one agency could detail any sort of plan. This story is part of an investigative series from Insider examining the demise of abortion rights in so-called "trigger law" states. It was originally published on May 7, 48 days before the Supreme Court ruled in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization that abortion is no longer a constitutionally protected right. Read all the stories from "The First 13" here.Read Full StoryStates where abortion access will be on the ballot in 2022Abortion-rights supporters chant their objections at the Kentucky Capitol on Wednesday, April 13, 2022, in Frankfort, Ky., Kentucky is one of at least four states with abortion-related ballot measures in 2022.AP Photo/Bruce Schreiner, FileAbortion policy will be on the ballot in at least four states during the upcoming 2022 midterm elections — the highest number of abortion-related ballot measures to appear in a year since 1986. Kansas and Kentucky will vote on constitutional amendments to establish no right to an abortion, while Montana will vote on a "born-alive" amendment that would extend personhood to infants "born alive" at any stage.On the other side, voters in Vermont will decide on an amendment that will enshrine the right to an abortion in the state's constitution.Read Full StoryBiden says Americans can have 'the final word' after the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. WadePresident Joe BidenStefani Reynolds/AFP/Getty ImagesPresident Joe Biden said Friday was a "sad day" for the nation after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, and vowed his administration would do everything it can to protect women."With this decision, the conservative majority of the Supreme Court shows how extreme it is, how far removed they are from the majority of the country," Biden said during an address to the nation. He continued: "But this decision must not be the final word," urging Americans to vote.Read Full StoryGetting an abortion is going to get a lot more expensive for many AmericansParticipants hold signs during the Women's March at the US Supreme Court.Leigh Vogel/Getty Images for Women's March IncExperts told Insider that the cost of getting an abortion is all but guaranteed to rise after the Supreme Court on Friday overturned Roe v. Wade. Many who live in states where abortion will become mostly, or entirely, illegal will have to face travel costs if they want a procedure in a different state where it is legal. Wage loss for taking time off to get a procedure is another issue. "You might be salaried and I might be salaried, and you can take time off," said Anna Rupani, executive director of Fund Texas Choice (FTC), a nonprofit organization that pays for low-income Texans' associated abortion costs. "A lot of our clients are living paycheck to paycheck, they're not in salaried positions… they're experiencing wage loss."Read Full StoryPelosi warns 'Republicans are plotting a nationwide abortion ban'House Speaker Nancy Pelosi warned that congressional Republicans want to pass a federal abortion ban into law after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.Be aware of this: the Republicans are plotting a nationwide abortion ban," Pelosi said during her weekly press briefing. "They cannot be allowed to have a majority in the Congress to do that. But that's their goal."She continued: "What this means to women is such an insult. It's a slap in the face to women about using their own judgment to make decisions about their reproductive freedom."Read Full StoryTrump reportedly believes overturning Roe v. Wade is 'bad for Republicans'Trump stands with now-Justice Amy Coney Barrett at the White House after she was sworn in on October 26, 2020.Brendan Smialowski / AFP via Getty ImagesFormer President Donald Trump praised the Supreme Court for overturning Roe v. Wade on Friday."This is following the Constitution, and giving rights back when they should have been given long ago," he told Fox News.Privately, Trump has said that overturning Roe would be "bad for Republicans," according to The New York Times' Maggie Haberman and Michael C. Bender.Read Full StoryLead plaintiff in case that made same-sex marriage legal slams Justice Thomas' call for case to be reconsideredThe lead plaintiff in the case that made same-sex marriage legal slammed Justice Clarence Thomas' call for the case to be reconsidered.Thomas said the Supreme Court should reconsider rulings that protect same-sex marriage, in the wake of Friday's decision to overturn nationwide access to abortions."The millions of loving couples who have the right to marriage equality to form their own families do not need Clarence Thomas imposing his individual twisted morality upon them. If you want to see an error in judgment, Clarence Thomas, look in the mirror," Jim Obergefell said in a statement obtained by HuffPost.Read Full StoryMichelle Obama said she is 'heartbroken' after the Supreme Court's decisionFormer first lady Michelle ObamaJae C. Hong/Associated PressFormer First Lady Michelle Obama said she is "heartbroken" after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on Friday.She said before Roe was established, women "risked their lives getting illegal abortions.""That is what our mothers and grandmothers and great-grandmothers lived through, and now here we are again," Obama wrote in her statement. "So yes, I am heartbroken — for the teenage girl full of zest and promise, who won't be able to finish school or live the life she wants because her state controls her reproductive decisions," she added.Read Full StoryAG Merrick Garland said the Supreme Court dealt 'a devastating blow' to abortion rightsAttorney General Merrick Garland said the Supreme Court dealt a "devastating blow to reproductive freedom in the United States" by eliminating the constitutional right to an abortion.Garland said in a statement that the Justice Department disagreed with the decision and predicted that it "will have an immediate and irreversible impact on the lives of people across the country.""And it will be greatly disproportionate in its effect – with the greatest burdens felt by people of color and those of limited financial means," he added.Read Full StorySenate announces hearing 'to explore the grim reality of a post-Roe America'The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee announced a hearing to explore the "grim reality" of life in the US in the aftermath of Friday's Supreme Court ruling."Today's decision eliminates a federally protected constitutional right that has been the law for nearly half a century," said Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin in a statement.He continued: "As a result, millions of Americans are waking up in a country where they have fewer rights than their parents and grandparents."The hearing is set for July 12, a day after the Senate returns from a two-week July 4 recess.Read Full StoryBiden to deliver remarks on Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. WadePresident Joe Biden will deliver remarks at 12:30 p.m. local time on Friday about the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. The White House told reporters that he plans to speak about "the Supreme Court decision on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization to overturn Roe v. Wade."Read Full StoryVarious politicians react to Friday's Supreme Court decision to overturn RoeCurrent and former politicians from both sides of the aisle are reacting to the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.Sen. Lindsey Graham said the decision is "a long overdue constitutional correction allowing for elected officials in the states to decide issues of life." Roe was "constitutionally unsound from its inception," he said. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called Friday "one of the darkest days our country has ever seen." "Millions upon millions of American women are having their rights taken from them by five unelected Justices on the extremist MAGA court," he said in a statement shared with Insider.  Read Full StoryNancy Pelosi and other Democrats are using the Supreme Court decision as a fundraising opportunity for the 2022 midtermsUS Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi speaks in front of the steps to the House of Representatives with congressional members to speak on the Roe v. Wade issue May 13, 2022 in Washington, DC.Win McNamee/Getty ImagesHouse Speaker Nancy Pelosi and fellow Democrats are using the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade as a fundraising opportunity ahead of the fall midterms. "Can you chip in $15 so we can WIN these midterms and finally codify reproductive rights into law?" Pelosi wrote supporters."Our ONLY option is to marshal a response so historic — 100,000 gifts before midnight — that we DEFEAT every anti-choice Republican that made this happen, EXPAND our Majorities, and FINALLY codify our reproductive rights into law. So, can I expect to see your name on my "Pro-Choice Champion" list tomorrow morning?"Read Full StoryPlanned Parenthood president slams Supreme Court decisionAlexis McGill Johnson, president of Planned Parenthood, addresses abortion-rights supporters at the "Bans Off Our Bodies Abortion Rally" at Los Angeles City Hall, Saturday, May 14, 2022.AP Photo/Damian DovarganesPlanned Parenthood Action Fund President Alexis McGill Johnson said the Supreme Court gave politicians "permission to control what we do with our bodies" after the Friday decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. "Due to centuries of racism and systemic discrimination, we already know who will feel the consequences of this horrific decision most acutely: Black, Latino and Indigenous communities, people with disabilities, those living in rural areas, young people, immigrants and those having difficulties making ends meet," she said. "All of our freedoms are on the line," she added. Read Full StoryDC police are fully activated in response to protests from the Supreme Court decisionPro-choice signs hang on a police barricade at the U.S. Supreme Court Building in Washington, DC, on May 3, 2022.Anna Moneymaker/Getty ImagesThe Washington, D.C. Police Department has been fully activated after protests broke out over the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. The Metropolitan Police Department said in an alert that it would "be fully activated to support expected First Amendment demonstrations," and added that "all members should be prepared to work extended tours as necessary" through Tuesday, June 28. A heavy police presence could be seen outside the Supreme Court Friday morning.Read Full StoryBarack Obama says overturning Roe v. Wade is an attack on 'essential freedoms of millions of Americans'Former president Barack Obama slammed the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, and urged people to vote and "join with the activists who've been sounding the alarm on abortion access for years.""Today, the Supreme Court not only reversed nearly 50 years of precedent, it relegated the most intensely personal decision someone can make to the whims of politicians and ideologues — attacking the essential freedoms of millions of Americans," he wrote on Twitter. He continued: "Join with the activists who've been sounding the alarm on abortion access for years — and act. Stand with them at a local protest. Volunteer with one of their organizations. Knock on doors for a candidate you believe in. Vote on or before November 8 and in every other election. Because in the end, if we want judges who will protect all, and not just some, of our rights, then we've got to elect officials committed to doing the same."Read Full StoryStoking fears of violence, Marjorie Taylor Greene credits Trump for the end of RoeFar-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene praised former President Donald Trump and demonized Democrats in her live reaction to the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade."Thank you President Trump," Greene said to a pro-Trump YouTube channel. "God bless you. This got overturned today because of your great work as president, and we want him back.""I do fear for the safety of people here in D.C.," she said, speculating without citing any evidence that Democrats will riot. Read Full StoryHillary Clinton says decision to overturn Roe will 'live in infamy' and is a 'step backward' for women's rightsExecutive Producer Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks on stage during "Below The Belt" New York Premiere at Museum of Modern Art on May 24, 2022 in New York City.Cindy Ord/Getty ImagesHillary Clinton said Friday's Supreme Court ruling is a "step backward" for women's rights."Most Americans believe the decision to have a child is one of the most sacred decisions there is, and that such decisions should remain between patients and their doctors," she tweeted after the decision. She continued: "Today's Supreme Court opinion will live in infamy as a step backward for women's rights and human rights."Read Full StoryFriday's decision could undo much of women's economic progress since the 1970sAbortion rights advocates and anti-abortion protesters demonstrate in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021, in Washington, as the court hears arguments in a case from Mississippi, where a 2018 law would ban abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, well before viability.(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)Friday's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade will have enormous consequences for women's economic progress.Experts told Insider before the ruling that research points to the fact that abortion legalization has greatly contributed to women's progress in many ways, like reducing rates of teen motherhood and maternal mortality, increasing rates of workforce participation, earnings, and educational attainment."This is going to create just a perfect storm of concentrated human misery," said Kimberly Kelly, a sociology professor focused on abortion politics at a Mississippi college, before Friday's decision, adding that overturning Roe means "abortion is going to become a function of class privilege."Read Full StorySupreme Court's liberal justices warn more rights are at stake with the end of Roe v. WadeThe Supreme Court's three liberal justices warned in a dissent that other rights could be on the line after Friday's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. "Whatever the exact scope of the coming laws, one result of today's decision is certain: the curtailment of women's rights, and of their status as free and equal citizens," read the dissenting opinion authored by Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan."No one should be confident that this majority is done with its work," they wrote. "The right Roe and Casey recognized does not stand alone."Read Full StoryChief Justice John Roberts says Supreme Court went too far in taking 'the dramatic step' of overturning Roe v. WadeChief Justice John Roberts.Drew Angerer/Getty ImagesChief Justice John Roberts said he felt the Supreme Court's five other conservatives went too far in their decision to overturn Roe v. Wade."The Court's decision to overrule Roe and Casey is a serious jolt to the legal system — regardless of how you view those cases," Roberts wrote in his concurring opinion that was released on Friday along with the majority opinion.He continued: "A narrower decision rejecting the misguided viability line would be markedly less unsettling, and nothing more is needed to decide this case."Read Full StoryPence says the overturning of Roe v. Wade has 'righted a historic wrong'Former Vice President Mike Pence said the Supreme Court "righted a historic wrong" when it undid nearly 50 years of abortion rights nationwide on Friday."Now that Roe v. Wade has been consigned to the ash heap of history, a new arena in the cause of life has emerged and it is incumbent on all who cherish the sanctity of life to resolve that we will take the defense of the unborn and support for women in crisis pregnancies to every state Capitol in America," Pence said in the statement, in one of the first reactions from a politician. Read Full StoryJustice Thomas says Supreme Court should reconsider rulings that protect contraception and same-sex marriageJustice Clarence ThomasDrew Angerer/Getty ImagesJustice Clarence Thomas said the Supreme Court should reconsider rulings that protect contraception, same-sex relationships, and same-sex marriage, in a concurring opinion with the ruling to overturn the precedent set in Roe v. Wade."For that reason, in future cases, we should reconsider all of this Court's substantive due process precedents, including Griswold, Lawrence, and Obergefell," the conservative justice wrote. Read Full StorySupreme Court overturns 1973 landmark Roe v. Wade rulingThe Supreme Court has overturned the 1973 landmark Roe v. Wade ruling that established the constitutional right to an abortion.The opinion in the case Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization threw out the decades-old ruling by siding with Mississippi and other states that had passed restrictive anti-abortion laws."The Constitution does not confer a right to abortion; Roe and Casey are overruled; and the authority to regulate abortion is returned to the people and their elected representatives," the Friday ruling said. The ruling now leaves the legality of abortion up to state legislatures. Over a dozen states have "trigger laws" meant to ban abortion immediately upon the overturning of Roe.A leaked draft majority opinion obtained by Politico last month seemed to show the court was set to overturn Roe — immediately galvanizing nationwide protests along with condemnation by Democratic lawmakers.Read Full StoryRead the original article on Business Insider.....»»

The Supreme Court has overturned the 1973 landmark Roe v. Wade ruling that granted a nationwide, constitutional right to an abortion. Abortion rights and anti-abortion rights activists fill the street in front of the U.S. Supreme Court during a protest in the wake of the decision overturning Roe v. Wade outside on June 25, 2022, in Washington, DC.Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on last week. The 1973 landmark ruling established the constitutional right to an abortion. Over a dozen states have laws meant to immediately outlaw abortion upon a reversal of Roe. The Supreme Court last week overturned the 1973 landmark Roe v. Wade ruling that established the constitutional right to an abortion. The opinion in the case Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization threw out the ruling as the nation's highest court sided with Mississippi and other states, which passed restrictive anti-abortion laws.Immediately after last week's ruling, politicians on both sides of the aisle issued statements — with Republicans praising the Supreme Court and Democrats slamming the decision. Over a dozen states have "trigger laws" meant to ban abortion immediately upon the overturning of Roe, as the legality of abortion is now left up to state legislatures. Olivia Rodrigo calls out SCOTUS justices who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade with a rendition of 'F--- You'Olivia Rodrigo performing at the Glastonbury Festival on Saturday.Shirlaine Forrest/WireImage via Getty ImagesPop star Olivia Rodrigo on Saturday sent a message to the Supreme Court justices responsible for overturning Roe v. Wade, calling them out during her set at the Glastonbury music festival. Rodrigo invited her guest, British singer Lily Allen, on stage and the pair performed Allen's 2009 song, "Fuck You" — but not before Rodrigo named all five SCOTUS justices who helped gut the landmark ruling that protected abortion rights in America."Today is a very, very special day. This is actually my first Glastonbury," Rodrigo said. "But I'm also equally as heartbroken over what happened in America yesterday." Rodrigo told the crowd that the SCOTUS decision infringed on a woman's ability to secure a safe abortion, which she called a basic human right. Read Full StoryAfter Roe fell, Steve Bannon called for an 'army of the awakened' to 'shatter' DemocratsIn a Gettr post, Steve Bannon urged "patriots" to take advantage of the "Roe momentum" to win the MAGA movement a "massive victory" at the midterm elections.Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty ImagesRight-wing figure Steve Bannon has called for an "army of the awakened" to "shatter" the Democratic party in post-Roe America. Bannon made a post on Gettr on Saturday lauding the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade, a controversial decision that has led to abortion being halted in some states.In his post, Bannon called on "the army of the awakened" to rally and capitalize on the verdict. "This is the key take-away for MAGA … the pro-abortion movement is shattered and is now turning in on itself — because for 50 years they didn't have to work— the Courts and Regime Media covered for them — now The Abyss," Bannon wrote."That's the Democratic Party in November— we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to shatter it into a million small pieces," Bannon added, referring to the upcoming midterm elections.Read Full StoryTexas abortion clinic staff describe how patients 'begged for help' when Roe v. Wade was overturned: reportA patient at the Alamo Women's Reproductive Services Clinic in San Antonio, Texas, is informed by a staff member on Friday that the clinic can no longer provide her with an abortion.Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty ImagesStaff at an abortion clinic in Texas said they had to turn away people seeking abortions away just minutes after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on Friday.Speaking to The 19th, an independent news organization, clinic administrator Andrea Gallegos described how she had to turn away a dozen patients waiting in the lobby of the Alamo Women's Reproductive Services clinic in San Antonio, Texas. Gallegos told The 19th that she and the clinic's staff had to tell the people gathered that, because of the ruling, "unfortunately, your geographical location affects your bodily autonomy." Per the outlet, Gallegos described the scene at the clinic as being one of "complete despair," with people screaming, crying, and begging for help.Read Full Story'Full House' star Jodie Sweetin was thrown to the ground by LAPD during freeway protest for abortion rightsJodie Sweetin told People that she was "proud" of those who showed up to protest.Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty ImagesLos Angeles Police Department officers shoved Jodie Sweetin onto the ground of a freeway in Los Angeles on Saturday during an abortion rights protest, video shows.The "Full House" and "Fuller House" star, wearing all black with a black backpack, can be seen in a video of the incident with a megaphone in hand when a couple of LAPD officers shove her to the ground. Protesters can be heard yelling "Jodie, you good?" and  "What the f*** is wrong with you guys?"Sweetin is then picked up and the crowd immediately begins to chant "no justice, no peace."Read Full StorySince the Roe ruling a gynecology clinic in Texas has received increased requests for permanent sterilization: 'I sense that they're scared'Protesters march during an abortion-rights rally on June 25, 2022 in Austin, Texas.Sergio Flores/Getty ImagesA women's health clinic in Austin, Texas, has received dozens of requests for permanent sterilizations after Friday's decision by the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision that established a constitutional right to an abortion. After the Women's Health Domain closed on Friday evening for the weekend, it received 109 new patient requests, the majority of which were requesting tubal ligation, or permanent sterilization. Read Full StoryThe impact of Kavanaugh's confirmation on the 2018 elections may reveal how the reversal of Roe v. Wade could impact this year's midtermsU.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh.Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesAs political analysts seek to understand the possible impact of Roe v. Wade being overturned on this year's midterm elections, some suggest that data from 2018 may reveal possible trends. In 2018, following the contentious confirmation hearings of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh — who was accused of sexual assault by Christine Ford — 40 Republican US House seats flipped to Democratic candidates. GOP candidates led in polls taken prior to the hearings and went on to lose in November in 27 of those races, indicating increased mobilization among partisan voters following the hearings.  Read Full StoryLindsey Graham said Alito's abortion opinion was correct for distinguishing Roe from same-sex marriage and contraception rulingsRepublican Sen. Lindsey Graham.J. Scott Applewhite/APRepublican South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham said Sunday that Justice Samuel Alito, unlike Justice Clarence Thomas, was correct for saying same-sex marriage and contraception would not be affected by the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. In his concurring opinion on the ruling, Thomas wrote "we should reconsider all of this Court's substantive due process precedents" for cases regarding contraceptive access, same-sex relationships, and same-sex marriage.Read Full StoryAOC says Supreme Court justices who lied under oath must face consequences for 'impeachable offense'U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY).Alex Wong/Getty ImagesRep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Sunday said she believes it's an "impeachable offense" for a Supreme Court justice to lie under oath. Following the overturn of Roe v. Wade, Sens. Susan Collins and Joe Manchin said they felt misled by Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch during their individual confirmation hearings. The two senators, both pro-choice, voted to confirm Kavanaugh and Gorsuch because they assured them that they believed Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark Supreme Court decision that made abortion a constitutional right nationwide, was law. Both Gorsuch and Kavanaugh, however, voted to strike down Roe earlier this week.Ocasio-Cortez, speaking in an interview with NBC News' "Meet the Press," said she believes the court is facing a "crisis of legitimacy" and justices must face consequences if they lie under oath. "If we allow Supreme Court nominees to lie under oath and secure lifetime appointments to the highest court of the land and then issue, without basis," she said, "we must see that through. There must be consequences for such a deeply destabilizing action and a hostile takeover of our democratic institutions."Read Full StoryElizabeth Warren: Supreme Court 'set a torch' to the last of its legitimacySen. Elizabeth Warren.Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty ImagesSen. Elizabeth Warren said the US Supreme Court has lost all legitimacy following the rollback of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark decision that made abortion a constitutional right nationwide.Speaking on ABC News' "This Week" on Sunday, Warren suggested that Republicans have tried to stack the Supreme Court with justices who would be against abortion. "The Republicans have been very overt about trying to get people through the court who didn't have a published record on Roe, but who they knew — wink wink nod nod — were going to be extremist on the issue of Roe v. Wade." Warren said. "And that is exactly what we have ended up with.""This court has lost legitimacy. They have burned whatever legitimacy they may still have had," Warren continued. "They just took the last of it and set a torch to it with the Roe v. Wade opinion."Read Full StoryAn abortion clinic in North Dakota has raised more than $500,000 in two days to fund its move to MinnesotaActivists march along Constitution Avenue to the US Supreme Court on May 14, 2022.Astrid Riecken for The Washington Post via Getty ImagesAn abortion clinic based in North Dakota has raised more than $550,000 to fund its move in the two days since the Supreme Court's decision to roll back Roe v. Wade. The Red River Women's Clinic of Fargo, North Dakota, set up a GoFundMe to assist with a planned move to Moorhead, Minnesota. North Dakota is one of the at least 13 states that has a "trigger" law, which immediately bans abortions following the overturn of Roe v. Wade. But moving out of North Dakota means there will no longer be an operating abortion clinic in the state. READ FULL STORYThe overturning of Roe v. Wade will 'exacerbate the mental health crisis' in the US, American Psychological Association saysRear view of an unrecognizable abused woman sitting on her bed looking out the window. - stock photoAlvaro Medina Jurado/ Getty ImagesThe American Psychological Association warned on Friday that the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade will exacerbate mental health in the United States.Research suggests that "adding barriers to accessing abortion services may increase symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression," APA President Frank C. Wornell said in a statement."We are alarmed that the justices would nullify Roe despite decades of scientific research demonstrating that people who are denied abortions are more likely to experience higher levels of anxiety, lower life satisfaction and lower self-esteem compared with those who are able to obtain abortions," Wornell added. READ FULL STORYTrump congratulated his conservative Supreme Court justice picks for their 'courage' amid the overturn of Roe v. WadeFormer President Donald Trump.AP Photo/Joe MaioranaFormer President Donald Trump on Saturday thanked his three conservative justice picks on the Supreme Court, all of whom voted to overturn Roe v. Wade."Yesterday the court handed down a victory for the Constitution, a victory for the rule of law, and above all, a victory for life," Trump said during a rally in Mendon, Illinois. "Thanks to the courage found within the United States Supreme Court, this long divisive issue will be decided by the states and by the American people," he added.He congratulated his three picks — Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett — and praised the decision.READ FULL STORYAOC recalls thanking God she had the choice to get an abortion when she took a pregnancy test after being rapedRep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.Drew Angerer/Getty ImagesRep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Friday shared a personal sexual assault story during a pro-abortion rights rally, saying she felt grateful she had the freedom to obtain an abortion if she needed one in that moment. "I myself, when I was about 22 or 23 years old, was raped while I was living here in New York City," she told a crowd in New York's City Union Square Park. "I was completely alone. I felt completely alone. In fact, I felt so alone that I had to take a pregnancy test in a public bathroom in midtown Manhattan.""When I sat there waiting for what the result would be, all I could think was thank God I have, at least, a choice," she continued. "Thank God I could, at least, have the freedom to choose my destiny."READ FULL STORYGloria Steinem slams Roe v. Wade repeal, says 'there is no democracy' without the right to choseGloria Steinem was one of the most important activists of the Women's Movement.Mike Coppola/Getty ImagesJournalist and feminist leader Gloria Steinem has slammed the impact of repealing Roe v. Wade will have on democracy, in an email to AP."Obviously, without the right of women and men to make decisions about our own bodies, there is no democracy," she said. She has called for action to fight the Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, protecting US abortion rights."Banning abortions does not stop the need. It just bans their safety."Read Full StoryGOP privately worrying overturning Roe v. Wade could impact midterms: 'This is a losing issue for Republicans,' report saysProtests outside of the Supreme Court after it overturned Roe v. WadeCamila DeChalusWhile Republicans are publicly celebrating the overturning of Roe v. Wade, some are privately worrying that the timing could negatively impact the November midterms. Some Republicans fear the abortion ruling could give Democrats ammunition to attack them and mobilize voters, Politico reported, based on interviews with more than a dozen GOP strategists and officials."This is not a conversation we want to have," Republican strategist John Thomas told Politico. "We want to have a conversation about the economy. We want to have a conversation about Joe Biden, about pretty much anything else besides Roe. This is a losing issue for Republicans."Read Full StoryPlanned Parenthood sues Utah to stop trigger law that makes abortion a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prisonPro-choice supporters and staff of Planned Parenthood hold a rally outside the Planned Parenthood Reproductive Health Services Center in St. Louis, Missouri, May 31, 2019.SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty ImagesThe Planned Parenthood Association of Utah is suing to stop the state's "trigger law" abortion ban that took effect on Friday following the overturning of Roe v. Wade.The Utah law makes abortions, with limited exceptions, a second-degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Read Full StoryMany Republicans rejoiced at Roe being overturned but these 4 GOP governors want to protect the right to abortionGov. Chris Sununu of New Hampshire.AP Photo/Charles Krupa, FileAfter Friday's Supreme Court Roe v. Wade ruling, which revoked the constitutional right to abortion, many Republicans celebrated it as a win. The GOP has long been at the forefront of the fight to restrict abortion access and many Republican-led states have enacted or will enact abortion bans as a result of the decision.Read Full StoryGeorgia Democratic nominee for Governor Stacey Abrams explains the change in her position on abortion: There is 'no place in that medical decision for ideology or for politicians'Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams speaks to the media during a press conference, May 24, 2022Joe Raedle/Getty ImagesGeorgia Democratic nominee for Governor Stacey Abrams explained in a Friday interview with CNN how her perspective on abortion rights has evolved over the years and how she came to support the right to abortion services after being raised in a religious household. "I was very much on the side of anti-abortion, through much of my upbringing. I grew up in Mississippi, in a very religious family, in a religious community," Abrams told CNN host Sara Sidner. "And I was raised to have a very uncritical eye to this question."Read Full StoryWhat is the Hyde Amendment and how is it related to the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade?People protest the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v Wade abortion decision in New York City, New York, U.S., June 24, 2022.REUTERS/Caitlin OchsFollowing the Supreme Court's Friday decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, there have been renewed calls from lawmakers and activists to abandon the Hyde Amendment, a legislative provision preventing federal funds from being used on abortion services. The Hyde Amendment, named for anti-abortion Congressman Henry Hyde who introduced the provision, was passed in 1976, just four years after the landmark Roe vs. Wade ruling that established the right to an abortion. The amendment, which prevents federal funds from services such as Medicaid to be used to provide abortions, was mired in legal challenges for its first years, leading to the Supreme Court case Harris v. McRae. Read Full StoryAfter calls from AOC and other Dems to expand the court, White House says Biden 'does not agree' with the movePresident Joe Biden.Getty ImagesAs calls for remedies to restrictions on abortion access grow, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Saturday that President Joe Biden "does not agree with" expanding the Supreme Court. "I was asked this question yesterday, and I've been asked it before... about expanding the Court. That is something that the President does not agree with. That is not something that he wants to do," Jean-Pierre said during a press briefing on Air Force One.Read Full StoryVirginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin pushes state lawmakers for a 15-week abortion banRepublican Gov. Glenn Youngkin of Virginia.AP Photo/Steve HelberRepublican Gov. Glenn Youngkin of Virginia on Friday said he would push for a ban on most abortions after 15 weeks in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade.Youngkin, who took office earlier this year, said in a statement that the court's decision was an "appropriate" return of power "to the people and their elected representatives in the states.""Virginians do want fewer abortions as opposed to more abortions," the governor said in a meeting at The Washington Post shortly after the decision was made public. "I am not someone who is going to jump in and try to push us apart … There is a place we can come together."Youngkin assembled four Republican legislators to help write legislation that could potentially attract bipartisan support in a legislature. In the state, the GOP has a 52-48 majority in the House of Delegates while Democrats have a 21-19 edge in the Senate.Read Full StoryMan uses truck to repeatedly block entrance to Mississippi's only abortion clinic as tensions run high after Roe v. Wade rulingA man blocked the entrance to the Jackson Women's Health Organization, Mississippi's only abortion clinic, with his truck on June 25, 2022 after the Supreme Court overturned Roe V. Wade earlier in the week.Kenneth NiemeyerJACKSON, MS — A man used his truck to block the entrance to Mississippi's only abortion clinic on Saturday as tensions continue to run high at the clinic after the Supreme Court overturned Roe V. Wade earlier in the week.The Jackson Women's Health Organization, the only abortion clinic in Mississippi, has vowed to remain open for at least nine more days after the Supreme Court voted 5-4 to overturn Roe V. Wade, a landmark decision that legalized abortion nationally. Mississippi has a trigger law that requires the state attorney general to certify the Supreme Court's decision and allows for the clinic to remain open for 10 days after the certification.Pro-life demonstrators continued to clash with clinic volunteer escorts, who call themselves Pink House Defenders, on Saturday. The clinic, housed in a large pink building, is commonly referred to locally as the Pink House.A man in a white truck blocked the entrance to the clinic at least twice on Saturday.Read Full StoryDemocratic lawmakers urge FTC to investigate Apple and Google over mobile tracking data practices targeting abortion seekersDaniil Dubov/Getty ImagesFour Democratic lawmakers on Friday urged the Federal Trade Commission to investigate Apple and Google's mobile tacking practices regarding abortion seekers. Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Cory Booker of New Jersey, Ron Wyden of Oregon, and Sara Jacobs of California wrote a letter to FTC Chair Lina Khan — accusing Apple and Google of collecting and selling "Hundreds of millions of mobile phone users' data." The lawmakers argued that for individuals seeking abortion services in states where abortion would be illegal it is essential that their data won't fall into the wrong hands.Read Full StorySens. Susan Collins and Joe Manchin, who voted to confirm justices Kavanaugh and Gorsuch, say they were misled on Roe v. WadeSen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME).Drew Angerer/Getty ImagesCentrist Senators Susan Collins and Joe Manchin criticized Friday's landmark Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, suggesting they felt misled by Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch.Collins, a Maine Republican, and Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat, both voted to confirm Kavanaugh and Gorsuch. Both senators are pro-choice and said that the justices had assured them they believed Roe v Wade was settled law."I trusted Justice Gorsuch and Justice Kavanaugh when they testified under oath that they also believed Roe v. Wade was settled legal precedent. I am alarmed they chose to reject the stability the ruling has provided for two generations of Americans," Manchin said in a statement.Manchin, a self-described centrist, was one of three Democrats to vote to confirm Gorsuch in 2017 and the only Democrat who voted to confirm Kavanaugh in 2018. Kavanaugh's 50-48 confirmation vote was historically close.Manchin said that while he is personally pro-life, he would "support legislation that would codify the rights Roe v. Wade previously protected."Read Full StorySenators Elizabeth Warren and Tina Smith call on Biden to 'declare a public health emergency' now that Roe v Wade 'is gone'Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., right, and Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn.Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)US Senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Tina Smith of Minnesota are calling on President Joe Biden to  "declare a public health emergency," following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.In an op-ed for the New York Times on Saturday, the Democratic senators said that "with the release of the Dobbs decision," the US is facing " a perilous time that threatens millions of women across this nation.""We urge the president to declare a public health emergency to protect abortion access for all Americans, unlocking critical resources and authority that states and the federal government can use to meet the surge in demand for reproductive health services. The danger is real, and Democrats must meet it with the urgency it deserves," Warren and Smith wrote. The senators blamed the reversal of Roe v. Wade on "right-wing politicians and their allies" who they said "have spent decades scheming."Read Full StorySearches for how to move to Canada from the US spike by over 850% after Roe v. Wade rulingMary Meisenzahl/InsiderSearches for how to move to Canada spiked over 850% on Google after the Supreme Court ruled to overturn Roe v Wade, Axios reported. Citing Simon Rogers' Google Trends newsletter, Axios reported that searches for  "How to become a Canadian citizen" also rose by 550% as of Friday evening.In a 5-4 majority opinion, the Supreme Court on Friday overturned the 50-year-old landmark ruling that legalized abortion nationwide.Read Full StoryA pickup truck driver in Iowa ploughed into pro-choice protesters opposing the overturning of Roe v. Wade abortion rightsProtesters approach a pickup truck that attempted to run over abortion-rights protesters in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.Isacc Davis via ReutersA truck drove into a group of pro-choice protesters in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Friday, leading to at least one woman being hospitalized. The group of mostly women protesters was demonstrating against the landmark Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade when an unidentified man driving a black Ford truck drove into them.In videos of the incident, protesters can be seen trying to stand in the car's way and shouting at the driver to stop. He accelerates and a protester is knocked to the ground.Read Full StoryBill Gates and George Soros among billionaires denouncing Roe v. Wade decisionBill Gates voiced opposition to the Roe v. Wade decision, while Warren Buffett is reportedly planning a big investment in abortion rights.Spencer Platt/Getty ImagesSome of America's most prominent billionaires have denounced the overturning of Roe v. Wade, as Warren Buffett reportedly sets in motion plans for big donations to reproductive rights.Bill Gates, Melinda French Gates, and George Soros all tweeted their opposition to the Supreme Court decision to roll back abortion rights nationally, overturning a near-50-year precedent. Bill Gates tweeted: "This is a sad day. Reversing Roe v. Wade is an unjust and unacceptable setback. And it puts women's lives at risk, especially the most disadvantaged."Read Full StoryMeta bans staff from open discussion of Roe v. Wade decision and is deleting internal messages that mention abortion: reportMeta has disallowed employees to discuss abortion on internal messaging system.Joan Cros/Getty ImagesMeta has warned employees not to discuss the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade on its internal system and deleting messages that do so, The New York Times reported.Managers cited a policy that put "strong guardrails around social, political and sensitive conversations" in the workplace, according to company insiders, the newspaper reported. Read Full StoryVatican praises US Supreme Court for overturning Roe v. Wade, says it 'challenges the whole world'Pope Francis gestures, during his weekly general audience in the Paul VI Hall, at the Vatican, Wednesday, March 23, 2022.Alessandra Tarantino/Associated PressThe Vatican's Pontifical Academy for Life has praised the US Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v Wade which protected abortion rights for women. They also called that legislation ensures that those giving birth are given the support needed to keep and care for their children. In a statement released on Twitter, the Catholic organization said "The fact that a large country with a long democratic tradition has changed its position on this issue also challenges the whole world."Read Full Story The Arizona State Senate had to be evacuated after tear gas police deployed on protesters spread into the buildingArizona State Capitol Building at sunrise, features Winged Victory statue and was modeled after Greek statue Nike of Samothrace.Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images GroupThe Arizona State Senate Building in Phoenix was evacuated on Friday after police deployed tear gas at demonstrators.A video posted on social media by Republican State Senator Michelle Ugenti-Rita shows dozens of people protesting outside the government building in response to the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Read Full StoryObergefell, the plaintiff in the SCOTUS same-sex marriage ruling, said it's 'quite telling' Clarence Thomas omitted the case that legalized interracial marriage after saying the courts should go after other right to privacy casesAssociate Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and his wife and conservative activist Virginia Thomas arrive at the Heritage Foundation on October 21, 2021.Drew Angerer/Getty ImageJim Obergefell, the plaintiff behind the Supreme Court's landmark ruling on same-sex marriage, said Friday that Justice Clarence Thomas omitted Loving v. Virginia on his list of  Supreme Court decisions to "reconsider" because it "affects him personally." "That affects him personally, but he doesn't care about the LGBTQ+ community," Obergefell said on MSNBC's "The Reid Out."Read Full StoryStanding among protestors after the fall of Roe vs. Wade, AOC calls on Biden to create abortion clinics on federal landRep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) speaks to abortion-rights activists in front of the U.S. Supreme Court after the Court announced a ruling in the Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization case on June 24, 2022 in Washington, DC.Nathan Howard/Getty ImagesRep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Friday called on President Biden to create abortion clinics on federal land, following the landmark Supreme Court ruling which overturned Roe v. Wade and removed federal abortion protections. Speaking to a crowd of protestors gathered in New York's Union Square, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez encouraged people to "be relentless to restore and guarantee all of our rights." She detailed her own experience after sexual assault in her 20s, when she was grateful that abortion would have been an option for her if she needed it, and pushed for federal action to preserve access to reproductive healthcare.  Read Full StoryThe states passing strict abortion bans have some of the highest maternal and infant mortality rates in the countryPRODUCTION - 17 April 2021, Berlin: A midwife listens to the heart tones of an unborn child with an ultrasound device. The woman is in her 2nd trimester of pregnancy and is lying on a bed in the midwife's office. 5.5.2021 is International Midwifery Day, which is intended to draw attention to the importance of the profession.Annette Riedl/picture alliance via Getty ImagesWith Friday's Supreme court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade – the landmark case guaranteeing a right to abortion – 13 states with automatic trigger laws enacted total or near-total bans on abortions. The surge of new abortion bans and clinic closures has highlighted the recent rise in America's maternal mortality rates that are disproportionately affecting women of color and have placed the US first in maternal deaths among all developed nations.Read Full StoryPro-choice advocates come out in force vowing to continue the fight after the Supreme Court strikes down Roe v. WadeA massive crowd gathered in New York's Washington Square Park, hours after the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade.Anna Watts for InsiderHours after the Supreme Court announced it had struck down the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, throngs of pro-choice Americans took to the streets vowing to continue the fight. In New York's Washington Square Park, a somber and angry crowd began assembling at 5 p.m. ET. They held handwritten signs with words like "Betrayed" or "My corpse has more rights." Some were smeared with red paint.Read Full StoryWhich Supreme Court justices voted to overturn Roe v. Wade? Here's where all 9 judges standReproductive rights activists hold cut out photos of the Supreme Court justices as oral arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization case are held on Wednesday, December 1, 2021.Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty ImagesThe Supreme Court on Friday overturned Roe v. Wade in a 5-4 majority opinion that guts federal abortion rights protections previously upheld by the nearly 50-year-old landmark ruling.The conservative majority voted to uphold the Mississippi law at the heart of the case which seeks to ban abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy, a contradiction to the standard set by Roe, which allowed abortions until about 24 weeks of pregnancy, at which point a fetus could feasibly survive outside the womb. Six justices ruled in favor of upholding Mississippi's 15-week ban, but it was the majority opinion of five judges that ultimately led to the total overhaul of Roe v. Wade. Read the full story to find out how each justice voted. READ FULL STORYThis map shows where abortion is illegal, protected, or under threat across all 50 US statesPro-life and abortion-rights advocates crowd the Supreme Court building after Roe v. Wade was overturned Friday morning.Brandon Bell/Getty ImagesOn Friday, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the near 50-year-old court ruling that legalized abortion across all 50 US states.Some states have been preparing for years for the possibility that Roe could be overturned.A handful of states had trigger laws designed to immediately ban abortions within their borders once the decision was reversed. Some "sanctuary states," like New York, put in place legal framework that would protect abortion, even if Roe were overturned. In other areas of the country, it isn't totally clear what happens next — abortion isn't legally protected, but it's also not expressly forbidden.Read Full StoryThe Supreme Court just overturned Roe v. Wade, but the vast majority of Americans don't even know who the court's justices areSeated from left: Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, John Roberts, Stephen Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor, Standing from left: Brett Kavanaugh, Elena Kagan, Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett.Erin Schaff-Pool/Getty ImagesThe Supreme Court on Friday overturned Roe v. Wade, the nearly 50-year-old landmark ruling that protected abortion rights nationwide.But recent polling suggests that the vast majority of American voters don't even know who these influential justices are, highlighting an apparent disconnect between the nation's top court and the very people affected by its rulings.Ahead of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's Senate confirmation earlier this year, C-SPAN and Pierrepont Consulting & Analytics surveyed more than 1,000 likely voters to gauge the public's interest in and awareness of the Supreme Court's work and relevance. While 84% of voters said the Supreme Court's decisions affect their everyday life, far fewer respondents could provide basic details about the court's history or inner workings.Keep ReadingWisconsin patients who were scheduled to receive abortions were turned away in the waiting room after Roe v. Wade was overturnedA volunteer escort outside Affiliated Medical Services, a Milwaukee abortion clinic, on Wednesday, May 28, 2014, in Milwaukee.AP Photo/Dinesh Ramde FileIn Wisconsin, Planned Parenthood clinics had been scheduling patients through Saturday, June 25, but had stopped scheduling for next week in anticipation of the Supreme Court ruling that would overturn Roe v. Wade, which was leaked in May.When the news broke Friday morning that the court had rendered its opinion, Tanya Atkinson, president of Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, said her clinics had patients waiting to receive services."Our team had to go out into the lobby and let those individuals know that they would not be able to access the healthcare that they needed," Atkinson told the local PBS station.Keep ReadingProtestors planning to protest on Justice Clarence Thomas' streetProtestors are planning to head over to Justice Clarence Thomas' house on Friday night after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade."Enraged? Devastated? Pissed the fuck off? So are we," Our Rights DC tweeted on Friday afternoon."Meet us at 5711 Burke Centre Pkwy. 6:30 PM we meet, 7 PM we carpool to the Thomas's street. WEAR A MASK," the human rights organization added. Read Full StoryThe sports world is speaking out against Friday's Supreme Court rulingPro-choice activists protest in response to the leaked Supreme Court draft decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in front of the US Supreme Court May 3, 2022 in Washington, DC.Alex Wong/Getty ImagesSome of the biggest names in sports — from tennis to basketball — are speaking out after the Supreme Court ruled to overturn Roe v. Wade on Friday.The Minnesota Lynx's Natalie Achonwa wrote on Twitter that she's "feeling sick & heartbroken" after hearing about the decision. Tennis legend and feminist icon Billie Jean King said on Twitter that it's a "sad day" in the US. The WNBA's Seattle Storm tweeted that they are "furious and ready to fight."Orlando Magic point guard Devin Cannady tweeted that the "country needs to be better," adding in a follow-up note that the ruling is "a POWER grab over WOMEN."Read Full StoryThese organizations are asking for donations after Roe v. Wade was overturnedIn the wake of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, organizations fighting for abortion rights are calling on supporters to donate.Click the link below for some organizations that are asking for help to either fight the ruling or provide access to abortion for women in states where it will be banned. Read Full StoryAttorney General says states can't ban abortion pills that are approved by FDAUS Attorney General Merrick Garland said states can't ban abortion medication mifepristone "based on disagreement" with the US Food and Drug Administration.Garland said on Friday that the FDA already ruled on the pill's "safety and efficacy," so the decision can't be overturned by states that want to restrict abortion access."Women who reside in states that have banned access to comprehensive reproductive care must remain free to seek that care in states where it is legal," Garland said, after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade earlier.He continued: "Moreover, under fundamental First Amendment principles, individuals must remain free to inform and counsel each other about the reproductive care that is available in other states."Read Full Story House Democrats sang 'God Bless America' on Capitol steps as crowds protested at Supreme CourtHouse Speaker Nancy Pelosi leads a rally celebrating the passage of gun safety legislation as protesters swarm the court just yards away on June 24, 2022.Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesHouse Democrats gathered outside the Capitol on Friday to celebrate passing new gun safety legislation, and cheerfully sang "God Bless America."Across the street, however, protesters swarmed the Supreme Court after the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Read Full StoryVideos show police in riot gear head to Supreme Court after decisionCapitol Police in riot gear could be seen marching towards the Supreme Court earlier on Friday after Roe v. Wade was overturned. A video shared to Twitter by CNN correspondent Manu Raju showed dozens of officers march from the Capitol building and to the Court.Law enforcement also closed streets around the high court, where peaceful protesters gathered by the hundreds after the decision. —Manu Raju (@mkraju) June 24, 2022 Read Full StoryMassive protests erupt outside Supreme Court after Roe v. Wade rulingProtesters outside of Supreme CourtCamila DeChalusHundreds of people gathered outside the Supreme Court on Friday to protest the ruling that overturns Roe v. Wade. Abortion-rights advocates waived green and black signs and shouted "my body, my choice."Across from the abortion-rights protesters, a group of abortion opponents wore red shirts with white letters that read: "The pro-life generation votes."Read Full StoryThe 13 states with abortion-ban 'trigger laws' are not prepared to enforce themThirteen states with abortion "trigger laws" — where the practice could become illegal — are not prepared for how to go about implementing a ban.An Insider investigation over the last few months found that, through over 100 records requests and reaching out to nearly 80 state and local officials, just one agency could detail any sort of plan. This story is part of an investigative series from Insider examining the demise of abortion rights in so-called "trigger law" states. It was originally published on May 7, 48 days before the Supreme Court ruled in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization that abortion is no longer a constitutionally protected right. Read all the stories from "The First 13" here.Read Full StoryStates where abortion access will be on the ballot in 2022Abortion-rights supporters chant their objections at the Kentucky Capitol on Wednesday, April 13, 2022, in Frankfort, Ky., Kentucky is one of at least four states with abortion-related ballot measures in 2022.AP Photo/Bruce Schreiner, FileAbortion policy will be on the ballot in at least four states during the upcoming 2022 midterm elections — the highest number of abortion-related ballot measures to appear in a year since 1986. Kansas and Kentucky will vote on constitutional amendments to establish no right to an abortion, while Montana will vote on a "born-alive" amendment that would extend personhood to infants "born alive" at any stage.On the other side, voters in Vermont will decide on an amendment that will enshrine the right to an abortion in the state's constitution.Read Full StoryBiden says Americans can have 'the final word' after the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. WadePresident Joe BidenStefani Reynolds/AFP/Getty ImagesPresident Joe Biden said Friday was a "sad day" for the nation after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, and vowed his administration would do everything it can to protect women."With this decision, the conservative majority of the Supreme Court shows how extreme it is, how far removed they are from the majority of the country," Biden said during an address to the nation. He continued: "But this decision must not be the final word," urging Americans to vote.Read Full StoryGetting an abortion is going to get a lot more expensive for many AmericansParticipants hold signs during the Women's March at the US Supreme Court.Leigh Vogel/Getty Images for Women's March IncExperts told Insider that the cost of getting an abortion is all but guaranteed to rise after the Supreme Court on Friday overturned Roe v. Wade. Many who live in states where abortion will become mostly, or entirely, illegal will have to face travel costs if they want a procedure in a different state where it is legal. Wage loss for taking time off to get a procedure is another issue. "You might be salaried and I might be salaried, and you can take time off," said Anna Rupani, executive director of Fund Texas Choice (FTC), a nonprofit organization that pays for low-income Texans' associated abortion costs. "A lot of our clients are living paycheck to paycheck, they're not in salaried positions… they're experiencing wage loss."Read Full StoryPelosi warns 'Republicans are plotting a nationwide abortion ban'House Speaker Nancy Pelosi warned that congressional Republicans want to pass a federal abortion ban into law after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.Be aware of this: the Republicans are plotting a nationwide abortion ban," Pelosi said during her weekly press briefing. "They cannot be allowed to have a majority in the Congress to do that. But that's their goal."She continued: "What this means to women is such an insult. It's a slap in the face to women about using their own judgment to make decisions about their reproductive freedom."Read Full StoryTrump reportedly believes overturning Roe v. Wade is 'bad for Republicans'Trump stands with now-Justice Amy Coney Barrett at the White House after she was sworn in on October 26, 2020.Brendan Smialowski / AFP via Getty ImagesFormer President Donald Trump praised the Supreme Court for overturning Roe v. Wade on Friday."This is following the Constitution, and giving rights back when they should have been given long ago," he told Fox News.Privately, Trump has said that overturning Roe would be "bad for Republicans," according to The New York Times' Maggie Haberman and Michael C. Bender.Read Full StoryLead plaintiff in case that made same-sex marriage legal slams Justice Thomas' call for case to be reconsideredThe lead plaintiff in the case that made same-sex marriage legal slammed Justice Clarence Thomas' call for the case to be reconsidered.Thomas said the Supreme Court should reconsider rulings that protect same-sex marriage, in the wake of Friday's decision to overturn nationwide access to abortions."The millions of loving couples who have the right to marriage equality to form their own families do not need Clarence Thomas imposing his individual twisted morality upon them. If you want to see an error in judgment, Clarence Thomas, look in the mirror," Jim Obergefell said in a statement obtained by HuffPost.Read Full StoryMichelle Obama said she is 'heartbroken' after the Supreme Court's decisionFormer first lady Michelle ObamaJae C. Hong/Associated PressFormer First Lady Michelle Obama said she is "heartbroken" after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on Friday.She said before Roe was established, women "risked their lives getting illegal abortions.""That is what our mothers and grandmothers and great-grandmothers lived through, and now here we are again," Obama wrote in her statement. "So yes, I am heartbroken — for the teenage girl full of zest and promise, who won't be able to finish school or live the life she wants because her state controls her reproductive decisions," she added.Read Full StoryAG Merrick Garland said the Supreme Court dealt 'a devastating blow' to abortion rightsAttorney General Merrick Garland said the Supreme Court dealt a "devastating blow to reproductive freedom in the United States" by eliminating the constitutional right to an abortion.Garland said in a statement that the Justice Department disagreed with the decision and predicted that it "will have an immediate and irreversible impact on the lives of people across the country.""And it will be greatly disproportionate in its effect – with the greatest burdens felt by people of color and those of limited financial means," he added.Read Full StorySenate announces hearing 'to explore the grim reality of a post-Roe America'The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee announced a hearing to explore the "grim reality" of life in the US in the aftermath of Friday's Supreme Court ruling."Today's decision eliminates a federally protected constitutional right that has been the law for nearly half a century," said Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin in a statement.He continued: "As a result, millions of Americans are waking up in a country where they have fewer rights than their parents and grandparents."The hearing is set for July 12, a day after the Senate returns from a two-week July 4 recess.Read Full StoryBiden to deliver remarks on Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. WadePresident Joe Biden will deliver remarks at 12:30 p.m. local time on Friday about the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. The White House told reporters that he plans to speak about "the Supreme Court decision on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization to overturn Roe v. Wade."Read Full StoryVarious politicians react to Friday's Supreme Court decision to overturn RoeCurrent and former politicians from both sides of the aisle are reacting to the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.Sen. Lindsey Graham said the decision is "a long overdue constitutional correction allowing for elected officials in the states to decide issues of life." Roe was "constitutionally unsound from its inception," he said. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called Friday "one of the darkest days our country has ever seen." "Millions upon millions of American women are having their rights taken from them by five unelected Justices on the extremist MAGA court," he said in a statement shared with Insider.  Read Full StoryNancy Pelosi and other Democrats are using the Supreme Court decision as a fundraising opportunity for the 2022 midtermsUS Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi speaks in front of the steps to the House of Representatives with congressional members to speak on the Roe v. Wade issue May 13, 2022 in Washington, DC.Win McNamee/Getty ImagesHouse Speaker Nancy Pelosi and fellow Democrats are using the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade as a fundraising opportunity ahead of the fall midterms. "Can you chip in $15 so we can WIN these midterms and finally codify reproductive rights into law?" Pelosi wrote supporters."Our ONLY option is to marshal a response so historic — 100,000 gifts before midnight — that we DEFEAT every anti-choice Republican that made this happen, EXPAND our Majorities, and FINALLY codify our reproductive rights into law. So, can I expect to see your name on my "Pro-Choice Champion" list tomorrow morning?"Read Full StoryPlanned Parenthood president slams Supreme Court decisionAlexis McGill Johnson, president of Planned Parenthood, addresses abortion-rights supporters at the "Bans Off Our Bodies Abortion Rally" at Los Angeles City Hall, Saturday, May 14, 2022.AP Photo/Damian DovarganesPlanned Parenthood Action Fund President Alexis McGill Johnson said the Supreme Court gave politicians "permission to control what we do with our bodies" after the Friday decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. "Due to centuries of racism and systemic discrimination, we already know who will feel the consequences of this horrific decision most acutely: Black, Latino and Indigenous communities, people with disabilities, those living in rural areas, young people, immigrants and those having difficulties making ends meet," she said. "All of our freedoms are on the line," she added. Read Full StoryDC police are fully activated in response to protests from the Supreme Court decisionPro-choice signs hang on a police barricade at the U.S. Supreme Court Building in Washington, DC, on May 3, 2022.Anna Moneymaker/Getty ImagesThe Washington, D.C. Police Department has been fully activated after protests broke out over the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. The Metropolitan Police Department said in an alert that it would "be fully activated to support expected First Amendment demonstrations," and added that "all members should be prepared to work extended tours as necessary" through Tuesday, June 28. A heavy police presence could be seen outside the Supreme Court Friday morning.Read Full StoryBarack Obama says overturning Roe v. Wade is an attack on 'essential freedoms of millions of Americans'Former president Barack Obama slammed the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, and urged people to vote and "join with the activists who've been sounding the alarm on abortion access for years.""Today, the Supreme Court not only reversed nearly 50 years of precedent, it relegated the most intensely personal decision someone can make to the whims of politicians and ideologues — attacking the essential freedoms of millions of Americans," he wrote on Twitter. He continued: "Join with the activists who've been sounding the alarm on abortion access for years — and act. Stand with them at a local protest. Volunteer with one of their organizations. Knock on doors for a candidate you believe in. Vote on or before November 8 and in every other election. Because in the end, if we want judges who will protect all, and not just some, of our rights, then we've got to elect officials committed to doing the same."Read Full StoryStoking fears of violence, Marjorie Taylor Greene credits Trump for the end of RoeFar-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene praised former President Donald Trump and demonized Democrats in her live reaction to the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade."Thank you President Trump," Greene said to a pro-Trump YouTube channel. "God bless you. This got overturned today because of your great work as president, and we want him back.""I do fear for the safety of people here in D.C.," she said, speculating without citing any evidence that Democrats will riot. Read Full StoryHillary Clinton says decision to overturn Roe will 'live in infamy' and is a 'step backward' for women's rightsExecutive Producer Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks on stage during "Below The Belt" New York Premiere at Museum of Modern Art on May 24, 2022 in New York City.Cindy Ord/Getty ImagesHillary Clinton said Friday's Supreme Court ruling is a "step backward" for women's rights."Most Americans believe the decision to have a child is one of the most sacred decisions there is, and that such decisions should remain between patients and their doctors," she tweeted after the decision. She continued: "Today's Supreme Court opinion will live in infamy as a step backward for women's rights and human rights."Read Full StoryFriday's decision could undo much of women's economic progress since the 1970sAbortion rights advocates and anti-abortion protesters demonstrate in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021, in Washington, as the court hears arguments in a case from Mississippi, where a 2018 law would ban abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, well before viability.(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)Friday's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade will have enormous consequences for women's economic progress.Experts told Insider before the ruling that research points to the fact that abortion legalization has greatly contributed to women's progress in many ways, like reducing rates of teen motherhood and maternal mortality, increasing rates of workforce participation, earnings, and educational attainment."This is going to create just a perfect storm of concentrated human misery," said Kimberly Kelly, a sociology professor focused on abortion politics at a Mississippi college, before Friday's decision, adding that overturning Roe means "abortion is going to become a function of class privilege."Read Full StorySupreme Court's liberal justices warn more rights are at stake with the end of Roe v. WadeThe Supreme Court's three liberal justices warned in a dissent that other rights could be on the line after Friday's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. "Whatever the exact scope of the coming laws, one result of today's decision is certain: the curtailment of women's rights, and of their status as free and equal citizens," read the dissenting opinion authored by Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan."No one should be confident that this majority is done with its work," they wrote. "The right Roe and Casey recognized does not stand alone."Read Full StoryChief Justice John Roberts says Supreme Court went too far in taking 'the dramatic step' of overturning Roe v. WadeChief Justice John Roberts.Drew Angerer/Getty ImagesChief Justice John Roberts said he felt the Supreme Court's five other conservatives went too far in their decision to overturn Roe v. Wade."The Court's decision to overrule Roe and Casey is a serious jolt to the legal system — regardless of how you view those cases," Roberts wrote in his concurring opinion that was released on Friday along with the majority opinion.He continued: "A narrower decision rejecting the misguided viability line would be markedly less unsettling, and nothing more is needed to decide this case."Read Full StoryPence says the overturning of Roe v. Wade has 'righted a historic wrong'Former Vice President Mike Pence said the Supreme Court "righted a historic wrong" when it undid nearly 50 years of abortion rights nationwide on Friday."Now that Roe v. Wade has been consigned to the ash heap of history, a new arena in the cause of life has emerged and it is incumbent on all who cherish the sanctity of life to resolve that we will take the defense of the unborn and support for women in crisis pregnancies to every state Capitol in America," Pence said in the statement, in one of the first reactions from a politician. Read Full StoryJustice Thomas says Supreme Court should reconsider rulings that protect contraception and same-sex marriageJustice Clarence ThomasDrew Angerer/Getty ImagesJustice Clarence Thomas said the Supreme Court should reconsider rulings that protect contraception, same-sex relationships, and same-sex marriage, in a concurring opinion with the ruling to overturn the precedent set in Roe v. Wade."For that reason, in future cases, we should reconsider all of this Court's substantive due process precedents, including Griswold, Lawrence, and Obergefell," the conservative justice wrote. Read Full StorySupreme Court overturns 1973 landmark Roe v. Wade rulingThe Supreme Court has overturned the 1973 landmark Roe v. Wade ruling that established the constitutional right to an abortion.The opinion in the case Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization threw out the decades-old ruling by siding with Mississippi and other states that had passed restrictive anti-abortion laws."The Constitution does not confer a right to abortion; Roe and Casey are overruled; and the authority to regulate abortion is returned to the people and their elected representatives," the Friday ruling said. The ruling now leaves the legality of abortion up to state legislatures. Over a dozen states have "trigger laws" meant to ban abortion immediately upon the overturning of Roe.A leaked draft majority opinion obtained by Politico last month seemed to show the court was set to overturn Roe — immediately galvanizing nationwide protests along with condemnation by Democratic lawmakers.Read Full StoryRead the original article on Business Insider.....»»

The Supreme Court has overturned the 1973 landmark Roe v. Wade ruling that granted a nationwide, constitutional right to an abortion. Abortion rights and anti-abortion rights activists fill the street in front of the U.S. Supreme Court during a protest in the wake of the decision overturning Roe v. Wade outside on June 25, 2022, in Washington, DC.Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on last week. The 1973 landmark ruling established the constitutional right to an abortion. Over a dozen states have laws meant to immediately outlaw abortion upon a reversal of Roe. The Supreme Court last week overturned the 1973 landmark Roe v. Wade ruling that established the constitutional right to an abortion. The opinion in the case Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization threw out the ruling as the nation's highest court sided with Mississippi and other states, which passed restrictive anti-abortion laws.Immediately after last week's ruling, politicians on both sides of the aisle issued statements — with Republicans praising the Supreme Court and Democrats slamming the decision. Over a dozen states have "trigger laws" meant to ban abortion immediately upon the overturning of Roe, as the legality of abortion is now left up to state legislatures. AOC says Supreme Court justices who lied under oath must face consequences for 'impeachable offense'U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY).Alex Wong/Getty ImagesRep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Sunday said she believes it's an "impeachable offense" for a Supreme Court justice to lie under oath. Following the overturn of Roe v. Wade, Sens. Susan Collins and Joe Manchin said they felt misled by Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch during their individual confirmation hearings. The two senators, both pro-choice, voted to confirm Kavanaugh and Gorsuch because they assured them that they believed Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark Supreme Court decision that made abortion a constitutional right nationwide, was law. Both Gorsuch and Kavanaugh, however, voted to strike down Roe earlier this week.Ocasio-Cortez, speaking in an interview with NBC News' "Meet the Press," said she believes the court is facing a "crisis of legitimacy" and justices must face consequences if they lie under oath. "If we allow Supreme Court nominees to lie under oath and secure lifetime appointments to the highest court of the land and then issue, without basis," she said, "we must see that through. There must be consequences for such a deeply destabilizing action and a hostile takeover of our democratic institutions."Read Full StoryElizabeth Warren: Supreme Court 'set a torch' to the last of its legitimacySen. Elizabeth Warren.Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty ImagesSen. Elizabeth Warren said the US Supreme Court has lost all legitimacy following the rollback of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 landmark decision that made abortion a constitutional right nationwide.Speaking on ABC News' "This Week" on Sunday, Warren suggested that Republicans have tried to stack the Supreme Court with justices who would be against abortion. "The Republicans have been very overt about trying to get people through the court who didn't have a published record on Roe, but who they knew — wink wink nod nod — were going to be extremist on the issue of Roe v. Wade." Warren said. "And that is exactly what we have ended up with.""This court has lost legitimacy. They have burned whatever legitimacy they may still have had," Warren continued. "They just took the last of it and set a torch to it with the Roe v. Wade opinion."Read Full StoryAn abortion clinic in North Dakota has raised more than $500,000 in two days to fund its move to MinnesotaActivists march along Constitution Avenue to the US Supreme Court on May 14, 2022.Astrid Riecken for The Washington Post via Getty ImagesAn abortion clinic based in North Dakota has raised more than $550,000 to fund its move in the two days since the Supreme Court's decision to roll back Roe v. Wade. The Red River Women's Clinic of Fargo, North Dakota, set up a GoFundMe to assist with a planned move to Moorhead, Minnesota. North Dakota is one of the at least 13 states that has a "trigger" law, which immediately bans abortions following the overturn of Roe v. Wade. But moving out of North Dakota means there will no longer be an operating abortion clinic in the state. READ FULL STORYThe overturning of Roe v. Wade will 'exacerbate the mental health crisis' in the US, American Psychological Association saysRear view of an unrecognizable abused woman sitting on her bed looking out the window. - stock photoAlvaro Medina Jurado/ Getty ImagesThe American Psychological Association warned on Friday that the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade will exacerbate mental health in the United States.Research suggests that "adding barriers to accessing abortion services may increase symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression," APA President Frank C. Wornell said in a statement."We are alarmed that the justices would nullify Roe despite decades of scientific research demonstrating that people who are denied abortions are more likely to experience higher levels of anxiety, lower life satisfaction and lower self-esteem compared with those who are able to obtain abortions," Wornell added. READ FULL STORYTrump congratulated his conservative Supreme Court justice picks for their 'courage' amid the overturn of Roe v. WadeFormer President Donald Trump.AP Photo/Joe MaioranaFormer President Donald Trump on Saturday thanked his three conservative justice picks on the Supreme Court, all of whom voted to overturn Roe v. Wade."Yesterday the court handed down a victory for the Constitution, a victory for the rule of law, and above all, a victory for life," Trump said during a rally in Mendon, Illinois. "Thanks to the courage found within the United States Supreme Court, this long divisive issue will be decided by the states and by the American people," he added.He congratulated his three picks — Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett — and praised the decision.READ FULL STORYAOC recalls thanking God she had the choice to get an abortion when she took a pregnancy test after being rapedRep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York.Drew Angerer/Getty ImagesRep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Friday shared a personal sexual assault story during a pro-abortion rights rally, saying she felt grateful she had the freedom to obtain an abortion if she needed one in that moment. "I myself, when I was about 22 or 23 years old, was raped while I was living here in New York City," she told a crowd in New York's City Union Square Park. "I was completely alone. I felt completely alone. In fact, I felt so alone that I had to take a pregnancy test in a public bathroom in midtown Manhattan.""When I sat there waiting for what the result would be, all I could think was thank God I have, at least, a choice," she continued. "Thank God I could, at least, have the freedom to choose my destiny."READ FULL STORYGloria Steinem slams Roe v. Wade repeal, says 'there is no democracy' without the right to choseGloria Steinem was one of the most important activists of the Women's Movement.Mike Coppola/Getty ImagesJournalist and feminist leader Gloria Steinem has slammed the impact of repealing Roe v. Wade will have on democracy, in an email to AP."Obviously, without the right of women and men to make decisions about our own bodies, there is no democracy," she said. She has called for action to fight the Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, protecting US abortion rights."Banning abortions does not stop the need. It just bans their safety."Read Full StoryGOP privately worrying overturning Roe v. Wade could impact midterms: 'This is a losing issue for Republicans,' report saysProtests outside of the Supreme Court after it overturned Roe v. WadeCamila DeChalusWhile Republicans are publicly celebrating the overturning of Roe v. Wade, some are privately worrying that the timing could negatively impact the November midterms. Some Republicans fear the abortion ruling could give Democrats ammunition to attack them and mobilize voters, Politico reported, based on interviews with more than a dozen GOP strategists and officials."This is not a conversation we want to have," Republican strategist John Thomas told Politico. "We want to have a conversation about the economy. We want to have a conversation about Joe Biden, about pretty much anything else besides Roe. This is a losing issue for Republicans."Read Full StoryPlanned Parenthood sues Utah to stop trigger law that makes abortion a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prisonPro-choice supporters and staff of Planned Parenthood hold a rally outside the Planned Parenthood Reproductive Health Services Center in St. Louis, Missouri, May 31, 2019.SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty ImagesThe Planned Parenthood Association of Utah is suing to stop the state's "trigger law" abortion ban that took effect on Friday following the overturning of Roe v. Wade.The Utah law makes abortions, with limited exceptions, a second-degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Read Full StoryMany Republicans rejoiced at Roe being overturned but these 4 GOP governors want to protect the right to abortionGov. Chris Sununu of New Hampshire.AP Photo/Charles Krupa, FileAfter Friday's Supreme Court Roe v. Wade ruling, which revoked the constitutional right to abortion, many Republicans celebrated it as a win. The GOP has long been at the forefront of the fight to restrict abortion access and many Republican-led states have enacted or will enact abortion bans as a result of the decision.Read Full StoryGeorgia Democratic nominee for Governor Stacey Abrams explains the change in her position on abortion: There is 'no place in that medical decision for ideology or for politicians'Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams speaks to the media during a press conference, May 24, 2022Joe Raedle/Getty ImagesGeorgia Democratic nominee for Governor Stacey Abrams explained in a Friday interview with CNN how her perspective on abortion rights has evolved over the years and how she came to support the right to abortion services after being raised in a religious household. "I was very much on the side of anti-abortion, through much of my upbringing. I grew up in Mississippi, in a very religious family, in a religious community," Abrams told CNN host Sara Sidner. "And I was raised to have a very uncritical eye to this question."Read Full StoryWhat is the Hyde Amendment and how is it related to the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade?People protest the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v Wade abortion decision in New York City, New York, U.S., June 24, 2022.REUTERS/Caitlin OchsFollowing the Supreme Court's Friday decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, there have been renewed calls from lawmakers and activists to abandon the Hyde Amendment, a legislative provision preventing federal funds from being used on abortion services. The Hyde Amendment, named for anti-abortion Congressman Henry Hyde who introduced the provision, was passed in 1976, just four years after the landmark Roe vs. Wade ruling that established the right to an abortion. The amendment, which prevents federal funds from services such as Medicaid to be used to provide abortions, was mired in legal challenges for its first years, leading to the Supreme Court case Harris v. McRae. Read Full StoryAfter calls from AOC and other Dems to expand the court, White House says Biden 'does not agree' with the movePresident Joe Biden.Getty ImagesAs calls for remedies to restrictions on abortion access grow, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Saturday that President Joe Biden "does not agree with" expanding the Supreme Court. "I was asked this question yesterday, and I've been asked it before... about expanding the Court. That is something that the President does not agree with. That is not something that he wants to do," Jean-Pierre said during a press briefing on Air Force One.Read Full StoryVirginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin pushes state lawmakers for a 15-week abortion banRepublican Gov. Glenn Youngkin of Virginia.AP Photo/Steve HelberRepublican Gov. Glenn Youngkin of Virginia on Friday said he would push for a ban on most abortions after 15 weeks in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade.Youngkin, who took office earlier this year, said in a statement that the court's decision was an "appropriate" return of power "to the people and their elected representatives in the states.""Virginians do want fewer abortions as opposed to more abortions," the governor said in a meeting at The Washington Post shortly after the decision was made public. "I am not someone who is going to jump in and try to push us apart … There is a place we can come together."Youngkin assembled four Republican legislators to help write legislation that could potentially attract bipartisan support in a legislature. In the state, the GOP has a 52-48 majority in the House of Delegates while Democrats have a 21-19 edge in the Senate.Read Full StoryMan uses truck to repeatedly block entrance to Mississippi's only abortion clinic as tensions run high after Roe v. Wade rulingA man blocked the entrance to the Jackson Women's Health Organization, Mississippi's only abortion clinic, with his truck on June 25, 2022 after the Supreme Court overturned Roe V. Wade earlier in the week.Kenneth NiemeyerJACKSON, MS — A man used his truck to block the entrance to Mississippi's only abortion clinic on Saturday as tensions continue to run high at the clinic after the Supreme Court overturned Roe V. Wade earlier in the week.The Jackson Women's Health Organization, the only abortion clinic in Mississippi, has vowed to remain open for at least nine more days after the Supreme Court voted 5-4 to overturn Roe V. Wade, a landmark decision that legalized abortion nationally. Mississippi has a trigger law that requires the state attorney general to certify the Supreme Court's decision and allows for the clinic to remain open for 10 days after the certification.Pro-life demonstrators continued to clash with clinic volunteer escorts, who call themselves Pink House Defenders, on Saturday. The clinic, housed in a large pink building, is commonly referred to locally as the Pink House.A man in a white truck blocked the entrance to the clinic at least twice on Saturday.Read Full StoryDemocratic lawmakers urge FTC to investigate Apple and Google over mobile tracking data practices targeting abortion seekersDaniil Dubov/Getty ImagesFour Democratic lawmakers on Friday urged the Federal Trade Commission to investigate Apple and Google's mobile tacking practices regarding abortion seekers. Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Cory Booker of New Jersey, Ron Wyden of Oregon, and Sara Jacobs of California wrote a letter to FTC Chair Lina Khan — accusing Apple and Google of collecting and selling "Hundreds of millions of mobile phone users' data." The lawmakers argued that for individuals seeking abortion services in states where abortion would be illegal it is essential that their data won't fall into the wrong hands.Read Full StorySens. Susan Collins and Joe Manchin, who voted to confirm justices Kavanaugh and Gorsuch, say they were misled on Roe v. WadeSen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME).Drew Angerer/Getty ImagesCentrist Senators Susan Collins and Joe Manchin criticized Friday's landmark Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, suggesting they felt misled by Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch.Collins, a Maine Republican, and Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat, both voted to confirm Kavanaugh and Gorsuch. Both senators are pro-choice and said that the justices had assured them they believed Roe v Wade was settled law."I trusted Justice Gorsuch and Justice Kavanaugh when they testified under oath that they also believed Roe v. Wade was settled legal precedent. I am alarmed they chose to reject the stability the ruling has provided for two generations of Americans," Manchin said in a statement.Manchin, a self-described centrist, was one of three Democrats to vote to confirm Gorsuch in 2017 and the only Democrat who voted to confirm Kavanaugh in 2018. Kavanaugh's 50-48 confirmation vote was historically close.Manchin said that while he is personally pro-life, he would "support legislation that would codify the rights Roe v. Wade previously protected."Read Full StorySenators Elizabeth Warren and Tina Smith call on Biden to 'declare a public health emergency' now that Roe v Wade 'is gone'Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., right, and Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn.Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)US Senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Tina Smith of Minnesota are calling on President Joe Biden to  "declare a public health emergency," following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.In an op-ed for the New York Times on Saturday, the Democratic senators said that "with the release of the Dobbs decision," the US is facing " a perilous time that threatens millions of women across this nation.""We urge the president to declare a public health emergency to protect abortion access for all Americans, unlocking critical resources and authority that states and the federal government can use to meet the surge in demand for reproductive health services. The danger is real, and Democrats must meet it with the urgency it deserves," Warren and Smith wrote. The senators blamed the reversal of Roe v. Wade on "right-wing politicians and their allies" who they said "have spent decades scheming."Read Full StorySearches for how to move to Canada from the US spike by over 850% after Roe v. Wade rulingMary Meisenzahl/InsiderSearches for how to move to Canada spiked over 850% on Google after the Supreme Court ruled to overturn Roe v Wade, Axios reported. Citing Simon Rogers' Google Trends newsletter, Axios reported that searches for  "How to become a Canadian citizen" also rose by 550% as of Friday evening.In a 5-4 majority opinion, the Supreme Court on Friday overturned the 50-year-old landmark ruling that legalized abortion nationwide.Read Full StoryA pickup truck driver in Iowa ploughed into pro-choice protesters opposing the overturning of Roe v. Wade abortion rightsProtesters approach a pickup truck that attempted to run over abortion-rights protesters in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.Isacc Davis via ReutersA truck drove into a group of pro-choice protesters in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Friday, leading to at least one woman being hospitalized. The group of mostly women protesters was demonstrating against the landmark Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade when an unidentified man driving a black Ford truck drove into them.In videos of the incident, protesters can be seen trying to stand in the car's way and shouting at the driver to stop. He accelerates and a protester is knocked to the ground.Read Full StoryBill Gates and George Soros among billionaires denouncing Roe v. Wade decisionBill Gates voiced opposition to the Roe v. Wade decision, while Warren Buffett is reportedly planning a big investment in abortion rights.Spencer Platt/Getty ImagesSome of America's most prominent billionaires have denounced the overturning of Roe v. Wade, as Warren Buffett reportedly sets in motion plans for big donations to reproductive rights.Bill Gates, Melinda French Gates, and George Soros all tweeted their opposition to the Supreme Court decision to roll back abortion rights nationally, overturning a near-50-year precedent. Bill Gates tweeted: "This is a sad day. Reversing Roe v. Wade is an unjust and unacceptable setback. And it puts women's lives at risk, especially the most disadvantaged."Read Full StoryMeta bans staff from open discussion of Roe v. Wade decision and is deleting internal messages that mention abortion: reportMeta has disallowed employees to discuss abortion on internal messaging system.Joan Cros/Getty ImagesMeta has warned employees not to discuss the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade on its internal system and deleting messages that do so, The New York Times reported.Managers cited a policy that put "strong guardrails around social, political and sensitive conversations" in the workplace, according to company insiders, the newspaper reported. Read Full StoryVatican praises US Supreme Court for overturning Roe v. Wade, says it 'challenges the whole world'Pope Francis gestures, during his weekly general audience in the Paul VI Hall, at the Vatican, Wednesday, March 23, 2022.Alessandra Tarantino/Associated PressThe Vatican's Pontifical Academy for Life has praised the US Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v Wade which protected abortion rights for women. They also called that legislation ensures that those giving birth are given the support needed to keep and care for their children. In a statement released on Twitter, the Catholic organization said "The fact that a large country with a long democratic tradition has changed its position on this issue also challenges the whole world."Read Full Story The Arizona State Senate had to be evacuated after tear gas police deployed on protesters spread into the buildingArizona State Capitol Building at sunrise, features Winged Victory statue and was modeled after Greek statue Nike of Samothrace.Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images GroupThe Arizona State Senate Building in Phoenix was evacuated on Friday after police deployed tear gas at demonstrators.A video posted on social media by Republican State Senator Michelle Ugenti-Rita shows dozens of people protesting outside the government building in response to the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Read Full StoryObergefell, the plaintiff in the SCOTUS same-sex marriage ruling, said it's 'quite telling' Clarence Thomas omitted the case that legalized interracial marriage after saying the courts should go after other right to privacy casesAssociate Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and his wife and conservative activist Virginia Thomas arrive at the Heritage Foundation on October 21, 2021.Drew Angerer/Getty ImageJim Obergefell, the plaintiff behind the Supreme Court's landmark ruling on same-sex marriage, said Friday that Justice Clarence Thomas omitted Loving v. Virginia on his list of  Supreme Court decisions to "reconsider" because it "affects him personally." "That affects him personally, but he doesn't care about the LGBTQ+ community," Obergefell said on MSNBC's "The Reid Out."Read Full StoryStanding among protestors after the fall of Roe vs. Wade, AOC calls on Biden to create abortion clinics on federal landRep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) speaks to abortion-rights activists in front of the U.S. Supreme Court after the Court announced a ruling in the Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization case on June 24, 2022 in Washington, DC.Nathan Howard/Getty ImagesRep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Friday called on President Biden to create abortion clinics on federal land, following the landmark Supreme Court ruling which overturned Roe v. Wade and removed federal abortion protections. Speaking to a crowd of protestors gathered in New York's Union Square, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez encouraged people to "be relentless to restore and guarantee all of our rights." She detailed her own experience after sexual assault in her 20s, when she was grateful that abortion would have been an option for her if she needed it, and pushed for federal action to preserve access to reproductive healthcare.  Read Full StoryThe states passing strict abortion bans have some of the highest maternal and infant mortality rates in the countryPRODUCTION - 17 April 2021, Berlin: A midwife listens to the heart tones of an unborn child with an ultrasound device. The woman is in her 2nd trimester of pregnancy and is lying on a bed in the midwife's office. 5.5.2021 is International Midwifery Day, which is intended to draw attention to the importance of the profession.Annette Riedl/picture alliance via Getty ImagesWith Friday's Supreme court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade – the landmark case guaranteeing a right to abortion – 13 states with automatic trigger laws enacted total or near-total bans on abortions. The surge of new abortion bans and clinic closures has highlighted the recent rise in America's maternal mortality rates that are disproportionately affecting women of color and have placed the US first in maternal deaths among all developed nations.Read Full StoryPro-choice advocates come out in force vowing to continue the fight after the Supreme Court strikes down Roe v. WadeA massive crowd gathered in New York's Washington Square Park, hours after the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade.Anna Watts for InsiderHours after the Supreme Court announced it had struck down the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, throngs of pro-choice Americans took to the streets vowing to continue the fight. In New York's Washington Square Park, a somber and angry crowd began assembling at 5 p.m. ET. They held handwritten signs with words like "Betrayed" or "My corpse has more rights." Some were smeared with red paint.Read Full StoryWhich Supreme Court justices voted to overturn Roe v. Wade? Here's where all 9 judges standReproductive rights activists hold cut out photos of the Supreme Court justices as oral arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization case are held on Wednesday, December 1, 2021.Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty ImagesThe Supreme Court on Friday overturned Roe v. Wade in a 5-4 majority opinion that guts federal abortion rights protections previously upheld by the nearly 50-year-old landmark ruling.The conservative majority voted to uphold the Mississippi law at the heart of the case which seeks to ban abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy, a contradiction to the standard set by Roe, which allowed abortions until about 24 weeks of pregnancy, at which point a fetus could feasibly survive outside the womb. Six justices ruled in favor of upholding Mississippi's 15-week ban, but it was the majority opinion of five judges that ultimately led to the total overhaul of Roe v. Wade. Read the full story to find out how each justice voted. READ FULL STORYThis map shows where abortion is illegal, protected, or under threat across all 50 US statesPro-life and abortion-rights advocates crowd the Supreme Court building after Roe v. Wade was overturned Friday morning.Brandon Bell/Getty ImagesOn Friday, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the near 50-year-old court ruling that legalized abortion across all 50 US states.Some states have been preparing for years for the possibility that Roe could be overturned.A handful of states had trigger laws designed to immediately ban abortions within their borders once the decision was reversed. Some "sanctuary states," like New York, put in place legal framework that would protect abortion, even if Roe were overturned. In other areas of the country, it isn't totally clear what happens next — abortion isn't legally protected, but it's also not expressly forbidden.Read Full StoryThe Supreme Court just overturned Roe v. Wade, but the vast majority of Americans don't even know who the court's justices areSeated from left: Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, John Roberts, Stephen Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor, Standing from left: Brett Kavanaugh, Elena Kagan, Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett.Erin Schaff-Pool/Getty ImagesThe Supreme Court on Friday overturned Roe v. Wade, the nearly 50-year-old landmark ruling that protected abortion rights nationwide.But recent polling suggests that the vast majority of American voters don't even know who these influential justices are, highlighting an apparent disconnect between the nation's top court and the very people affected by its rulings.Ahead of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's Senate confirmation earlier this year, C-SPAN and Pierrepont Consulting & Analytics surveyed more than 1,000 likely voters to gauge the public's interest in and awareness of the Supreme Court's work and relevance. While 84% of voters said the Supreme Court's decisions affect their everyday life, far fewer respondents could provide basic details about the court's history or inner workings.Keep ReadingWisconsin patients who were scheduled to receive abortions were turned away in the waiting room after Roe v. Wade was overturnedA volunteer escort outside Affiliated Medical Services, a Milwaukee abortion clinic, on Wednesday, May 28, 2014, in Milwaukee.AP Photo/Dinesh Ramde FileIn Wisconsin, Planned Parenthood clinics had been scheduling patients through Saturday, June 25, but had stopped scheduling for next week in anticipation of the Supreme Court ruling that would overturn Roe v. Wade, which was leaked in May.When the news broke Friday morning that the court had rendered its opinion, Tanya Atkinson, president of Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, said her clinics had patients waiting to receive services."Our team had to go out into the lobby and let those individuals know that they would not be able to access the healthcare that they needed," Atkinson told the local PBS station.Keep ReadingProtestors planning to protest on Justice Clarence Thomas' streetProtestors are planning to head over to Justice Clarence Thomas' house on Friday night after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade."Enraged? Devastated? Pissed the fuck off? So are we," Our Rights DC tweeted on Friday afternoon."Meet us at 5711 Burke Centre Pkwy. 6:30 PM we meet, 7 PM we carpool to the Thomas's street. WEAR A MASK," the human rights organization added. Read Full StoryThe sports world is speaking out against Friday's Supreme Court rulingPro-choice activists protest in response to the leaked Supreme Court draft decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in front of the US Supreme Court May 3, 2022 in Washington, DC.Alex Wong/Getty ImagesSome of the biggest names in sports — from tennis to basketball — are speaking out after the Supreme Court ruled to overturn Roe v. Wade on Friday.The Minnesota Lynx's Natalie Achonwa wrote on Twitter that she's "feeling sick & heartbroken" after hearing about the decision. Tennis legend and feminist icon Billie Jean King said on Twitter that it's a "sad day" in the US. The WNBA's Seattle Storm tweeted that they are "furious and ready to fight."Orlando Magic point guard Devin Cannady tweeted that the "country needs to be better," adding in a follow-up note that the ruling is "a POWER grab over WOMEN."Read Full StoryThese organizations are asking for donations after Roe v. Wade was overturnedIn the wake of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, organizations fighting for abortion rights are calling on supporters to donate.Click the link below for some organizations that are asking for help to either fight the ruling or provide access to abortion for women in states where it will be banned. Read Full StoryAttorney General says states can't ban abortion pills that are approved by FDAUS Attorney General Merrick Garland said states can't ban abortion medication mifepristone "based on disagreement" with the US Food and Drug Administration.Garland said on Friday that the FDA already ruled on the pill's "safety and efficacy," so the decision can't be overturned by states that want to restrict abortion access."Women who reside in states that have banned access to comprehensive reproductive care must remain free to seek that care in states where it is legal," Garland said, after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade earlier.He continued: "Moreover, under fundamental First Amendment principles, individuals must remain free to inform and counsel each other about the reproductive care that is available in other states."Read Full Story House Democrats sang 'God Bless America' on Capitol steps as crowds protested at Supreme CourtHouse Speaker Nancy Pelosi leads a rally celebrating the passage of gun safety legislation as protesters swarm the court just yards away on June 24, 2022.Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesHouse Democrats gathered outside the Capitol on Friday to celebrate passing new gun safety legislation, and cheerfully sang "God Bless America."Across the street, however, protesters swarmed the Supreme Court after the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Read Full StoryVideos show police in riot gear head to Supreme Court after decisionCapitol Police in riot gear could be seen marching towards the Supreme Court earlier on Friday after Roe v. Wade was overturned. A video shared to Twitter by CNN correspondent Manu Raju showed dozens of officers march from the Capitol building and to the Court.Law enforcement also closed streets around the high court, where peaceful protesters gathered by the hundreds after the decision. —Manu Raju (@mkraju) June 24, 2022 Read Full StoryMassive protests erupt outside Supreme Court after Roe v. Wade rulingProtesters outside of Supreme CourtCamila DeChalusHundreds of people gathered outside the Supreme Court on Friday to protest the ruling that overturns Roe v. Wade. Abortion-rights advocates waived green and black signs and shouted "my body, my choice."Across from the abortion-rights protesters, a group of abortion opponents wore red shirts with white letters that read: "The pro-life generation votes."Read Full StoryThe 13 states with abortion-ban 'trigger laws' are not prepared to enforce themThirteen states with abortion "trigger laws" — where the practice could become illegal — are not prepared for how to go about implementing a ban.An Insider investigation over the last few months found that, through over 100 records requests and reaching out to nearly 80 state and local officials, just one agency could detail any sort of plan. This story is part of an investigative series from Insider examining the demise of abortion rights in so-called "trigger law" states. It was originally published on May 7, 48 days before the Supreme Court ruled in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization that abortion is no longer a constitutionally protected right. Read all the stories from "The First 13" here.Read Full StoryStates where abortion access will be on the ballot in 2022Abortion-rights supporters chant their objections at the Kentucky Capitol on Wednesday, April 13, 2022, in Frankfort, Ky., Kentucky is one of at least four states with abortion-related ballot measures in 2022.AP Photo/Bruce Schreiner, FileAbortion policy will be on the ballot in at least four states during the upcoming 2022 midterm elections — the highest number of abortion-related ballot measures to appear in a year since 1986. Kansas and Kentucky will vote on constitutional amendments to establish no right to an abortion, while Montana will vote on a "born-alive" amendment that would extend personhood to infants "born alive" at any stage.On the other side, voters in Vermont will decide on an amendment that will enshrine the right to an abortion in the state's constitution.Read Full StoryBiden says Americans can have 'the final word' after the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. WadePresident Joe BidenStefani Reynolds/AFP/Getty ImagesPresident Joe Biden said Friday was a "sad day" for the nation after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, and vowed his administration would do everything it can to protect women."With this decision, the conservative majority of the Supreme Court shows how extreme it is, how far removed they are from the majority of the country," Biden said during an address to the nation. He continued: "But this decision must not be the final word," urging Americans to vote.Read Full StoryGetting an abortion is going to get a lot more expensive for many AmericansParticipants hold signs during the Women's March at the US Supreme Court.Leigh Vogel/Getty Images for Women's March IncExperts told Insider that the cost of getting an abortion is all but guaranteed to rise after the Supreme Court on Friday overturned Roe v. Wade. Many who live in states where abortion will become mostly, or entirely, illegal will have to face travel costs if they want a procedure in a different state where it is legal. Wage loss for taking time off to get a procedure is another issue. "You might be salaried and I might be salaried, and you can take time off," said Anna Rupani, executive director of Fund Texas Choice (FTC), a nonprofit organization that pays for low-income Texans' associated abortion costs. "A lot of our clients are living paycheck to paycheck, they're not in salaried positions… they're experiencing wage loss."Read Full StoryPelosi warns 'Republicans are plotting a nationwide abortion ban'House Speaker Nancy Pelosi warned that congressional Republicans want to pass a federal abortion ban into law after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.Be aware of this: the Republicans are plotting a nationwide abortion ban," Pelosi said during her weekly press briefing. "They cannot be allowed to have a majority in the Congress to do that. But that's their goal."She continued: "What this means to women is such an insult. It's a slap in the face to women about using their own judgment to make decisions about their reproductive freedom."Read Full StoryTrump reportedly believes overturning Roe v. Wade is 'bad for Republicans'Trump stands with now-Justice Amy Coney Barrett at the White House after she was sworn in on October 26, 2020.Brendan Smialowski / AFP via Getty ImagesFormer President Donald Trump praised the Supreme Court for overturning Roe v. Wade on Friday."This is following the Constitution, and giving rights back when they should have been given long ago," he told Fox News.Privately, Trump has said that overturning Roe would be "bad for Republicans," according to The New York Times' Maggie Haberman and Michael C. Bender.Read Full StoryLead plaintiff in case that made same-sex marriage legal slams Justice Thomas' call for case to be reconsideredThe lead plaintiff in the case that made same-sex marriage legal slammed Justice Clarence Thomas' call for the case to be reconsidered.Thomas said the Supreme Court should reconsider rulings that protect same-sex marriage, in the wake of Friday's decision to overturn nationwide access to abortions."The millions of loving couples who have the right to marriage equality to form their own families do not need Clarence Thomas imposing his individual twisted morality upon them. If you want to see an error in judgment, Clarence Thomas, look in the mirror," Jim Obergefell said in a statement obtained by HuffPost.Read Full StoryMichelle Obama said she is 'heartbroken' after the Supreme Court's decisionFormer first lady Michelle ObamaJae C. Hong/Associated PressFormer First Lady Michelle Obama said she is "heartbroken" after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on Friday.She said before Roe was established, women "risked their lives getting illegal abortions.""That is what our mothers and grandmothers and great-grandmothers lived through, and now here we are again," Obama wrote in her statement. "So yes, I am heartbroken — for the teenage girl full of zest and promise, who won't be able to finish school or live the life she wants because her state controls her reproductive decisions," she added.Read Full StoryAG Merrick Garland said the Supreme Court dealt 'a devastating blow' to abortion rightsAttorney General Merrick Garland said the Supreme Court dealt a "devastating blow to reproductive freedom in the United States" by eliminating the constitutional right to an abortion.Garland said in a statement that the Justice Department disagreed with the decision and predicted that it "will have an immediate and irreversible impact on the lives of people across the country.""And it will be greatly disproportionate in its effect – with the greatest burdens felt by people of color and those of limited financial means," he added.Read Full StorySenate announces hearing 'to explore the grim reality of a post-Roe America'The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee announced a hearing to explore the "grim reality" of life in the US in the aftermath of Friday's Supreme Court ruling."Today's decision eliminates a federally protected constitutional right that has been the law for nearly half a century," said Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin in a statement.He continued: "As a result, millions of Americans are waking up in a country where they have fewer rights than their parents and grandparents."The hearing is set for July 12, a day after the Senate returns from a two-week July 4 recess.Read Full StoryBiden to deliver remarks on Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. WadePresident Joe Biden will deliver remarks at 12:30 p.m. local time on Friday about the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. The White House told reporters that he plans to speak about "the Supreme Court decision on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization to overturn Roe v. Wade."Read Full StoryVarious politicians react to Friday's Supreme Court decision to overturn RoeCurrent and former politicians from both sides of the aisle are reacting to the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.Sen. Lindsey Graham said the decision is "a long overdue constitutional correction allowing for elected officials in the states to decide issues of life." Roe was "constitutionally unsound from its inception," he said. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called Friday "one of the darkest days our country has ever seen." "Millions upon millions of American women are having their rights taken from them by five unelected Justices on the extremist MAGA court," he said in a statement shared with Insider.  Read Full StoryNancy Pelosi and other Democrats are using the Supreme Court decision as a fundraising opportunity for the 2022 midtermsUS Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi speaks in front of the steps to the House of Representatives with congressional members to speak on the Roe v. Wade issue May 13, 2022 in Washington, DC.Win McNamee/Getty ImagesHouse Speaker Nancy Pelosi and fellow Democrats are using the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade as a fundraising opportunity ahead of the fall midterms. "Can you chip in $15 so we can WIN these midterms and finally codify reproductive rights into law?" Pelosi wrote supporters."Our ONLY option is to marshal a response so historic — 100,000 gifts before midnight — that we DEFEAT every anti-choice Republican that made this happen, EXPAND our Majorities, and FINALLY codify our reproductive rights into law. So, can I expect to see your name on my "Pro-Choice Champion" list tomorrow morning?"Read Full StoryPlanned Parenthood president slams Supreme Court decisionAlexis McGill Johnson, president of Planned Parenthood, addresses abortion-rights supporters at the "Bans Off Our Bodies Abortion Rally" at Los Angeles City Hall, Saturday, May 14, 2022.AP Photo/Damian DovarganesPlanned Parenthood Action Fund President Alexis McGill Johnson said the Supreme Court gave politicians "permission to control what we do with our bodies" after the Friday decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. "Due to centuries of racism and systemic discrimination, we already know who will feel the consequences of this horrific decision most acutely: Black, Latino and Indigenous communities, people with disabilities, those living in rural areas, young people, immigrants and those having difficulties making ends meet," she said. "All of our freedoms are on the line," she added. Read Full StoryDC police are fully activated in response to protests from the Supreme Court decisionPro-choice signs hang on a police barricade at the U.S. Supreme Court Building in Washington, DC, on May 3, 2022.Anna Moneymaker/Getty ImagesThe Washington, D.C. Police Department has been fully activated after protests broke out over the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. The Metropolitan Police Department said in an alert that it would "be fully activated to support expected First Amendment demonstrations," and added that "all members should be prepared to work extended tours as necessary" through Tuesday, June 28. A heavy police presence could be seen outside the Supreme Court Friday morning.Read Full StoryBarack Obama says overturning Roe v. Wade is an attack on 'essential freedoms of millions of Americans'Former president Barack Obama slammed the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, and urged people to vote and "join with the activists who've been sounding the alarm on abortion access for years.""Today, the Supreme Court not only reversed nearly 50 years of precedent, it relegated the most intensely personal decision someone can make to the whims of politicians and ideologues — attacking the essential freedoms of millions of Americans," he wrote on Twitter. He continued: "Join with the activists who've been sounding the alarm on abortion access for years — and act. Stand with them at a local protest. Volunteer with one of their organizations. Knock on doors for a candidate you believe in. Vote on or before November 8 and in every other election. Because in the end, if we want judges who will protect all, and not just some, of our rights, then we've got to elect officials committed to doing the same."Read Full StoryStoking fears of violence, Marjorie Taylor Greene credits Trump for the end of RoeFar-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene praised former President Donald Trump and demonized Democrats in her live reaction to the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade."Thank you President Trump," Greene said to a pro-Trump YouTube channel. "God bless you. This got overturned today because of your great work as president, and we want him back.""I do fear for the safety of people here in D.C.," she said, speculating without citing any evidence that Democrats will riot. Read Full StoryHillary Clinton says decision to overturn Roe will 'live in infamy' and is a 'step backward' for women's rightsExecutive Producer Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks on stage during "Below The Belt" New York Premiere at Museum of Modern Art on May 24, 2022 in New York City.Cindy Ord/Getty ImagesHillary Clinton said Friday's Supreme Court ruling is a "step backward" for women's rights."Most Americans believe the decision to have a child is one of the most sacred decisions there is, and that such decisions should remain between patients and their doctors," she tweeted after the decision. She continued: "Today's Supreme Court opinion will live in infamy as a step backward for women's rights and human rights."Read Full StoryFriday's decision could undo much of women's economic progress since the 1970sAbortion rights advocates and anti-abortion protesters demonstrate in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021, in Washington, as the court hears arguments in a case from Mississippi, where a 2018 law would ban abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, well before viability.(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)Friday's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade will have enormous consequences for women's economic progress.Experts told Insider before the ruling that research points to the fact that abortion legalization has greatly contributed to women's progress in many ways, like reducing rates of teen motherhood and maternal mortality, increasing rates of workforce participation, earnings, and educational attainment."This is going to create just a perfect storm of concentrated human misery," said Kimberly Kelly, a sociology professor focused on abortion politics at a Mississippi college, before Friday's decision, adding that overturning Roe means "abortion is going to become a function of class privilege."Read Full StorySupreme Court's liberal justices warn more rights are at stake with the end of Roe v. WadeThe Supreme Court's three liberal justices warned in a dissent that other rights could be on the line after Friday's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. "Whatever the exact scope of the coming laws, one result of today's decision is certain: the curtailment of women's rights, and of their status as free and equal citizens," read the dissenting opinion authored by Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan."No one should be confident that this majority is done with its work," they wrote. "The right Roe and Casey recognized does not stand alone."Read Full StoryChief Justice John Roberts says Supreme Court went too far in taking 'the dramatic step' of overturning Roe v. WadeChief Justice John Roberts.Drew Angerer/Getty ImagesChief Justice John Roberts said he felt the Supreme Court's five other conservatives went too far in their decision to overturn Roe v. Wade."The Court's decision to overrule Roe and Casey is a serious jolt to the legal system — regardless of how you view those cases," Roberts wrote in his concurring opinion that was released on Friday along with the majority opinion.He continued: "A narrower decision rejecting the misguided viability line would be markedly less unsettling, and nothing more is needed to decide this case."Read Full StoryPence says the overturning of Roe v. Wade has 'righted a historic wrong'Former Vice President Mike Pence said the Supreme Court "righted a historic wrong" when it undid nearly 50 years of abortion rights nationwide on Friday."Now that Roe v. Wade has been consigned to the ash heap of history, a new arena in the cause of life has emerged and it is incumbent on all who cherish the sanctity of life to resolve that we will take the defense of the unborn and support for women in crisis pregnancies to every state Capitol in America," Pence said in the statement, in one of the first reactions from a politician. Read Full StoryJustice Thomas says Supreme Court should reconsider rulings that protect contraception and same-sex marriageJustice Clarence ThomasDrew Angerer/Getty ImagesJustice Clarence Thomas said the Supreme Court should reconsider rulings that protect contraception, same-sex relationships, and same-sex marriage, in a concurring opinion with the ruling to overturn the precedent set in Roe v. Wade."For that reason, in future cases, we should reconsider all of this Court's substantive due process precedents, including Griswold, Lawrence, and Obergefell," the conservative justice wrote. Read Full StorySupreme Court overturns 1973 landmark Roe v. Wade rulingThe Supreme Court has overturned the 1973 landmark Roe v. Wade ruling that established the constitutional right to an abortion.The opinion in the case Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization threw out the decades-old ruling by siding with Mississippi and other states that had passed restrictive anti-abortion laws."The Constitution does not confer a right to abortion; Roe and Casey are overruled; and the authority to regulate abortion is returned to the people and their elected representatives," the Friday ruling said. The ruling now leaves the legality of abortion up to state legislatures. Over a dozen states have "trigger laws" meant to ban abortion immediately upon the overturning of Roe.A leaked draft majority opinion obtained by Politico last month seemed to show the court was set to overturn Roe — immediately galvanizing nationwide protests along with condemnation by Democratic lawmakers.Read Full StoryRead the original article on Business Insider.....»»

The Supreme Court has overturned the 1973 landmark Roe v. Wade ruling that granted a nationwide, constitutional right to an abortion. Abortion rights demonstrators hold signs outside the US Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., United States on June 24, 2022.Photo by Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on Friday. The 1973 landmark ruling established the constitutional right to an abortion. Over a dozen states have laws meant to immediately outlaw abortion upon a reversal of Roe. The Supreme Court on Friday overturned the 1973 landmark Roe v. Wade ruling that established the constitutional right to an abortion. The opinion in the case Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization threw out the ruling as the nation's highest court sided with Mississippi and other states, which passed restrictive anti-abortion laws.Immediately after Friday's ruling, politicians on both sides of the aisle issued statements — with Republicans praising the Supreme Court and Democrats slamming the decision. Over a dozen states have "trigger laws" meant to ban abortion immediately upon the overturning of Roe, as the legality of abortion is now left up to state legislatures. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Tina Smith call on Biden to 'declare a public health emergency' now that Roe v Wade 'is gone'Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., right, and Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn.Photo By Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)US Senators Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Tina Smith of Minnesota are calling on President Joe Biden to  "declare a public health emergency," following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.In an op-ed for the New York Times on Saturday, the Democratic senators said that "with the release of the Dobbs decision," the US is facing " a perilous time that threatens millions of women across this nation.""We urge the president to declare a public health emergency to protect abortion access for all Americans, unlocking critical resources and authority that states and the federal government can use to meet the surge in demand for reproductive health services. The danger is real, and Democrats must meet it with the urgency it deserves," Warren and Smith wrote. The senators blamed the reversal of Roe v. Wade on "right-wing politicians and their allies" who they said "have spent decades scheming."Read Full StorySearches for how to move to Canada from the US spike by over 850% after Roe v. Wade rulingMary Meisenzahl/InsiderSearches for how to move to Canada spiked over 850% on Google after the Supreme Court ruled to overturn Roe v Wade, Axios reported. Citing Simon Rogers' Google Trends newsletter, Axios reported that searches for  "How to become a Canadian citizen" also rose by 550% as of Friday evening.In a 5-4 majority opinion, the Supreme Court on Friday overturned the 50-year-old landmark ruling that legalized abortion nationwide.Read Full StoryA pickup truck driver in Iowa ploughed into pro-choice protesters opposing the overturning of Roe v. Wade abortion rightsProtesters approach a pickup truck that attempted to run over abortion-rights protesters in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.Isacc Davis via ReutersA truck drove into a group of pro-choice protesters in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Friday, leading to at least one woman being hospitalized. The group of mostly women protesters was demonstrating against the landmark Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade when an unidentified man driving a black Ford truck drove into them.In videos of the incident, protesters can be seen trying to stand in the car's way and shouting at the driver to stop. He accelerates and a protester is knocked to the ground.Read Full StoryBill Gates and George Soros among billionaires denouncing Roe v. Wade decisionBill Gates voiced opposition to the Roe v. Wade decision, while Warren Buffett is reportedly planning a big investment in abortion rights.Spencer Platt/Getty ImagesSome of America's most prominent billionaires have denounced the overturning of Roe v. Wade, as Warren Buffett reportedly sets in motion plans for big donations to reproductive rights.Bill Gates, Melinda French Gates, and George Soros all tweeted their opposition to the Supreme Court decision to roll back abortion rights nationally, overturning a near-50-year precedent. Bill Gates tweeted: "This is a sad day. Reversing Roe v. Wade is an unjust and unacceptable setback. And it puts women's lives at risk, especially the most disadvantaged."Read Full StoryMeta bans staff from open discussion of Roe v. Wade decision and is deleting internal messages that mention abortion: reportMeta has disallowed employees to discuss abortion on internal messaging system.Joan Cros/Getty ImagesMeta has warned employees not to discuss the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade on its internal system and deleting messages that do so, The New York Times reported.Managers cited a policy that put "strong guardrails around social, political and sensitive conversations" in the workplace, according to company insiders, the newspaper reported. Read Full StoryVatican praises US Supreme Court for overturning Roe v. Wade, says it 'challenges the whole world'Pope Francis gestures, during his weekly general audience in the Paul VI Hall, at the Vatican, Wednesday, March 23, 2022.Alessandra Tarantino/Associated PressThe Vatican's Pontifical Academy for Life has praised the US Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v Wade which protected abortion rights for women. They also called that legislation ensures that those giving birth are given the support needed to keep and care for their children. In a statement released on Twitter, the Catholic organization said "The fact that a large country with a long democratic tradition has changed its position on this issue also challenges the whole world."Read Full Story The Arizona State Senate had to be evacuated after tear gas police deployed on protesters spread into the buildingArizona State Capitol Building at sunrise, features Winged Victory statue and was modeled after Greek statue Nike of Samothrace.Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images GroupThe Arizona State Senate Building in Phoenix was evacuated on Friday after police deployed tear gas at demonstrators.A video posted on social media by Republican State Senator Michelle Ugenti-Rita shows dozens of people protesting outside the government building in response to the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Read Full StoryObergefell, the plaintiff in the SCOTUS same-sex marriage ruling, said it's 'quite telling' Clarence Thomas omitted the case that legalized interracial marriage after saying the courts should go after other right to privacy casesAssociate Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and his wife and conservative activist Virginia Thomas arrive at the Heritage Foundation on October 21, 2021.Drew Angerer/Getty ImageJim Obergefell, the plaintiff behind the Supreme Court's landmark ruling on same-sex marriage, said Friday that Justice Clarence Thomas omitted Loving v. Virginia on his list of  Supreme Court decisions to "reconsider" because it "affects him personally." "That affects him personally, but he doesn't care about the LGBTQ+ community," Obergefell said on MSNBC's "The Reid Out."Read Full StoryStanding among protestors after the fall of Roe vs. Wade, AOC calls on Biden to create abortion clinics on federal landRep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) speaks to abortion-rights activists in front of the U.S. Supreme Court after the Court announced a ruling in the Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization case on June 24, 2022 in Washington, DC.Nathan Howard/Getty ImagesRep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Friday called on President Biden to create abortion clinics on federal land, following the landmark Supreme Court ruling which overturned Roe v. Wade and removed federal abortion protections. Speaking to a crowd of protestors gathered in New York's Union Square, Rep. Ocasio-Cortez encouraged people to "be relentless to restore and guarantee all of our rights." She detailed her own experience after sexual assault in her 20s, when she was grateful that abortion would have been an option for her if she needed it, and pushed for federal action to preserve access to reproductive healthcare.  Read Full StoryThe states passing strict abortion bans have some of the highest maternal and infant mortality rates in the countryPRODUCTION - 17 April 2021, Berlin: A midwife listens to the heart tones of an unborn child with an ultrasound device. The woman is in her 2nd trimester of pregnancy and is lying on a bed in the midwife's office. 5.5.2021 is International Midwifery Day, which is intended to draw attention to the importance of the profession.Annette Riedl/picture alliance via Getty ImagesWith Friday's Supreme court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade – the landmark case guaranteeing a right to abortion – 13 states with automatic trigger laws enacted total or near-total bans on abortions. The surge of new abortion bans and clinic closures has highlighted the recent rise in America's maternal mortality rates that are disproportionately affecting women of color and have placed the US first in maternal deaths among all developed nations.Read Full StoryPro-choice advocates come out in force vowing to continue the fight after the Supreme Court strikes down Roe v. WadeA massive crowd gathered in New York's Washington Square Park, hours after the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade.Anna Watts for InsiderHours after the Supreme Court announced it had struck down the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, throngs of pro-choice Americans took to the streets vowing to continue the fight. In New York's Washington Square Park, a somber and angry crowd began assembling at 5 p.m. ET. They held handwritten signs with words like "Betrayed" or "My corpse has more rights." Some were smeared with red paint.Read Full StoryWhich Supreme Court justices voted to overturn Roe v. Wade? Here's where all 9 judges standReproductive rights activists hold cut out photos of the Supreme Court justices as oral arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization case are held on Wednesday, December 1, 2021.Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty ImagesThe Supreme Court on Friday overturned Roe v. Wade in a 5-4 majority opinion that guts federal abortion rights protections previously upheld by the nearly 50-year-old landmark ruling.The conservative majority voted to uphold the Mississippi law at the heart of the case which seeks to ban abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy, a contradiction to the standard set by Roe, which allowed abortions until about 24 weeks of pregnancy, at which point a fetus could feasibly survive outside the womb. Six justices ruled in favor of upholding Mississippi's 15-week ban, but it was the majority opinion of five judges that ultimately led to the total overhaul of Roe v. Wade. Read the full story to find out how each justice voted. READ FULL STORYThis map shows where abortion is illegal, protected, or under threat across all 50 US statesPro-life and abortion-rights advocates crowd the Supreme Court building after Roe v. Wade was overturned Friday morning.Brandon Bell/Getty ImagesOn Friday, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the near 50-year-old court ruling that legalized abortion across all 50 US states.Some states have been preparing for years for the possibility that Roe could be overturned.A handful of states had trigger laws designed to immediately ban abortions within their borders once the decision was reversed. Some "sanctuary states," like New York, put in place legal framework that would protect abortion, even if Roe were overturned. In other areas of the country, it isn't totally clear what happens next — abortion isn't legally protected, but it's also not expressly forbidden.Read Full StoryThe Supreme Court just overturned Roe v. Wade, but the vast majority of Americans don't even know who the court's justices areSeated from left: Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, John Roberts, Stephen Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor, Standing from left: Brett Kavanaugh, Elena Kagan, Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett.Erin Schaff-Pool/Getty ImagesThe Supreme Court on Friday overturned Roe v. Wade, the nearly 50-year-old landmark ruling that protected abortion rights nationwide.But recent polling suggests that the vast majority of American voters don't even know who these influential justices are, highlighting an apparent disconnect between the nation's top court and the very people affected by its rulings.Ahead of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's Senate confirmation earlier this year, C-SPAN and Pierrepont Consulting & Analytics surveyed more than 1,000 likely voters to gauge the public's interest in and awareness of the Supreme Court's work and relevance. While 84% of voters said the Supreme Court's decisions affect their everyday life, far fewer respondents could provide basic details about the court's history or inner workings.Keep ReadingWisconsin patients who were scheduled to receive abortions were turned away in the waiting room after Roe v. Wade was overturnedA volunteer escort outside Affiliated Medical Services, a Milwaukee abortion clinic, on Wednesday, May 28, 2014, in Milwaukee.AP Photo/Dinesh Ramde FileIn Wisconsin, Planned Parenthood clinics had been scheduling patients through Saturday, June 25, but had stopped scheduling for next week in anticipation of the Supreme Court ruling that would overturn Roe v. Wade, which was leaked in May.When the news broke Friday morning that the court had rendered its opinion, Tanya Atkinson, president of Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, said her clinics had patients waiting to receive services."Our team had to go out into the lobby and let those individuals know that they would not be able to access the healthcare that they needed," Atkinson told the local PBS station.Keep ReadingProtestors planning to protest on Justice Clarence Thomas' streetProtestors are planning to head over to Justice Clarence Thomas' house on Friday night after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade."Enraged? Devastated? Pissed the fuck off? So are we," Our Rights DC tweeted on Friday afternoon."Meet us at 5711 Burke Centre Pkwy. 6:30 PM we meet, 7 PM we carpool to the Thomas's street. WEAR A MASK," the human rights organization added. Read Full StoryThe sports world is speaking out against Friday's Supreme Court rulingPro-choice activists protest in response to the leaked Supreme Court draft decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in front of the US Supreme Court May 3, 2022 in Washington, DC.Alex Wong/Getty ImagesSome of the biggest names in sports — from tennis to basketball — are speaking out after the Supreme Court ruled to overturn Roe v. Wade on Friday.The Minnesota Lynx's Natalie Achonwa wrote on Twitter that she's "feeling sick & heartbroken" after hearing about the decision. Tennis legend and feminist icon Billie Jean King said on Twitter that it's a "sad day" in the US. The WNBA's Seattle Storm tweeted that they are "furious and ready to fight."Orlando Magic point guard Devin Cannady tweeted that the "country needs to be better," adding in a follow-up note that the ruling is "a POWER grab over WOMEN."Read Full StoryThese organizations are asking for donations after Roe v. Wade was overturnedIn the wake of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, organizations fighting for abortion rights are calling on supporters to donate.Click the link below for some organizations that are asking for help to either fight the ruling or provide access to abortion for women in states where it will be banned. Read Full StoryAttorney General says states can't ban abortion pills that are approved by FDAUS Attorney General Merrick Garland said states can't ban abortion medication mifepristone "based on disagreement" with the US Food and Drug Administration.Garland said on Friday that the FDA already ruled on the pill's "safety and efficacy," so the decision can't be overturned by states that want to restrict abortion access."Women who reside in states that have banned access to comprehensive reproductive care must remain free to seek that care in states where it is legal," Garland said, after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade earlier.He continued: "Moreover, under fundamental First Amendment principles, individuals must remain free to inform and counsel each other about the reproductive care that is available in other states."Read Full Story House Democrats sang 'God Bless America' on Capitol steps as crowds protested at Supreme CourtHouse Speaker Nancy Pelosi leads a rally celebrating the passage of gun safety legislation as protesters swarm the court just yards away on June 24, 2022.Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesHouse Democrats gathered outside the Capitol on Friday to celebrate passing new gun safety legislation, and cheerfully sang "God Bless America."Across the street, however, protesters swarmed the Supreme Court after the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Read Full StoryVideos show police in riot gear head to Supreme Court after decisionCapitol Police in riot gear could be seen marching towards the Supreme Court earlier on Friday after Roe v. Wade was overturned. A video shared to Twitter by CNN correspondent Manu Raju showed dozens of officers march from the Capitol building and to the Court.Law enforcement also closed streets around the high court, where peaceful protesters gathered by the hundreds after the decision. —Manu Raju (@mkraju) June 24, 2022 Read Full StoryMassive protests erupt outside Supreme Court after Roe v. Wade rulingProtesters outside of Supreme CourtCamila DeChalusHundreds of people gathered outside the Supreme Court on Friday to protest the ruling that overturns Roe v. Wade. Abortion-rights advocates waived green and black signs and shouted "my body, my choice."Across from the abortion-rights protesters, a group of abortion opponents wore red shirts with white letters that read: "The pro-life generation votes."Read Full StoryThe 13 states with abortion-ban 'trigger laws' are not prepared to enforce themThirteen states with abortion "trigger laws" — where the practice could become illegal — are not prepared for how to go about implementing a ban.An Insider investigation over the last few months found that, through over 100 records requests and reaching out to nearly 80 state and local officials, just one agency could detail any sort of plan. This story is part of an investigative series from Insider examining the demise of abortion rights in so-called "trigger law" states. It was originally published on May 7, 48 days before the Supreme Court ruled in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization that abortion is no longer a constitutionally protected right. Read all the stories from "The First 13" here.Read Full StoryStates where abortion access will be on the ballot in 2022Abortion-rights supporters chant their objections at the Kentucky Capitol on Wednesday, April 13, 2022, in Frankfort, Ky., Kentucky is one of at least four states with abortion-related ballot measures in 2022.AP Photo/Bruce Schreiner, FileAbortion policy will be on the ballot in at least four states during the upcoming 2022 midterm elections — the highest number of abortion-related ballot measures to appear in a year since 1986. Kansas and Kentucky will vote on constitutional amendments to establish no right to an abortion, while Montana will vote on a "born-alive" amendment that would extend personhood to infants "born alive" at any stage.On the other side, voters in Vermont will decide on an amendment that will enshrine the right to an abortion in the state's constitution.Read Full StoryBiden says Americans can have 'the final word' after the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. WadePresident Joe BidenStefani Reynolds/AFP/Getty ImagesPresident Joe Biden said Friday was a "sad day" for the nation after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, and vowed his administration would do everything it can to protect women."With this decision, the conservative majority of the Supreme Court shows how extreme it is, how far removed they are from the majority of the country," Biden said during an address to the nation. He continued: "But this decision must not be the final word," urging Americans to vote.Read Full StoryGetting an abortion is going to get a lot more expensive for many AmericansParticipants hold signs during the Women's March at the US Supreme Court.Leigh Vogel/Getty Images for Women's March IncExperts told Insider that the cost of getting an abortion is all but guaranteed to rise after the Supreme Court on Friday overturned Roe v. Wade. Many who live in states where abortion will become mostly, or entirely, illegal will have to face travel costs if they want a procedure in a different state where it is legal. Wage loss for taking time off to get a procedure is another issue. "You might be salaried and I might be salaried, and you can take time off," said Anna Rupani, executive director of Fund Texas Choice (FTC), a nonprofit organization that pays for low-income Texans' associated abortion costs. "A lot of our clients are living paycheck to paycheck, they're not in salaried positions… they're experiencing wage loss."Read Full StoryPelosi warns 'Republicans are plotting a nationwide abortion ban'House Speaker Nancy Pelosi warned that congressional Republicans want to pass a federal abortion ban into law after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.Be aware of this: the Republicans are plotting a nationwide abortion ban," Pelosi said during her weekly press briefing. "They cannot be allowed to have a majority in the Congress to do that. But that's their goal."She continued: "What this means to women is such an insult. It's a slap in the face to women about using their own judgment to make decisions about their reproductive freedom."Read Full StoryTrump reportedly believes overturning Roe v. Wade is 'bad for Republicans'Trump stands with now-Justice Amy Coney Barrett at the White House after she was sworn in on October 26, 2020.Brendan Smialowski / AFP via Getty ImagesFormer President Donald Trump praised the Supreme Court for overturning Roe v. Wade on Friday."This is following the Constitution, and giving rights back when they should have been given long ago," he told Fox News.Privately, Trump has said that overturning Roe would be "bad for Republicans," according to The New York Times' Maggie Haberman and Michael C. Bender.Read Full StoryLead plaintiff in case that made same-sex marriage legal slams Justice Thomas' call for case to be reconsideredThe lead plaintiff in the case that made same-sex marriage legal slammed Justice Clarence Thomas' call for the case to be reconsidered.Thomas said the Supreme Court should reconsider rulings that protect same-sex marriage, in the wake of Friday's decision to overturn nationwide access to abortions."The millions of loving couples who have the right to marriage equality to form their own families do not need Clarence Thomas imposing his individual twisted morality upon them. If you want to see an error in judgment, Clarence Thomas, look in the mirror," Jim Obergefell said in a statement obtained by HuffPost.Read Full StoryMichelle Obama said she is 'heartbroken' after the Supreme Court's decisionFormer first lady Michelle ObamaJae C. Hong/Associated PressFormer First Lady Michelle Obama said she is "heartbroken" after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on Friday.She said before Roe was established, women "risked their lives getting illegal abortions.""That is what our mothers and grandmothers and great-grandmothers lived through, and now here we are again," Obama wrote in her statement. "So yes, I am heartbroken — for the teenage girl full of zest and promise, who won't be able to finish school or live the life she wants because her state controls her reproductive decisions," she added.Read Full StoryAG Merrick Garland said the Supreme Court dealt 'a devastating blow' to abortion rightsAttorney General Merrick Garland said the Supreme Court dealt a "devastating blow to reproductive freedom in the United States" by eliminating the constitutional right to an abortion.Garland said in a statement that the Justice Department disagreed with the decision and predicted that it "will have an immediate and irreversible impact on the lives of people across the country.""And it will be greatly disproportionate in its effect – with the greatest burdens felt by people of color and those of limited financial means," he added.Read Full StorySenate announces hearing 'to explore the grim reality of a post-Roe America'The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee announced a hearing to explore the "grim reality" of life in the US in the aftermath of Friday's Supreme Court ruling."Today's decision eliminates a federally protected constitutional right that has been the law for nearly half a century," said Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin in a statement.He continued: "As a result, millions of Americans are waking up in a country where they have fewer rights than their parents and grandparents."The hearing is set for July 12, a day after the Senate returns from a two-week July 4 recess.Read Full StoryBiden to deliver remarks on Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. WadePresident Joe Biden will deliver remarks at 12:30 p.m. local time on Friday about the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. The White House told reporters that he plans to speak about "the Supreme Court decision on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization to overturn Roe v. Wade."Read Full StoryVarious politicians react to Friday's Supreme Court decision to overturn RoeCurrent and former politicians from both sides of the aisle are reacting to the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.Sen. Lindsey Graham said the decision is "a long overdue constitutional correction allowing for elected officials in the states to decide issues of life." Roe was "constitutionally unsound from its inception," he said. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called Friday "one of the darkest days our country has ever seen." "Millions upon millions of American women are having their rights taken from them by five unelected Justices on the extremist MAGA court," he said in a statement shared with Insider.  Read Full StoryNancy Pelosi and other Democrats are using the Supreme Court decision as a fundraising opportunity for the 2022 midtermsUS Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi speaks in front of the steps to the House of Representatives with congressional members to speak on the Roe v. Wade issue May 13, 2022 in Washington, DC.Win McNamee/Getty ImagesHouse Speaker Nancy Pelosi and fellow Democrats are using the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade as a fundraising opportunity ahead of the fall midterms. "Can you chip in $15 so we can WIN these midterms and finally codify reproductive rights into law?" Pelosi wrote supporters."Our ONLY option is to marshal a response so historic — 100,000 gifts before midnight — that we DEFEAT every anti-choice Republican that made this happen, EXPAND our Majorities, and FINALLY codify our reproductive rights into law. So, can I expect to see your name on my "Pro-Choice Champion" list tomorrow morning?"Read Full StoryPlanned Parenthood president slams Supreme Court decisionAlexis McGill Johnson, president of Planned Parenthood, addresses abortion-rights supporters at the "Bans Off Our Bodies Abortion Rally" at Los Angeles City Hall, Saturday, May 14, 2022.AP Photo/Damian DovarganesPlanned Parenthood Action Fund President Alexis McGill Johnson said the Supreme Court gave politicians "permission to control what we do with our bodies" after the Friday decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. "Due to centuries of racism and systemic discrimination, we already know who will feel the consequences of this horrific decision most acutely: Black, Latino and Indigenous communities, people with disabilities, those living in rural areas, young people, immigrants and those having difficulties making ends meet," she said. "All of our freedoms are on the line," she added. Read Full StoryDC police are fully activated in response to protests from the Supreme Court decisionPro-choice signs hang on a police barricade at the U.S. Supreme Court Building in Washington, DC, on May 3, 2022.Anna Moneymaker/Getty ImagesThe Washington, D.C. Police Department has been fully activated after protests broke out over the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. The Metropolitan Police Department said in an alert that it would "be fully activated to support expected First Amendment demonstrations," and added that "all members should be prepared to work extended tours as necessary" through Tuesday, June 28. A heavy police presence could be seen outside the Supreme Court Friday morning.Read Full StoryBarack Obama says overturning Roe v. Wade is an attack on 'essential freedoms of millions of Americans'Former president Barack Obama slammed the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, and urged people to vote and "join with the activists who've been sounding the alarm on abortion access for years.""Today, the Supreme Court not only reversed nearly 50 years of precedent, it relegated the most intensely personal decision someone can make to the whims of politicians and ideologues — attacking the essential freedoms of millions of Americans," he wrote on Twitter. He continued: "Join with the activists who've been sounding the alarm on abortion access for years — and act. Stand with them at a local protest. Volunteer with one of their organizations. Knock on doors for a candidate you believe in. Vote on or before November 8 and in every other election. Because in the end, if we want judges who will protect all, and not just some, of our rights, then we've got to elect officials committed to doing the same."Read Full StoryStoking fears of violence, Marjorie Taylor Greene credits Trump for the end of RoeFar-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene praised former President Donald Trump and demonized Democrats in her live reaction to the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade."Thank you President Trump," Greene said to a pro-Trump YouTube channel. "God bless you. This got overturned today because of your great work as president, and we want him back.""I do fear for the safety of people here in D.C.," she said, speculating without citing any evidence that Democrats will riot. Read Full StoryHillary Clinton says decision to overturn Roe will 'live in infamy' and is a 'step backward' for women's rightsExecutive Producer Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks on stage during "Below The Belt" New York Premiere at Museum of Modern Art on May 24, 2022 in New York City.Cindy Ord/Getty ImagesHillary Clinton said Friday's Supreme Court ruling is a "step backward" for women's rights."Most Americans believe the decision to have a child is one of the most sacred decisions there is, and that such decisions should remain between patients and their doctors," she tweeted after the decision. She continued: "Today's Supreme Court opinion will live in infamy as a step backward for women's rights and human rights."Read Full StoryFriday's decision could undo much of women's economic progress since the 1970sAbortion rights advocates and anti-abortion protesters demonstrate in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021, in Washington, as the court hears arguments in a case from Mississippi, where a 2018 law would ban abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, well before viability.(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)Friday's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade will have enormous consequences for women's economic progress.Experts told Insider before the ruling that research points to the fact that abortion legalization has greatly contributed to women's progress in many ways, like reducing rates of teen motherhood and maternal mortality, increasing rates of workforce participation, earnings, and educational attainment."This is going to create just a perfect storm of concentrated human misery," said Kimberly Kelly, a sociology professor focused on abortion politics at a Mississippi college, before Friday's decision, adding that overturning Roe means "abortion is going to become a function of class privilege."Read Full StorySupreme Court's liberal justices warn more rights are at stake with the end of Roe v. WadeThe Supreme Court's three liberal justices warned in a dissent that other rights could be on the line after Friday's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. "Whatever the exact scope of the coming laws, one result of today's decision is certain: the curtailment of women's rights, and of their status as free and equal citizens," read the dissenting opinion authored by Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan."No one should be confident that this majority is done with its work," they wrote. "The right Roe and Casey recognized does not stand alone."Read Full StoryChief Justice John Roberts says Supreme Court went too far in taking 'the dramatic step' of overturning Roe v. WadeChief Justice John Roberts.Drew Angerer/Getty ImagesChief Justice John Roberts said he felt the Supreme Court's five other conservatives went too far in their decision to overturn Roe v. Wade."The Court's decision to overrule Roe and Casey is a serious jolt to the legal system — regardless of how you view those cases," Roberts wrote in his concurring opinion that was released on Friday along with the majority opinion.He continued: "A narrower decision rejecting the misguided viability line would be markedly less unsettling, and nothing more is needed to decide this case."Read Full StoryPence says the overturning of Roe v. Wade has 'righted a historic wrong'Former Vice President Mike Pence said the Supreme Court "righted a historic wrong" when it undid nearly 50 years of abortion rights nationwide on Friday."Now that Roe v. Wade has been consigned to the ash heap of history, a new arena in the cause of life has emerged and it is incumbent on all who cherish the sanctity of life to resolve that we will take the defense of the unborn and support for women in crisis pregnancies to every state Capitol in America," Pence said in the statement, in one of the first reactions from a politician. Read Full StoryJustice Thomas says Supreme Court should reconsider rulings that protect contraception and same-sex marriageJustice Clarence ThomasDrew Angerer/Getty ImagesJustice Clarence Thomas said the Supreme Court should reconsider rulings that protect contraception, same-sex relationships, and same-sex marriage, in a concurring opinion with the ruling to overturn the precedent set in Roe v. Wade."For that reason, in future cases, we should reconsider all of this Court's substantive due process precedents, including Griswold, Lawrence, and Obergefell," the conservative justice wrote. Read Full StorySupreme Court overturns 1973 landmark Roe v. Wade rulingThe Supreme Court has overturned the 1973 landmark Roe v. Wade ruling that established the constitutional right to an abortion.The opinion in the case Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization threw out the decades-old ruling by siding with Mississippi and other states that had passed restrictive anti-abortion laws."The Constitution does not confer a right to abortion; Roe and Casey are overruled; and the authority to regulate abortion is returned to the people and their elected representatives," the Friday ruling said. The ruling now leaves the legality of abortion up to state legislatures. Over a dozen states have "trigger laws" meant to ban abortion immediately upon the overturning of Roe.A leaked draft majority opinion obtained by Politico last month seemed to show the court was set to overturn Roe — immediately galvanizing nationwide protests along with condemnation by Democratic lawmakers.Read Full StoryRead the original article on Business Insider.....»»

The Supreme Court has overturned the 1973 landmark Roe v. Wade ruling that granted a nationwide, constitutional right to an abortion. Abortion rights demonstrators hold signs outside the US Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., United States on June 24, 2022.Photo by Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on Friday. The 1973 landmark ruling established the constitutional right to an abortion. Over a dozen states have laws meant to immediately outlaw abortion upon a reversal of Roe. The Supreme Court on Friday overturned the 1973 landmark Roe v. Wade ruling that established the constitutional right to an abortion. The opinion in the case Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization threw out the ruling as the nation's highest court sided with Mississippi and other states, which passed restrictive anti-abortion laws.Immediately after Friday's ruling, politicians on both sides of the aisle issued statements — with Republicans praising the Supreme Court and Democrats slamming the decision. Over a dozen states have "trigger laws" meant to ban abortion immediately upon the overturning of Roe, as the legality of abortion is now left up to state legislatures. This map shows where abortion is illegal, protected, or under threat across all 50 US statesPro-life and abortion-rights advocates crowd the Supreme Court building after Roe v. Wade was overturned Friday morning.Brandon Bell/Getty ImagesOn Friday, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the near 50-year-old court ruling that legalized abortion across all 50 US states.Some states have been preparing for years for the possibility that Roe could be overturned.A handful of states had trigger laws designed to immediately ban abortions within their borders once the decision was reversed. Some "sanctuary states," like New York, put in place legal framework that would protect abortion, even if Roe were overturned. In other areas of the country, it isn't totally clear what happens next — abortion isn't legally protected, but it's also not expressly forbidden.Read Full StoryThe Supreme Court just overturned Roe v. Wade, but the vast majority of Americans don't even know who the court's justices areSeated from left: Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, John Roberts, Stephen Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor, Standing from left: Brett Kavanaugh, Elena Kagan, Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett.Erin Schaff-Pool/Getty ImagesThe Supreme Court on Friday overturned Roe v. Wade, the nearly 50-year-old landmark ruling that protected abortion rights nationwide.But recent polling suggests that the vast majority of American voters don't even know who these influential justices are, highlighting an apparent disconnect between the nation's top court and the very people affected by its rulings.Ahead of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's Senate confirmation earlier this year, C-SPAN and Pierrepont Consulting & Analytics surveyed more than 1,000 likely voters to gauge the public's interest in and awareness of the Supreme Court's work and relevance. While 84% of voters said the Supreme Court's decisions affect their everyday life, far fewer respondents could provide basic details about the court's history or inner workings.Keep ReadingWisconsin patients who were scheduled to receive abortions were turned away in the waiting room after Roe v. Wade was overturnedA volunteer escort outside Affiliated Medical Services, a Milwaukee abortion clinic, on Wednesday, May 28, 2014, in Milwaukee.AP Photo/Dinesh Ramde FileIn Wisconsin, Planned Parenthood clinics had been scheduling patients through Saturday, June 25, but had stopped scheduling for next week in anticipation of the Supreme Court ruling that would overturn Roe v. Wade, which was leaked in May.When the news broke Friday morning that the court had rendered its opinion, Tanya Atkinson, president of Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, said her clinics had patients waiting to receive services."Our team had to go out into the lobby and let those individuals know that they would not be able to access the healthcare that they needed," Atkinson told the local PBS station.Keep ReadingProtestors planning to protest on Justice Clarence Thomas' streetProtestors are planning to head over to Justice Clarence Thomas' house on Friday night after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade."Enraged? Devastated? Pissed the fuck off? So are we," Our Rights DC tweeted on Friday afternoon."Meet us at 5711 Burke Centre Pkwy. 6:30 PM we meet, 7 PM we carpool to the Thomas's street. WEAR A MASK," the human rights organization added. Read Full StoryThe sports world is speaking out against Friday's Supreme Court rulingPro-choice activists protest in response to the leaked Supreme Court draft decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in front of the US Supreme Court May 3, 2022 in Washington, DC.Alex Wong/Getty ImagesSome of the biggest names in sports — from tennis to basketball — are speaking out after the Supreme Court ruled to overturn Roe v. Wade on Friday.The Minnesota Lynx's Natalie Achonwa wrote on Twitter that she's "feeling sick & heartbroken" after hearing about the decision. Tennis legend and feminist icon Billie Jean King said on Twitter that it's a "sad day" in the US. The WNBA's Seattle Storm tweeted that they are "furious and ready to fight."Orlando Magic point guard Devin Cannady tweeted that the "country needs to be better," adding in a follow-up note that the ruling is "a POWER grab over WOMEN."Read Full StoryThese organizations are asking for donations after Roe v. Wade was overturnedIn the wake of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, organizations fighting for abortion rights are calling on supporters to donate.Click the link below for some organizations that are asking for help to either fight the ruling or provide access to abortion for women in states where it will be banned. Read Full StoryAttorney General says states can't ban abortion pills that are approved by FDAUS Attorney General Merrick Garland said states can't ban abortion medication mifepristone "based on disagreement" with the US Food and Drug Administration.Garland said on Friday that the FDA already ruled on the pill's "safety and efficacy," so the decision can't be overturned by states that want to restrict abortion access."Women who reside in states that have banned access to comprehensive reproductive care must remain free to seek that care in states where it is legal," Garland said, after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade earlier.He continued: "Moreover, under fundamental First Amendment principles, individuals must remain free to inform and counsel each other about the reproductive care that is available in other states."Read Full Story House Democrats sang 'God Bless America' on Capitol steps as crowds protested at Supreme CourtHouse Speaker Nancy Pelosi leads a rally celebrating the passage of gun safety legislation as protesters swarm the court just yards away on June 24, 2022.Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesHouse Democrats gathered outside the Capitol on Friday to celebrate passing new gun safety legislation, and cheerfully sang "God Bless America."Across the street, however, protesters swarmed the Supreme Court after the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Read Full StoryVideos show police in riot gear head to Supreme Court after decisionCapitol Police in riot gear could be seen marching towards the Supreme Court earlier on Friday after Roe v. Wade was overturned. A video shared to Twitter by CNN correspondent Manu Raju showed dozens of officers march from the Capitol building and to the Court.Law enforcement also closed streets around the high court, where peaceful protesters gathered by the hundreds after the decision. —Manu Raju (@mkraju) June 24, 2022 Read Full StoryMassive protests erupt outside Supreme Court after Roe v. Wade rulingProtesters outside of Supreme CourtCamila DeChalusHundreds of people gathered outside the Supreme Court on Friday to protest the ruling that overturns Roe v. Wade. Abortion-rights advocates waived green and black signs and shouted "my body, my choice."Across from the abortion-rights protesters, a group of abortion opponents wore red shirts with white letters that read: "The pro-life generation votes."Read Full StoryThe 13 states with abortion-ban 'trigger laws' are not prepared to enforce themThirteen states with abortion "trigger laws" — where the practice could become illegal — are not prepared for how to go about implementing a ban.An Insider investigation over the last few months found that, through over 100 records requests and reaching out to nearly 80 state and local officials, just one agency could detail any sort of plan. This story is part of an investigative series from Insider examining the demise of abortion rights in so-called "trigger law" states. It was originally published on May 7, 48 days before the Supreme Court ruled in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization that abortion is no longer a constitutionally protected right. Read all the stories from "The First 13" here.Read Full StoryStates where abortion access will be on the ballot in 2022Abortion-rights supporters chant their objections at the Kentucky Capitol on Wednesday, April 13, 2022, in Frankfort, Ky., Kentucky is one of at least four states with abortion-related ballot measures in 2022.AP Photo/Bruce Schreiner, FileAbortion policy will be on the ballot in at least four states during the upcoming 2022 midterm elections — the highest number of abortion-related ballot measures to appear in a year since 1986. Kansas and Kentucky will vote on constitutional amendments to establish no right to an abortion, while Montana will vote on a "born-alive" amendment that would extend personhood to infants "born alive" at any stage.On the other side, voters in Vermont will decide on an amendment that will enshrine the right to an abortion in the state's constitution.Read Full StoryBiden says Americans can have 'the final word' after the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. WadePresident Joe BidenStefani Reynolds/AFP/Getty ImagesPresident Joe Biden said Friday was a "sad day" for the nation after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, and vowed his administration would do everything it can to protect women."With this decision, the conservative majority of the Supreme Court shows how extreme it is, how far removed they are from the majority of the country," Biden said during an address to the nation. He continued: "But this decision must not be the final word," urging Americans to vote.Read Full StoryGetting an abortion is going to get a lot more expensive for many AmericansParticipants hold signs during the Women's March at the US Supreme Court.Leigh Vogel/Getty Images for Women's March IncExperts told Insider that the cost of getting an abortion is all but guaranteed to rise after the Supreme Court on Friday overturned Roe v. Wade. Many who live in states where abortion will become mostly, or entirely, illegal will have to face travel costs if they want a procedure in a different state where it is legal. Wage loss for taking time off to get a procedure is another issue. "You might be salaried and I might be salaried, and you can take time off," said Anna Rupani, executive director of Fund Texas Choice (FTC), a nonprofit organization that pays for low-income Texans' associated abortion costs. "A lot of our clients are living paycheck to paycheck, they're not in salaried positions… they're experiencing wage loss."Read Full StoryPelosi warns 'Republicans are plotting a nationwide abortion ban'House Speaker Nancy Pelosi warned that congressional Republicans want to pass a federal abortion ban into law after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.Be aware of this: the Republicans are plotting a nationwide abortion ban," Pelosi said during her weekly press briefing. "They cannot be allowed to have a majority in the Congress to do that. But that's their goal."She continued: "What this means to women is such an insult. It's a slap in the face to women about using their own judgment to make decisions about their reproductive freedom."Read Full StoryTrump reportedly believes overturning Roe v. Wade is 'bad for Republicans'Trump stands with now-Justice Amy Coney Barrett at the White House after she was sworn in on October 26, 2020.Brendan Smialowski / AFP via Getty ImagesFormer President Donald Trump praised the Supreme Court for overturning Roe v. Wade on Friday."This is following the Constitution, and giving rights back when they should have been given long ago," he told Fox News.Privately, Trump has said that overturning Roe would be "bad for Republicans," according to The New York Times' Maggie Haberman and Michael C. Bender.Read Full StoryLead plaintiff in case that made same-sex marriage legal slams Justice Thomas' call for case to be reconsideredThe lead plaintiff in the case that made same-sex marriage legal slammed Justice Clarence Thomas' call for the case to be reconsidered.Thomas said the Supreme Court should reconsider rulings that protect same-sex marriage, in the wake of Friday's decision to overturn nationwide access to abortions."The millions of loving couples who have the right to marriage equality to form their own families do not need Clarence Thomas imposing his individual twisted morality upon them. If you want to see an error in judgment, Clarence Thomas, look in the mirror," Jim Obergefell said in a statement obtained by HuffPost.Read Full StoryMichelle Obama said she is 'heartbroken' after the Supreme Court's decisionFormer first lady Michelle ObamaJae C. Hong/Associated PressFormer First Lady Michelle Obama said she is "heartbroken" after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on Friday.She said before Roe was established, women "risked their lives getting illegal abortions.""That is what our mothers and grandmothers and great-grandmothers lived through, and now here we are again," Obama wrote in her statement. "So yes, I am heartbroken — for the teenage girl full of zest and promise, who won't be able to finish school or live the life she wants because her state controls her reproductive decisions," she added.Read Full StoryAG Merrick Garland said the Supreme Court dealt 'a devastating blow' to abortion rightsAttorney General Merrick Garland said the Supreme Court dealt a "devastating blow to reproductive freedom in the United States" by eliminating the constitutional right to an abortion.Garland said in a statement that the Justice Department disagreed with the decision and predicted that it "will have an immediate and irreversible impact on the lives of people across the country.""And it will be greatly disproportionate in its effect – with the greatest burdens felt by people of color and those of limited financial means," he added.Read Full StorySenate announces hearing 'to explore the grim reality of a post-Roe America'The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee announced a hearing to explore the "grim reality" of life in the US in the aftermath of Friday's Supreme Court ruling."Today's decision eliminates a federally protected constitutional right that has been the law for nearly half a century," said Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin in a statement.He continued: "As a result, millions of Americans are waking up in a country where they have fewer rights than their parents and grandparents."The hearing is set for July 12, a day after the Senate returns from a two-week July 4 recess.Read Full StoryBiden to deliver remarks on Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. WadePresident Joe Biden will deliver remarks at 12:30 p.m. local time on Friday about the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. The White House told reporters that he plans to speak about "the Supreme Court decision on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization to overturn Roe v. Wade."Read Full StoryVarious politicians react to Friday's Supreme Court decision to overturn RoeCurrent and former politicians from both sides of the aisle are reacting to the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.Sen. Lindsey Graham said the decision is "a long overdue constitutional correction allowing for elected officials in the states to decide issues of life." Roe was "constitutionally unsound from its inception," he said. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called Friday "one of the darkest days our country has ever seen." "Millions upon millions of American women are having their rights taken from them by five unelected Justices on the extremist MAGA court," he said in a statement shared with Insider.  Read Full StoryNancy Pelosi and other Democrats are using the Supreme Court decision as a fundraising opportunity for the 2022 midtermsUS Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi speaks in front of the steps to the House of Representatives with congressional members to speak on the Roe v. Wade issue May 13, 2022 in Washington, DC.Win McNamee/Getty ImagesHouse Speaker Nancy Pelosi and fellow Democrats are using the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade as a fundraising opportunity ahead of the fall midterms. "Can you chip in $15 so we can WIN these midterms and finally codify reproductive rights into law?" Pelosi wrote supporters."Our ONLY option is to marshal a response so historic — 100,000 gifts before midnight — that we DEFEAT every anti-choice Republican that made this happen, EXPAND our Majorities, and FINALLY codify our reproductive rights into law. So, can I expect to see your name on my "Pro-Choice Champion" list tomorrow morning?"Read Full StoryPlanned Parenthood president slams Supreme Court decisionAlexis McGill Johnson, president of Planned Parenthood, addresses abortion-rights supporters at the "Bans Off Our Bodies Abortion Rally" at Los Angeles City Hall, Saturday, May 14, 2022.AP Photo/Damian DovarganesPlanned Parenthood Action Fund President Alexis McGill Johnson said the Supreme Court gave politicians "permission to control what we do with our bodies" after the Friday decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. "Due to centuries of racism and systemic discrimination, we already know who will feel the consequences of this horrific decision most acutely: Black, Latino and Indigenous communities, people with disabilities, those living in rural areas, young people, immigrants and those having difficulties making ends meet," she said. "All of our freedoms are on the line," she added. Read Full StoryDC police are fully activated in response to protests from the Supreme Court decisionPro-choice signs hang on a police barricade at the U.S. Supreme Court Building in Washington, DC, on May 3, 2022.Anna Moneymaker/Getty ImagesThe Washington, D.C. Police Department has been fully activated after protests broke out over the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. The Metropolitan Police Department said in an alert that it would "be fully activated to support expected First Amendment demonstrations," and added that "all members should be prepared to work extended tours as necessary" through Tuesday, June 28. A heavy police presence could be seen outside the Supreme Court Friday morning.Read Full StoryBarack Obama says overturning Roe v. Wade is an attack on 'essential freedoms of millions of Americans'Former president Barack Obama slammed the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, and urged people to vote and "join with the activists who've been sounding the alarm on abortion access for years.""Today, the Supreme Court not only reversed nearly 50 years of precedent, it relegated the most intensely personal decision someone can make to the whims of politicians and ideologues — attacking the essential freedoms of millions of Americans," he wrote on Twitter. He continued: "Join with the activists who've been sounding the alarm on abortion access for years — and act. Stand with them at a local protest. Volunteer with one of their organizations. Knock on doors for a candidate you believe in. Vote on or before November 8 and in every other election. Because in the end, if we want judges who will protect all, and not just some, of our rights, then we've got to elect officials committed to doing the same."Read Full StoryStoking fears of violence, Marjorie Taylor Greene credits Trump for the end of RoeFar-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene praised former President Donald Trump and demonized Democrats in her live reaction to the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade."Thank you President Trump," Greene said to a pro-Trump YouTube channel. "God bless you. This got overturned today because of your great work as president, and we want him back.""I do fear for the safety of people here in D.C.," she said, speculating without citing any evidence that Democrats will riot. Read Full StoryHillary Clinton says decision to overturn Roe will 'live in infamy' and is a 'step backward' for women's rightsExecutive Producer Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks on stage during "Below The Belt" New York Premiere at Museum of Modern Art on May 24, 2022 in New York City.Cindy Ord/Getty ImagesHillary Clinton said Friday's Supreme Court ruling is a "step backward" for women's rights."Most Americans believe the decision to have a child is one of the most sacred decisions there is, and that such decisions should remain between patients and their doctors," she tweeted after the decision. She continued: "Today's Supreme Court opinion will live in infamy as a step backward for women's rights and human rights."Read Full StoryFriday's decision could undo much of women's economic progress since the 1970sAbortion rights advocates and anti-abortion protesters demonstrate in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021, in Washington, as the court hears arguments in a case from Mississippi, where a 2018 law would ban abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, well before viability.(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)Friday's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade will have enormous consequences for women's economic progress.Experts told Insider before the ruling that research points to the fact that abortion legalization has greatly contributed to women's progress in many ways, like reducing rates of teen motherhood and maternal mortality, increasing rates of workforce participation, earnings, and educational attainment."This is going to create just a perfect storm of concentrated human misery," said Kimberly Kelly, a sociology professor focused on abortion politics at a Mississippi college, before Friday's decision, adding that overturning Roe means "abortion is going to become a function of class privilege."Read Full StorySupreme Court's liberal justices warn more rights are at stake with the end of Roe v. WadeThe Supreme Court's three liberal justices warned in a dissent that other rights could be on the line after Friday's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. "Whatever the exact scope of the coming laws, one result of today's decision is certain: the curtailment of women's rights, and of their status as free and equal citizens," read the dissenting opinion authored by Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan."No one should be confident that this majority is done with its work," they wrote. "The right Roe and Casey recognized does not stand alone."Read Full StoryChief Justice John Roberts says Supreme Court went too far in taking 'the dramatic step' of overturning Roe v. WadeChief Justice John Roberts.Drew Angerer/Getty ImagesChief Justice John Roberts said he felt the Supreme Court's five other conservatives went too far in their decision to overturn Roe v. Wade."The Court's decision to overrule Roe and Casey is a serious jolt to the legal system — regardless of how you view those cases," Roberts wrote in his concurring opinion that was released on Friday along with the majority opinion.He continued: "A narrower decision rejecting the misguided viability line would be markedly less unsettling, and nothing more is needed to decide this case."Read Full StoryPence says the overturning of Roe v. Wade has 'righted a historic wrong'Former Vice President Mike Pence said the Supreme Court "righted a historic wrong" when it undid nearly 50 years of abortion rights nationwide on Friday."Now that Roe v. Wade has been consigned to the ash heap of history, a new arena in the cause of life has emerged and it is incumbent on all who cherish the sanctity of life to resolve that we will take the defense of the unborn and support for women in crisis pregnancies to every state Capitol in America," Pence said in the statement, in one of the first reactions from a politician. Read Full StoryJustice Thomas says Supreme Court should reconsider rulings that protect contraception and same-sex marriageJustice Clarence ThomasDrew Angerer/Getty ImagesJustice Clarence Thomas said the Supreme Court should reconsider rulings that protect contraception, same-sex relationships, and same-sex marriage, in a concurring opinion with the ruling to overturn the precedent set in Roe v. Wade."For that reason, in future cases, we should reconsider all of this Court's substantive due process precedents, including Griswold, Lawrence, and Obergefell," the conservative justice wrote. Read Full StorySupreme Court overturns 1973 landmark Roe v. Wade rulingThe Supreme Court has overturned the 1973 landmark Roe v. Wade ruling that established the constitutional right to an abortion.The opinion in the case Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization threw out the decades-old ruling by siding with Mississippi and other states that had passed restrictive anti-abortion laws."The Constitution does not confer a right to abortion; Roe and Casey are overruled; and the authority to regulate abortion is returned to the people and their elected representatives," the Friday ruling said. The ruling now leaves the legality of abortion up to state legislatures. Over a dozen states have "trigger laws" meant to ban abortion immediately upon the overturning of Roe.A leaked draft majority opinion obtained by Politico last month seemed to show the court was set to overturn Roe — immediately galvanizing nationwide protests along with condemnation by Democratic lawmakers.Read Full StoryRead the original article on Business Insider.....»»

The court should examine all other cases that fall under its due process precedents, Thomas wrote in a concurring opinion. Justice Clarence Thomas.Drew Angerer/Getty Images The Supreme Court on Friday overturned abortion rights established by Roe v. Wade. In a concurring opinion, Justice Thomas wrote that the court should "reconsider" rulings on contraception, same-sex relationships, and same-sex marriage. "In future cases, we should reconsider all of this Court's substantive due process precedents, including Griswold, Lawrence, and Obergefell," he wrote. Along with the Supreme Court's Friday ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade, Justice Clarence Thomas said the court should also "reconsider" rulings that protect contraception access, same-sex relationships, and same-sex marriage.The nation's highest court on Friday tossed out federal abortion rights established nearly 50 years ago by Roe. Justice Samuel Alito, a conservative, delivered the court's majority opinion, declaring that Roe was "egregiously wrong from the start" and leaving abortion decision-making up to states. He was joined by conservative justices Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett. Chief Justice John Roberts supported the majority but disagreed with the court's complete reversal of Roe. The court's three liberal justices — Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan — dissented. In their opinion, they argued that the court's decision could clear the way for other rights to be revoked, such as contraception access and same-sex marriage, which are protected by privacy rights under the 14th Amendment in the Constitution, as abortion rights had been. "And no one should be confident that this majority is done with its work. The right Roe and Casey recognized does not stand alone," the three justices wrote. "To the contrary, the Court has linked it for decades to other settled freedoms involving bodily integrity, familial relationships, and procreation."But Alito, in the majority opinion, pushed back on the liberal justices' argument. He wrote that the court's decision to revoke abortion rights does not mean that those other rights are at risk. Abortion, he argued, is distinct from those rights because it concerns the interests of "fetal life."  "Perhaps this is designed to stoke unfounded fear that our decision will imperil those other rights," Alito wrote, "but the dissent's analogy is objectionable for a more important reason: what it reveals about the dissent's views on the protection of what Roe called 'potential life.'"Thomas, however, separated himself from the court's conservative majority and called for the court to examine all rulings that concern the 14th Amendment's due process clause, specifically pointing out decisions that protected contraception access, same-sex relationships, and same-sex marriages. The due process clause ensures that any American has the right to due process before someone can take away their inalienable rights. "For that reason, in future cases, we should reconsider all of this Court's substantive due process precedents, including Griswold, Lawrence, and Obergefell," Thomas, widely considered to be the court's most conservative justice, wrote in a concurring opinion. Concurring opinions are court opinions that agree with the majority opinion of the Supreme Court, but acknowledge differing reasons for coming to the same conclusion. The opinion is not a binding precedent, unlike the majority opinion.The Griswold v. Connecticut decision came in 1965, when the Supreme Court ruled 7-2 that people have the right to privacy that protects against state restrictions on contraception. If overturned, states would be granted the ability to outlaw various forms of birth control.In 2003, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in the Lawrence v. Texas case that making it a crime for members of the same sex to have intimate sexual relations violates the due process clause."Their right to liberty under the Due Process Clause gives them the full right to engage in their conduct without intervention of the government," Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in his opinion.Lastly, the high court decided in 2015 in the Obergefell v. Hodges case that the due process clause of the 14th Amendment protects the rights of same-sex couples to get married in the same ways that opposite-sex couples can.Legal experts have long warned that overruling Roe v. Wade may put other rights on the chopping block.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Mississippi has asked the nation's highest court to overrule the 1973 landmark ruling on abortion rights, Roe v. Wade. Protesters, demonstrators and activists gather in front of the U.S. Supreme Court as the justices hear arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health, a case about a Mississippi law that bans most abortions after 15 weeks, on December 01, 2021.Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images The Supreme Court on Wednesday heard nearly two hours of arguments on the biggest abortion challenge before the court in decades. Mississippi has asked the court to uphold its law that bans abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy and to overturn the landmark 1973 ruling, Roe v. Wade. The court's conservative justices seemed open to Mississippi's position. The Supreme Court on Wednesday seemed open to upholding a 15-week abortion ban in Mississippi in a major case whose decision could ultimately overturn or curtail abortion rights established in the landmark 1973 ruling, Roe v. Wade. The case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, centers on a 2018 Mississippi law that bans abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy. That's ahead of the standard set in Roe, which declared that states cannot prohibit abortion before roughly 24 weeks of pregnancy, the point when a fetus can survive outside of the womb, commonly referred to as viability.Mississippi has asked the nation's highest court to overrule Roe, as well as another major 1992 abortion decision, Planned Parenthood v. Casey, which established that states cannot impose an "undue burden" on abortion rights.Scott Stewart, Mississippi's solicitor general, opened his arguments on Wednesday by ripping into the decades-old rulings."They're damaged the democratic process. They've poisoned the law. They've choked up compromise," he said. "No where else does this court recognize a right to end human life."During nearly two hours of oral arguments, the justices grappled with the potential implications of a future without Roe and Casey. The court's conservative justices, through their questioning, appeared inclined to go somewhat in that direction.Conservative Justice Samuel Alito questioned the viability mark and argued that "the fetus has an interest in having a life.""On the other side, the fetus has an interest in having a life," he said. That doesn't change, does it, from the point before viability to the point after viability?"The Center for Reproductive Rights' Julie Rikelman, defending Mississippi's sole abortion provider, Jackson Women's Health Organization, responded: "In some people's view it doesn't, your honor, but what the court said is that those philosophical differences couldn't be resolved."Justice Brett Kavanaugh, a Trump appointee, also raised the interests of fetal life versus a pregnant woman on Wednesday."You can't accommodate both interests. You have to pick. That's the fundamental problem," he said. "One interest has to prevail over the other at any given point in time, and that's why this is so challenging."Kavanaugh also pointed out a series of decisions in which the court overturned precedent, including ending school segregation and legalizing same-sex marriage, and questioned the role of the court."If we think that the prior precedents are seriously wrong, if that, why then doesn't the history of this court's practice with respect to those cases tell us that the right answer is actually a return to the position of neutrality?" Kavanaugh asked. "Why should this court be the arbiter rather than Congress?" On the other end of the ideological spectrum, the court's liberals, including Justice Sonia Sotomayor, questioned Mississippi's position that the right to an abortion is not embedded in the Constitution."There is so much that is not in the Constitution," Sotomayor said. "There is not anything in the Constitution that says that the court, the Supreme Court, is the last word on what the Constitution means.""We have recognized that sense of privacy in people's choices about whether to use contraception or not. We recognize that in their right to choose who they want to marry," she added. "I fear none of those things are written in the Constitution."The court will hand down a decision on the closely watched case by next June. Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

"To force that on society was a problem," said George Santos, who said that he was "an opposer" of same-sex marriage. Rep. George Santos of New York leaves Congress shortly after being expelled from the House on Friday.Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty ImagesGeorge Santos sat down with a group of reporters the day before he was expelled.He criticized the institution of same-sex marriage, saying he prefers civil unions."To force that on society was a problem," he said.There were many historic aspects of Rep. George Santos's short tenure in Congress.One of the less recognized was his status as the first non-incumbent, openly gay Republican elected Congress, particularly at a time when LGBTQ rights have once again become a target of the right.And in a sit-down with a group of reporters on Capitol Hill on Thursday — the day before his historic expulsion from Congress — the scandal-plagued Republican took a swipe at what most consider to be the foremost achievement of the LGBTQ rights movement."I was an opposer of gay marriage," Santos said in response to a question about his relationships with more conservative House Republicans, according to audio obtained by Business Insider.It just so happened to be the two-year anniversary of his own gay marriage to his husband, Matt.Santos said that he entered into such a marriage "because that was the option," but did not believe it should be called "marriage" and that the government should not be involved in the institution.2 year since we said I Do!Happy anniversary to my partner in life and to my rock who has not skipped a beat over the past few months.Thank you for being the most amazing spouse! I Love you to the moon and back! ❤️ pic.twitter.com/uoVTuVSTWp— George Santos (@MrSantosNY) November 30, 2023"I thought it should have been a civil union," said Santos, referring to the alternative to fully-recognized marriage that some proposed prior to the Supreme Court's legalization of same-sex marriage in 2015. "It would have given us the same benefits, the same rights under the law.""Making it marriage was never the business of the government," he said. "I'm not saying I oppose just gay marriage. I oppose marriage by the government in general.""To force that on society was a problem," he added. "That is why we're still debating, right?"It's not the first time Santos has made arguments that run counter to the rest of the LGBTQ community.Also on Thursday, Santos posed with a sign produced by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's office declaring that there are only two genders.Trust the Science! #TwoGenders pic.twitter.com/Gecfv5t9x7— Rep. George Santos (@RepSantosNY03) November 30, 2023And as a candidate, Santos endorsed the Florida Parental Rights in Education Law — known to critics as "Don't Say Gay" — and said Gov. Ron DeSantis had his "full-blown support" for signing the law."As a gay man, I stand proudly behind not teaching our children sex or sexual orientation," he said in a Facebook video in April 2022.Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Recessionary Indicators Update: Soft Landing Or Worse? Authored by Lance Roberts via RealInvestmentAdvice.com, I previously discussed a slate of recessionary indicators with high correlations to recessionary onsets. However, as we head into 2024, many Wall Street economists predict a “soft landing” or “no recession” outcome for the economy. Are these recessionary indicators with near-flawless track records wrong this time? Will it be a soft landing in the economy or something worse? We must start our recessionary indicator review with the “Godfather” of them all – “Yield Curve Inversions.” Bonds are essential for their predictive qualities, so analysts pay enormous attention to U.S. government bonds, specifically the difference in their interest rates. As such, there is a high correlation between the yield curve’s slope and where the economy, stock, and bond markets generally head longer term. Such is because everything from volatile oil prices, trade tensions, political uncertainty, the dollar’s strength, credit risk, earnings strength, etc., reflects in the bond market and, ultimately, the yield curve. Regarding yield curve inversions, the media always assumes this time is different because a recession didn’t occur immediately upon the inversion. There are two problems with this way of thinking. The National Bureau Of Economic Research (NBER) is the official recession dating arbiter. They wait for data revisions by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) before announcing a recession’s official start. Therefore, the NBER is always 6-12 months late, dating the recession. It is not the inversion of the yield curve that denotes the recession. The inversion is the “warning sign,” whereas the un-inversion marks the start of the recession, which the NBER will recognize later. As discussed in “BTFD Or STFR,” if you wait for the official announcement by the NBER to confirm a recession, it will be too late. To wit: “Each of those dots is the peak of the market PRIOR to the onset of a recession. In 9 of 10 instances, the S&P 500 peaked and turned lower prior to the recognition of a recession.“ Here is the analysis in table form. It is worth noting that the market’s lead to the economic recession has shrunk markedly since 1980. As such, given the rally in the market this year, it is not surprising a recession has not been recognized as of yet. Which Yield Curve Matters Which yield curve matters mostly depends on whom you ask. DoubleLine Capital’s Jeffrey Gundlach watches the 2-year vs. 5-year spreads. Michael Darda, the chief economist at MKM Partners, says it’s the 10-year and the 1-year spread. Others say the 3-month and 10-year yields matter most. The most-watched is the 10-year versus the 2-year spread. While most mainstream economists focus on a specific yield curve, we track ten different economically important spreads from short-term consumption to long-term investments. Most yield spreads we monitor, shown below, are inverted, which is historically the best recessionary indicator. However, technically, the UN-inversion of the yield curve is the recessionary indicator. Notably, when numerous yield spreads turn negative, the media will discount the risk of a recession and suggest the yield curve is wrong this time. However, the bond market is already discounting weaker economic growth, earnings risk, elevated valuations, and a reversal of monetary support. As such, a recession followed when 50% or more of the tracked yield curves became inverted. Every time. (Read this for a complete history.) But it isn’t just the yield curve as a recessionary indicator that we are watching. Are Leading Indicators Wrong? We wrote “Economic Cycles Will Recover” in July after a significant drop in many leading economic indicators. To wit: “As with market cycles, the economy cycles as well. There is little argument that the current economic data is fragile, whether you look at the Leading Economic Index (LEI) or the Institute Of Supply Management (ISM) measures. As with the market cycle, long periods of slowing economic activity will eventually bottom and turn higher. The Economic Composite Index, comprised of 100 hard and soft economic data points, clearly shows the economic cycles. I have overlaid the composite index with the 6-month rate of change of the LEI index, which has a very high correlation to economic expansions and contractions.” As shown, the data has bottomed since July and has started to improve. Notably, these economic measures are at levels that previously marked the bottoms of economic contractions outside financial crises or economic shutdown events. As noted in July, the improvement in economic activity seen in Q3 and Q4 was expected. That improvement also supports the earnings cycle we have seen as of late. While there are reasons to remain suspect of an upturn in the current economic and market cycles, it is difficult to discount the historical evidence completely. Yes, the Federal Reserve has hiked rates aggressively, which weighs on economic activity by reducing personal consumption. However, the government continues to increase spending levels sharply, i.e., the Inflation Reduction Act and the CHIPs Act, which support economic activity. We see that same support to economic activity in the monetary supply (M2) as a percentage of the economy. While those monetary and fiscal supports are reversing following the “pandemic-related” spending spree, both are reversing. Eventually, the support provided by those massive infusions into the economy will fade. The hope is that the economy will return to normal functioning by then. The only issue is that we have no historical precedent to base those hopes on. Soft Landing Or Recession? The question of a “soft landing” or an outright “recession” is difficult to answer. It is certainly possible that all of the tell-tale signs of economic recession may be wrong this time. There is another possibility. Given the massive increase in activity due to a shuttered economy and massive fiscal stimulus, the reversion may take longer than expected. Both scenarios support the rising optimism of Wall Street economists in the near term. However, such also brings to mind Bob Farrell’s Rule #9: “When all experts agree something else tends to happen.” As noted previously, we would already be in a recession if we had entered this current period at previous growth rates below 4%. The difference is the contraction began from a peak in nominal GDP of nearly 12%. As noted above, a bounce in activity is not surprising after a significant contraction in the economic data. The question is whether that bounce is sustainable. Unfortunately, we won’t know the answer for quite some time. We know that Federal Reserve actions regarding hiking rates have about a 6-quarter lead over changes to economic growth. Given the last Fed rate hike was in Q2 of this year, such would suggest a further slowing in economic activity into the end of 2024. Investor Implications As noted above, the massive surge in monetary stimulus (as a percentage of GDP) remains highly elevated, which gives the illusion the economy is more robust than it likely is. As the lag effect of monetary tightening continues to weigh on consumption, the reversion to economic strength may surprise most economists. For investors, the implications of reversing monetary stimulus on prices are not bullish. As shown, the contraction in liquidity, measured by subtracting GDP from M2, correlates to changes in asset prices. Given that there is significantly more reversion in monetary stimulus to come, this suggests that lower asset prices will likely follow. However, the markets have recently been betting that a reversal of liquidity is coming. Given the inflationary implications of providing monetary accommodation, i.e., rate cuts and quantitative easing, it seems unlikely the Federal Reserve will act before the onset of a recession. If that assumption is correct, investors may set themselves up for disappointment. As we update our recessionary indicators, there is still no clear visibility regarding the certainty of a recession. Yes, this “time could be different.” The problem is that, historically, such has not been the case. Therefore, given this uncertainty, we must continue to weigh the possibility that Wall Street economists are correct in their more optimistic predictions. However, we must remain open to the probabilities that still lie with the indicators. No one knows what the future holds with any degree of certainty. Therefore, we must remain nimble in our investment approach and trade the market for what it is rather than what we wish it to be. Tyler Durden Fri, 12/01/2023 - 12:15.....»»

In Singapore, public housing does not mean inexpensive housing: In June, a 4-room flat was sold for $1.5 million Singapore dollars. Singapore's public housing apartments are also referred to as HDB flats.KandlSingapore's public housing apartments are home to about 80% of the country's resident population.In recent years, some flats have gone on to fetch over 1 million Singapore dollars on the market.HDB estates are designed to encourage social interaction, thus helping make Singapore the world's sixth Blue Zone.Singapore's skyline would not be complete without its candy-colored, high-rise public housing apartment blocks.Constructed by the Housing Development Board, these apartments are colloquially known as HDB flats.Like many Singaporeans, I grew up in an HDB flat in central Singapore — and I've been living in the same one with my family for almost two decades.It's an old housing complex by Singapore's standards, considering it was constructed in 1976. Most of my neighbors have lived here for as long as I have — and even longer. I know an elderly grandma downstairs who moved in just a few years after the block was built.I went to elementary school five minutes from where I live, and my friends from back then — some of whom I still keep in touch with — all live nearby.The older I get, the more I appreciate living in such a meticulously planned community — one of many in the country. Where else in the world can I find a hospital, a market, and a mall within a 15-minute walk — half of which has shelter from the rain?Singapore and New York City are tied as the most expensive cities in the world to live in, but their public housing systems are worlds apart.In the US, public housing is intended for low-income families, seniors, or people with disabilities.In Singapore, however, it's a different situation: Public housing units are where about 80% of the country's resident population lives. It's considered one of the most successful public housing systems in the world.And in Singapore, public housing does not mean inexpensive housing.Despite being conceived as affordable housing for the masses, some HDB flats have sold for over $1 million on the resale market in recent years. In June, a 4-room flat was sold for $1.5 million Singapore dollars, or $1.1 million.In 2021, there were 261 million-dollar HDB flats sold on the resale market, per the local paper The Straits Times.The earliest public housing apartments were built in the 1930s — before Singapore gained independence.Public housing apartments in Tiong Bahru, Singapore, that were built by the Singapore Improvement Trust after WW2.nortel1232010/Getty ImagesThese homes, known as SIT flats, were built by the Singapore Improvement Trust — HDB's predecessor — in Tiong Bahru.Tiong Bahru is a trendy neighborhood in southern Singapore that's become known for its cafes and independent stores in recent years.But before 1926, the area consisted mainly of mangrove swamps, cemeteries, and squatter settlements, per the National Library Board.In response to the poor housing and sanitary situation in the area, the SIT was commissioned to improve the drainage system and build new homes for the squatters.Some of these early public housing apartments still exist and are habitable.In 2003, the Urban Redevelopment Authority placed 20 blocks of flats in the area under conservation status.Over 1 million public housing flats have been built across Singapore since 1960.The facade of an HDB flat at Kampong Kayu Road, Singapore.catchlights_sgNew HDB apartment blocks are still being constructed today.Since they are considered leasehold properties, each new flat — known as a Build-to-Order, or BTO, apartment — is sold by the HDB on a 99-year lease.As the name suggests, these homes are built upon order — meaning there's a median waiting period of about 3 ½ years before the houses are complete.After getting married, most couples stay in their family homes or move in with their in-laws while waiting for their BTO apartments to be ready.To apply for a BTO flat, applicants need to go through a ballot system. However, demand for these new flats is often higher than supply: Last year, there were 117,251 applications for 23,184 apartments.Vanessa Tan and Shannon Teo, a millennial couple who turned their BTO into a modern Scandinavian-style home, told Business Insider that they balloted four times before success."We tried for two years," Teo said.New HDBs come in different layouts to accommodate various household sizes and budgets. HDB public housing apartment blocks in Jurong West, Singapore.Kokkai Ng/Getty ImagesThere are strict rules around who is eligible to apply for a BTO flat. Since it's public housing, it's meant for Singaporeans.Different household types can apply for a BTO under varying conditions.Broadly speaking, heterosexual Singaporean couples can apply for a BTO flat if they are either married or engaged. In this situation, at least one of the applicants must be a citizen, and the other must be a citizen or Singapore Permanent Resident.Singles need to be at least 35 years old to apply. This includes anyone in a same-sex relationship, as same-sex marriage is not recognized in Singapore.There are also different eligibility conditions for families or couples with non-residents.Applicants will also have to meet an income ceiling if they want to apply for a BTO flat. The amount varies depending on the flat types that applicants are looking to buy.HDB flats can be resold on the open market.Singapore's HDB public housing void decks typically have tables and seats for neighbors to gather and interact. In this photo, the mosaic table top has a design of a Chinese chessboard on it that members of the public can use to play a game of Chinese chess.Tomatopictures/Getty ImagesHDB flats on the open market are often referred to as resale flats.Joy Oh, a Singaporean digital-content producer, told BI that she and her husband decided to look for a resale flat after failing to secure a BTO three times."We viewed 17 apartment units before we found our forever home," Oh said.There are a variety of HDB flat sizes and layouts. Front door of a Singapore HDB flat.Carlina Teteris/Getty ImagesHDB flat types range from two-room apartments to executive flats that come with an additional study or balcony.There are also community care apartments designed for seniors, with fittings such as anti-slip floors and handlebars in the bathroom.For multi-generation families living under one roof, there is also a 3Gen flat layout that comes with four bedrooms and three bathrooms.The wide range of HDB layouts means that homeowners can also choose the kind of houses they want depending on their lifestyle preferences.Tobby Toh and Goh Kaiyi told BI that they downsized from a four-room flat to a three-room flat so they could better manage their finances."Clearing our housing debt was a step nearer to being financially free," Goh, a 35-year-old user-experience designer, said.HDB flat buyers own the rights to their property for the duration of their lease.The living room in the HDB of one of the couples who spoke to BI about their home.Amanda Goh/InsiderHDB flat owners have free rein over the interior design of their homes — as long as it does not compromise the building's structure.Some homeowners have been getting creative with their houses.Soh Jun Hao and Grace Lim, who live in a five-room HDB flat, told BI they wanted a "lived-in" look for their place.In the two years since they moved in, they've filled the space with their favorite mementos."I didn't want it to look like a showroom," Lim said.Other homeowners were inspired by their own way of life when it came to interior design.Jasmine Wong and Rainier Ng, a couple living in the eastern region of Singapore, told BI they spent 5 months turning their HDB flat into a farmhouse-style home with wabi-sabi influences."I think it's just our way of living that inspired us," Wong said. "We've always liked nature and natural, raw-looking materials."Each HDB estate typically consists of a few identical apartment blocks clustered together. Colorful playground for children in an HDB estate in Singapore.slpu9945/Getty ImagesCommunal spaces such as void decks, playgrounds, fitness corners, and community gardens can be found on the estates.These apartment blocks are often also served by the country's public transport system, with bus stops and train stations within walking distance.Unlike Singapore's condos — which are private property — HDB blocks don't typically have dedicated tennis courts, indoor gyms, or swimming pools, although there are often such communal amenities nearby.These HDB estates and neighborhoods make up the wider HDB towns, which are designed to be self-sufficient.Singapore's public housing is designed to encourage social interaction and integration.Two retirees play checkers at the void deck of a public housing block in Singapore.Roslan Rahman/AFP via Getty ImagesIn 1989, the government introduced the Ethnic Integration Policy to "ensure a balanced mix of ethnic groups in HDB estates," per the Singapore government's official website.As a result, shared spaces in public housing — and the wider HDB estates — give people from all walks of life a chance to interact with one another.And this, as journalist and researcher Dan Buettner says, is part of the reason why Singapore is the world's sixth Blue Zone — a region in the world where people live longer and healthier lives."Loneliness is largely a function of environment," Buettner told Fortune about Singapore's architecture. "If you live in a cul de sac in the suburbs, and especially if you don't like your neighbors, you're very unlikely to serendipitously run into someone and have a conversation."But in Singapore, it's not just the open spaces on public housing estates where residents can spend time with each other. Hawker centers, open-aired food halls, are found near HDBs and offer another opportunity for residents to spend time with each other."You share tables and you're interacting with the stall user, interacting with the person next to you," Buettner told Fortune. "The chances you're going to run into an old friend or make a new friend are exponentially higher." Read the original article on Business Insider.....»»

Since the earliest days of civilization in places like Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt, the prevailing belief was that kings were divinely chosen to rule over society. These ancient monarchies and dynasties almost exclusively passed down power from father to son. Only when there was no male heir available would a daughter reluctantly be considered for […] The post 16 Iconic Female Rulers Who Shaped Their Eras appeared first on 24/7 Wall St.. Since the earliest days of civilization in places like Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt, the prevailing belief was that kings were divinely chosen to rule over society. These ancient monarchies and dynasties almost exclusively passed down power from father to son. Only when there was no male heir available would a daughter reluctantly be considered for the throne. Historically, women have faced immense obstacles to holding power and high governmental offices. (Here are women who broke barriers every year since 1950). In the rare instances when a woman did manage to take on the mantle of empress or queen regnant, she would typically need to put in twice the effort to earn the level of respect automatically conferred to kings. Many female rulers lost their power – or even their lives – at the hands of scheming male relatives seeking control, including sons who deposed their own mothers. Other women monarchs faced being imprisoned or banished as men maneuvered to reclaim authority. In spite of the substantial barriers and resistance they faced, some exceptional women through the ages have succeeded in being recognized as the leaders of tribes, countries, or vast empires. 24/7 Tempo has compiled a list of 26 of these powerful female rulers by reviewing numerous articles from sources including History and Britannica to find queens and empresses with the most renown and/or significant accomplishments.  Only rulers whose reign began prior to the 20th century were included, which accounts for the absence of such key figures as Queen Elizabeth II, Indira Gandhi, Margaret Thatcher, and Angela Merkel — all as powerful or influential in a contemporary context as any ancient empress. (These are the most important events in the life of Queen Elizabeth in every year of her reign.) A common theme among some of history’s most eminent female leaders is that they originally came into power by serving as regents during the minority of their underage sons, and managed to sustain authority even after their sons reached adulthood. In addition, some highly influential wives of kings have been featured – though not formally crowned monarchs themselves, these queen consorts significantly shaped state policies and augmented royal authority. While a minority of female rulers in history employed ruthless tactics like vengeance and persecution, more left a positive legacy as intellectual and artistic patrons. Here are the most famous female rulers in history Merneith > Ruled over: Egypt > Reign: circa 2950 B.C. Merneith may be the first female monarch in recorded history. She likely ruled as regent for her son until he succeeded her. Not much is known about her reign, but it is assumed that she took the throne upon the death of her husband, Djet, the fourth pharaoh of Egypt’s First Dynasty. Her tomb in Abydos — the only woman’s tomb among the tombs of other pharaohs — contained a funerary boat as well as the graves of dozens of servants who were buried alongside her. Sobekneferu > Ruled over: Egypt > Reign: 1760-1756 B.C. The last ruler of the 12th Dynasty of Egypt, Sobekneferu assumed the throne when her half-brother, Amenemhet IV, died leaving no male heir. She was the first female pharaoh to receive full royal titulary and was accepted as ruler in official records. A few statues remain from her reign, displaying her feminine features but in king’s regalia, striking traditional pharaoh’s poses. 24/7 Wall St. 50 Highest Grossing Films Directed by Women Hatshepsut > Ruled over: Egypt > Reign: 1479-1458 B.C. The second officially accepted female pharaoh, Hatshepsut ruled Egypt for 21 years, during which she improved trade routes and relations and oversaw extensive building projects including temples, monuments, and her own tomb complex. Her stepson and successor, Thutmose III, attempted to erase her reign from history. During his years as pharaoh, her image was chiseled off cartouches and many of her statues were destroyed, but the attempts were unsuccessful. Nefertiti > Ruled over: Egypt > Reign: 1353-1336 B.C. Ruling as queen alongside her husband, Pharaoh Akhenaten, Nefertiti brought a religious revolution to Egypt by worshiping a singular sun god, Aten. Upon Akhenaten’s death, it is theorized that Nefertiti became pharaoh under the name Neferneferuaten, before her stepson Tutankhamun ascended the throne. Sammu-ramat > Ruled over: Assyria > Reign: 811-808 B.C. Wife of King Shamshi-Adad V, Sammu-ramat held a brief reign as regent of Assyria before her son came of age and ascended the throne. She is credited with stabilizing the empire after a civil war. Multiple monuments and inscriptions attesting her rule have been found, and her name, which is mentioned in the writings of Herodotus, among other historians, has reached legendary status. Tomyris, Queen of the Massagetae > Ruled over: Parts of Central Asia > Reign: 6th century B.C. The Massagetae were a confederation of nomadic Iranian peoples who inhabited the great plains east of the Caspian Sea. Tomyris was a warrior queen, famous for defeating Cyrus the Great, founder of the First Persian Empire, as he attempted to invade her lands. According to Herodotus, Tomyris obtained Cyrus’s head after the fatal battle and dipped it into a vat of blood, declaring that she had thus quenched his thirst for human blood. Artemisia I > Ruled over: Halicarnassus > Reign: 484-460 B.C. Artemisia was a warrior queen of Halicarnassus, a Greco-Carian city in Anatolia. During her 24-year reign, she fought alongside Xerxes, the King of Persia, in multiple naval battles against Greece and became known for her skill as a tactician and leader. As the battle of Salamis ended, was able to elude an Athenian ship by taking down her Persian flag. 24/7 Wall St. 36 Black Women Who Changed American History Olympias > Ruled over: Macedonia > Reign: 357-316 B.C. Olympias was queen consort to Phillip II, King of Macedonia, and the mother of Alexander the Great. She was also a member of the snake-worshipping cult of Dionysus. During the height of her son’s power, she had significant sway on Macedonian politics. After Alexander’s death, she went to great and violent lengths to ensure that his son would be king, allegedly killing Phillip’s alternate heir as well as other prospects to the throne and hundreds of their followers. Cleopatra Thea > Ruled over: Syria > Reign: 126-121 B.C. Cleopatra Thea was queen consort of Syria for nearly 25 years, as the wife of three monarchs, before finally becoming the ruler as regent for her son. Her reign was rife with tumult, war, and murder. She went to great lengths to maintain her power, including killing one of her own sons who attempted to claim the throne. In a twist of fate, she was killed while trying to murder another of her sons, who forced her to drink the poisoned wine she had offered to him. Cleopatra > Ruled over: Egypt > Reign: 51-30 B.C. The last true pharaoh of Egypt, Cleopatra was an accomplished linguist, author, and naval commander who ruled the Ptolemaic Kingdom as co-regent with multiple brothers, and then with her son. She formed alliances with two powerful Roman politicians — Julius Caesar and Mark Antony — to maintain her stronghold over Egypt. Cleopatra famously committed suiсide after the death of Mark Antony and a naval defeat in a battle against Rome. Cartimandua, Queen of the Brigantes > Ruled over: Part of northern England > Reign: 43-69 Cartimandua ruled a section of what is now northern England as queen of a Celtic people known as the Brigantes during the Roman conquest of the area. She and her husband Venutius showed loyalty to Rome to maintain their power, even betraying another British ruler by delivering him to the Romans in chains. They eventually divorced, causing a civil war in which she enlisted Roman forces to quell the rebellion. Unfortunately for Cartimandua, Venutius struck back a decade later and defeated her in battle. Boudica, Queen of the Iceni > Ruled over: Part of southern England > Reign:48-60 Boudica became queen of the Celtic Iceni tribe at age 18 when she married King Prasutagas. When Prasutagus died and Roman forces annexed his kingdom, Boudica formed an army of Iceni and other Celts and staged a revolt, destroying three cities that were under Roman control. According to some sources, In one final battle, seeing that her army was losing, Boudica poisoned herself to avoid being captured. ALSO READ: Women Who Broke Barriers Every Year Since 1950 Zenobia > Ruled over: Palmyra > Reign: 267-272 Zenobia was a warrior queen of the Palmyrene Empire. When her husband, King Odaenathus, was assassinated, she became regent for her son and de facto ruler. During her reign, Zenobia invaded and conquered multiple Eastern Roman provinces and annexed Egypt. Although she was eventually captured and exiled by the Romans, she is remembered as a powerful and tolerant ruler who respected the cultures and religions of her subjects. Empress Theodora > Ruled over: Byzantine Empire > Reign: 527-548 As wife of Emperor Justinian, Theodora greatly influenced Byzantine politics, writing legislation and meeting with foreign rulers. She is remembered for her advocacy for women’s rights, as she helped passed laws prohibiting rаpe and the sеx trafficking of young girls, as well as legislation to grant women greater power in marriage and divorce. Amalasuntha, Queen of the Ostrogoths > Ruled over: Parts of northern Italy > Reign: 534-535 Amalasuntha ruled the Ostrogoths in Northern Italy as a pro-Roman regent for her son and then as queen regnant upon her son’s death. During her reign she forged an alliance with the Byzantine emperor Justinian I, and became known for her intellect and proclivities toward philosophy and literature. When she attempted to share power with her cousin, a powerful military leader named Theodahad, he had her imprisoned and murdered. Empress Suiko > Ruled over: Japan > Reign: 593-628 Suiko was the 33rd monarch and the first empress of Japan in recorded history. Before Suiko came to power, she had taken vows as a Buddhist nun, and during her reign Buddhism was officially recognized and promoted. During her 35 years in power, she helped to enact Japan’s first constitution, the Chinese calendar, and a new bureaucratic system. Empress Wu Zetian > Ruled over: China > Reign: 690-705 Prior to becoming Empress of China, Wu Zetian ruled the Tang dynasty from 665-690 as empress consort to her husband, Emperor Gaozong, and then as regent for her two sons. Upon her coronation she became the first female sovereign of China. During her reign, the Chinese empire expanded substantially and government support for Taoism, Buddhism, and education grew. 24/7 Wall St. 25 Longest Reigning Roman Emperors Olga of Kiev > Ruled over: Russia > Reign: 945-960 Olga of Kiev was queen regent of a tribal federation in Eastern Europe called Kievan Rus’ for 15 years until her son came of age. She is known for the cruel vengeance she took on the Drevlian tribe who murdered her husband, as well as her establishment of trade centers and centralized rule. Olga became the first Russian saint in the Eastern Orthodox church for her promotion of Christianity. Eleanor of Aquitaine > Ruled over: France > Reign: 1137-1204 Eleanor, the Duchess of Aquitaine in southwestern France for seven decades, was one of the most powerful women of her time. She became Queen of France after marrying Louis VII and then, after that union was annulled, Queen of England after marrying Henry II. Eleanor led military campaigns in the Second Crusade and is remembered as being a capable leader and a patron of the arts. Mary I > Ruled over: England > Reign: 1553-1558 The first female monarch of England, Mary Tudor is best known for her persecution of Protestants and other religious dissenters, as she attempted to reverse the effects of the English Reformation that her father, Henry VIII, had started. During her short reign, she had hundreds of people burned at the stake. Elizabeth I > Ruled over: England > Reign: 1558-1603 Half-sister to Mary I, Elizabeth I ruled England for nearly 45 years, during which she established the English Protestant Church while also refusing to persecute in the name of religion. She is known for maintaining peace in a previously divided England, as well as supporting arts and theatre, and for never marrying, despite having multiple suitors. Maria Theresa > Ruled over: Habsburg Empire > Reign: 1740-1780 The only female ruler of the Habsburg Empire, Maria Theresa of Austria fought hard to be accepted as ruler. She prevented her husband Francis — the Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria — from making political decisions, and instead strengthened her empire with the help of her advisers. She is remembered for improving Austria’s political standing by instituting financial, educational, and military reforms. ALSO READ: The Most Important Event in the Life of Queen Elizabeth in Every Year of Her Reign Catherine the Great > Ruled over: Russia > Reign: 1762-1796 Born a Prussian princess, Catherine became Empress of Russia during a coup that ousted her husband, Tsar Peter. She ruled for 34 years, during which time she quelled over a dozen uprisings; expanded and modernized Russia; drafted legal, judicial, and educational reforms; and founded a government-funded school for women. Isabella I > Ruled over: Kingdoms of Castile and Aragon > Reign: 1474-1504 Isabella assumed the throne of the Kingdom of Castile (incorporating León) in 1474. Five years later, when her husband (and second cousin) Ferdinand became King of Aragon, the two became joint rulers of the two kingdoms together — setting the stage for the formation of modern Spain. A staunch Roman Catholic, Isabella, with her husband, expelled both Jews and Muslims from Spain and initiated the Spanish Inquisition. Although she sponsored Christopher Columbus’s voyage to the Americas, she opposed slavery and insisted that the indigenous peoples be treated with dignity Queen Victoria > Ruled over: England > Reign: 1837-1901 Victoria became Queen of England at a time when the British empire was reaching its height. A conservative ruler with strong personal morals, Victoria is remembered for presiding over England during great cultural and industrial change, including the abolition of slavery in the British Empire and expansion of workers rights. Empress Dowager Cixi > Ruled over: China > Reign: 1861-1908 Although she was one of many concubines to the Xianfeng Emperor, Cixi was the only one who gave birth to a son. Upon the emperor’s death, she seized power as her son’s regent and effectively ruled China for the next 47 years, a time of great cultural upheaval. Cixi is remembered for stopping multiple rebellions and attempting to restore tradition and order to the Chinese government while allowing for military, diplomatic, and technological advancement. Sponsored: Attention Savvy Investors: Speak to 3 Financial Experts – FREE Ever wanted an extra set of eyes on an investment you’re considering? Now you can speak with up to 3 financial experts in your area for FREE. By simply clicking here you can begin to match with financial professionals who can help guide you through the financial decisions you’re making. And the best part? The first conversation with them is free. Click here to match with up to 3 financial pros who would be excited to help you make financial decisions. The post 16 Iconic Female Rulers Who Shaped Their Eras appeared first on 24/7 Wall St.......»»

What If the Constitution No Longer Applied? Freedom's Greatest Hour Of Danger Is Now Authored by John & Nisha Whitehead via The Rutherford Institute, “What if the rights and principles guaranteed in the Constitution have been so distorted in the past 200 years as to be unrecognizable by the Founders? What if the government was the reason we don’t have a Constitution anymore? What if freedom’s greatest hour of danger is now?” - Andrew P. Napolitano We are approaching critical mass, the point at which all hell breaks loose. The government is pushing us ever closer to a constitutional crisis. What makes the outlook so much bleaker is the utter ignorance of the American people - and those who represent them - about their freedoms, history, and how the government is supposed to operate. As Morris Berman points out in his book Dark Ages America, “70 percent of American adults cannot name their senators or congressmen; more than half don't know the actual number of senators, and nearly a quarter cannot name a single right guaranteed by the First Amendment. Sixty-three percent cannot name the three branches of government. Other studies reveal that uninformed or undecided voters often vote for the candidate whose name and packaging (e.g., logo) are the most powerful; color is apparently a major factor in their decision.” More than government corruption and ineptitude, police brutality, terrorism, gun violence, drugs, illegal immigration or any other so-called “danger” that threatens our nation, civic illiteracy may be what finally pushes us over the edge. As Thomas Jefferson warned, no nation can be both ignorant and free. Unfortunately, the American people have existed in a technology-laden, entertainment-fueled, perpetual state of cluelessness for so long that civic illiteracy has become the new normal for the citizenry. It’s telling that Americans were more able to identify Michael Jackson as the composer of a number of songs than to know that the Bill of Rights was the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution. In fact, most immigrants who aspire to become citizens know more about national civics than native-born Americans. Surveys indicate that a majority in every state but Vermont would fail a test of U.S. citizenship questions. Not even the government bureaucrats who are supposed to represent us know much about civics, American history and geography, or the Constitution although they take an oath to uphold, support and defend the Constitution against “enemies foreign and domestic.” For instance, a few year ago, a couple attempting to get a marriage license was forced to prove to a government official that New Mexico is, in fact, one of the 50 states and not a foreign country. You can’t make this stuff up. Here’s a classic example of how surreal the landscape has become. Every year, the White House issues a proclamation affirming the importance of the Bill of Rights. These proclamations pay lip service to the government’s commitment to upholding the Constitution and guarding against government abuses of power. Don’t believe it for a second. The government doesn’t want its abuses checked and its powers restricted. For that matter, this is not a government that holds the Constitution in high esteem. Indeed, we wouldn’t be in this sorry state if it weren’t for the damage inflicted in recent years on the freedoms enshrined in the Bill of Rights, which historically served as the bulwark from government abuse. In the so-called named of national security, the Constitution has been steadily chipped away at, undermined, eroded, whittled down, and generally discarded to such an extent that what we are left with is but a shadow of the robust document adopted more than two centuries ago. The Bill of Rights—462 words that represent the most potent and powerful rights ever guaranteed to a group of people officially—became part of the U.S. Constitution on December 15, 1791, because early Americans such as James Madison and Thomas Jefferson understood the need to guard against the government’s inclination to abuse its power. Yet the reality we must come to terms with is that in the America we live in today, the government does whatever it wants. Make no mistake: if our individual freedoms have been restricted, it is only so that the government’s powers could be expanded at our expense. The USA Patriot Act, passed in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, drove a stake through the heart of the Bill of Rights, violating at least six of the ten original amendments—the First, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Amendments—and possibly the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments, as well. The Patriot Act also redefined terrorism so broadly that many non-terrorist political activities such as protest marches, demonstrations and civil disobedience were considered potential terrorist acts, thereby rendering anyone desiring to engage in protected First Amendment expressive activities as suspects of the surveillance state. Since 9/11, we’ve been spied on by surveillance cameras, eavesdropped on by government agents, had our belongings searched, our phones tapped, our mail opened, our email monitored, our opinions questioned, our purchases scrutinized (under the USA Patriot Act, banks are required to analyze your transactions for any patterns that raise suspicion and to see if you are connected to any objectionable people), and our activities watched. We’ve also been subjected to invasive patdowns and whole-body scans of our persons and seizures of our electronic devices in the nation’s airports and at border crossings. We can’t even purchase certain cold medicine at the pharmacy anymore without it being reported to the government and our names being placed on a watch list. Government surveillance, militarized police, SWAT team raids, asset forfeiture, eminent domain, overcriminalization, armed surveillance drones, whole body scanners, stop and frisk searches (all sanctioned by Congress, the White House, the courts and the like), etc.: these are merely the weapons of the police state. The power of the police state is dependent on a populace that meekly obeys without question. Remember: when it comes to the staggering loss of civil liberties, the Constitution hasn’t changed. Rather, it is the American people who have changed. Those who gave us the Constitution and the Bill of Rights believed that the government exists at the behest of its citizens. The government’s purpose is to protect, defend and even enhance our freedoms, not violate them. It was no idle happenstance that the Constitution opens with these three powerful words: “We the people.” Those who founded this country knew quite well that every citizen must remain vigilant or freedom would be lost. As Thomas Paine recognized, “It is the responsibility of the patriot to protect his country from its government.” You have no rights unless you exercise them. Still, you can’t exercise your rights unless you know what those rights are. “If Americans do not understand the Constitution and the institutions and processes through which we are governed, we cannot rationally evaluate important legislation and the efforts of our elected officials, nor can we preserve the national unity necessary to meaningfully confront the multiple problems we face today,” warns the Brennan Center in its Civic Literacy Report Card. “Rather, every act of government will be measured only by its individual value or cost, without concern for its larger impact. More and more we will ‘want what we want, and [will be] convinced that the system that is stopping us is wrong, flawed, broken or outmoded.’” Education precedes action. As the Brennan Center concludes “America, unlike most of the world’s nations, is not a country defined by blood or belief. America is an idea, or a set of ideas, about freedom and opportunity. It is these ideas that bind us together as Americans and have kept us free, strong, and prosperous. But these ideas do not perpetuate themselves. They must be taught and learned anew with each generation.” If there is to be any hope for restoring our freedoms and reclaiming our runaway government, we will have to start by breathing life into those three powerful words that set the tone for everything that follows in the Constitution: “we the people.” People get the government they deserve. It’s up to us. We have the power to make and break the government. We the American people—the citizenry—are the arbiters and ultimate guardians of America’s welfare, defense, liberty, laws and prosperity. It’s time to stop waiting patiently for change to happen. We must act—and act responsibly. Get outraged, get off your duff and get out of your house, get in the streets, get in people’s faces, get down to your local city council, get over to your local school board, get your thoughts down on paper, get your objections plastered on protest signs, get your neighbors, friends and family to join their voices to yours, get your representatives to pay attention to your grievances, get your kids to know their rights, get your local police to march in lockstep with the Constitution, get your media to act as watchdogs for the people and not lapdogs for the corporate state, get your act together, and get your house in order. In other words, get moving.  A healthy, representative government is hard work. It takes a citizenry that is informed about the issues, educated about how the government operates, and willing to make the sacrifices necessary to stay involved, whether that means forgoing Monday night football in order to attend a city council meeting or risking arrest by picketing in front of a politician’s office. Whatever you do, please don’t hinge your freedoms on politics. The Constitution is neutral when it comes to politics. What the Constitution is not neutral about, however, is the government’s duty to safeguard the rights of the citizenry. “We the people” also have a duty that goes far beyond the act of voting: as I make clear in my book Battlefield America: The War on the American People and in its fictional counterpart The Erik Blair Diaries, it’s our job to keep freedom alive using every nonviolent means available to us. Know your rights. Exercise your rights. Defend your rights. If not, you will lose them. Freedom’s greatest hour of danger is now. Tyler Durden Tue, 11/21/2023 - 21:45.....»»

N-able, Inc. (NYSE:NABL) Q3 2023 Earnings Call Transcript November 13, 2023 N-able, Inc. reports earnings inline with expectations. Reported EPS is $0.09 EPS, expectations were $0.09. Operator: Hello, and welcome to the N-able Third Quarter 2023 Earnings Call. My name is Alex, and I will be coordinating the call today. [Operator Instructions]. I’d now hand […] N-able, Inc. (NYSE:NABL) Q3 2023 Earnings Call Transcript November 13, 2023 N-able, Inc. reports earnings inline with expectations. Reported EPS is $0.09 EPS, expectations were $0.09. Operator: Hello, and welcome to the N-able Third Quarter 2023 Earnings Call. My name is Alex, and I will be coordinating the call today. [Operator Instructions]. I’d now hand over to your host, Griffin Gyr, Investor Relations Manager. Please go ahead. Griffin Gyr: Thanks, operator and welcome everyone to N-able’s third quarter 2023 earnings call. With me today are John Pagliuca, N-able’s President and CEO; and Tim O’Brien, EVP and CFO. Following our prepared remarks, we will open the line for a question-and-answer session. This call is being simultaneously webcast on our Investor Relations website at investors.n-able.com. There, you can also find our earnings press release, which is intended to supplement our prepared remarks during today’s call. Certain statements made during this call are forward-looking statements, including those concerning our financial outlook, our market opportunities, and the impact of the global economic environment on our business. These statements are based on currently available information and assumptions, and we undertake no duty to update this information except as required by law. These statements are also subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including those highlighted in today’s earnings release and our filings with the SEC. Additional information concerning these statements and the risks and uncertainties associated with them is highlighted in today’s earnings release and in our filings with the SEC. Copies are available from the SEC or on our Investor Relations website. Furthermore, we will discuss various non-GAAP financial measures on today’s call. Unless otherwise specified, when we refer to financial measures, we will be referring to non-GAAP financial measures. A reconciliation of certain GAAP to non-GAAP financial measures discussed on today’s call is available in our earnings press release at our Investor Relations website. And now I will turn the call over to John. John Pagliuca: Thank you, Griffin. Welcome everyone and thank you for joining us today. As the age of the managed service provider advances the IT outsourcing market remains strong. There are a few key factors for this. IT is getting more complex and expensive as organizations look to realize the benefit of digital operations, modernize their legacy systems, and meet growing regulatory requirements. This trifecta of challenges distracts organizations from their core operations and can push them to outsource and augment their IT needs to MSPs. N-able was formed with this in mind. Our unwavering mission to empower MSPs with purpose built technology positions us favorably with the expanding small and medium enterprise IT ecosystem by helping partners meet these challenges head on. We believe our third quarter results highlight the strength of our market and cement our standings as a leading software provider to MSPs. Despite an uncertain macro environment, we exceeded top and bottom line guidance with revenue of $107.6 million, growing 15% year-over-year or 13% on constant currency basis. And adjusted EBITDA of $36.6 million representing an adjusted EBITDA margin of 34%, our highest margin ever as a standalone public company. And as Tim will elaborate, we were maintaining our full year 2023 constant currency revenue guide of 13% and raising the midpoint of our full year 2023 adjusted EBITDA guide from $136.3 million to $139.5 million. We accomplished all of this while laying the ground work for future success. Our team has advanced important strategic initiatives and we are particularly excited to announce that we are entering into a new product category, bringing N-able Managed Detection and Response to market this month. Our relentless determination to bring value to the MSP community requires adapting to fast changing technology needs through focused product innovation. With our approximately 25,000 MSPs ranging in size from sole proprietors to global publicly traded technology service providers, we believe we have a unique line of sight into the dynamic market landscape and I want to discuss three prominent trends influencing our product development, focus, and strategy. First, consolidation and modernization. Second, the movement up market. And third, increasing security standards. First, we see technology consolidation in modernization driving customer behavior. In an uncertain economic environment MSPs have an eye on operational efficiency and solutions with proven ROI. Our integrated platform and leading technology solutions align with MSP needs helping to reduce tool straw and unlock their growth. We believe our text suite of top tier RMM, data protection, and security solutions coupled with our multi tentative platform and external integrations strongly positions us to satisfy MSPs desires to consolidate and modernize their tech stack. A second trend is MSPs going up market. Large enterprises face many of the same IT challenges as SMBs and are increasingly turning to MSPs to augment or run their IT or security operations. We believe this means a larger, addressable market for both MSPs and N-able. And our product and go to market investments aim to enable MSPs to realize this opportunity. The scalability, automation and efficiency of our solutions appeal to upmarket focused MSPs and we continue to raise the bar to position N-able as a leader in this evolving market segment. A great byproduct of the MSP up market trend is the capabilities we develop to help win MSPs win up market, also better position our teams to land mid-size in large IT departments directly. While our core focus is our MSP partners, we continue to pursue direct IT sales opportunistically and are seeing positive momentum in this part of our business. Now turning to our third trend, increasing security standards. The significant business impact of a successful cyberattack has long placed security as a top IT priority. In addition to MSPs buying security solutions to protect from MSPs assets [ph] they also face growing global compliance requirements that serve as a tailwind to security demand. Here the message is clear, security is shifting from an option to a requirement. With our robust and recently expanded suite of security options spanning endpoint protection, mail protection, content filtering, and more we provide a layered security approach that is built to fulfill regulatory requirements and safeguard the modern digital enterprise. We made exciting progress in the last quarter to advance our product suite to capitalize on these trends and I want to share these updates and the encouraging market feedback we received. Starting with Cove, we have invested considerably in developing our technology to further Cove’s ability to scale into larger domains and help further Cove’s ability to scale into larger domains and help MSPs move up market. A third quarter deal involving the displacement of a known upmarket competitor and representing our largest initial Cove land ever at over 500,000 of ARR at scale speaks to our success here. Another excellent example of Cove’s market traction comes from a recent MSP customer with 11 legacy data protection solutions. Understanding the risks and headaches of a multi-vendor approach, they decided to consolidate on Cove. The MSP thoroughly evaluated each product and specifically commented on Cove’s strong technical performance, intuitive technician-friendly interface, and ability to meet data sovereignty requirements with Cove data centers located worldwide. With sophisticated attacks often going beyond an organization’s core network, and now targeting data storage copies, the distinction between data protection and security is increasingly blurry. Modern data protection solutions can’t just restore data, they must keep data safe, and Cove was built with this in mind. Because of our cloud-first approach, customers’ data copies are not exposed to a local network, which reduces the attack surface and gives our customers peace of mind. The market is responding to Cove’s innovation. Our 2023 new customer cohort is the best ever, and our Cove Microsoft 365 backup solution is now protecting over 1.8 million users growing at approximately 48% year-over-year. Cove is also receiving industry recognition and we are delighted to share that Canalys, a global technology research firm, recently named Cove a champion in their managed backup and recovery leadership matrix. On the RMM front, we remain laser focused on meeting MSPs where it’s messiest. We simplify the complexity of hybrid environments, users, and devices, going beyond the confines of traditional RMMs. This means delivering a modern, end-to-end, unified IT management platform. We made significant progress on this vision in the third quarter. We released a refreshed user interface, unveiling a new asset inventory view, which comes on the heels of the analytics feature and enhanced Apple management capabilities we released earlier this year. These advancements give technicians deeper insight into their IT environment and enable them to manage their IT stacks better. This can translate to tangible business impact. Our powerful capabilities bolster MSP’s ability to go upmarket and service large organizations with disparate operating systems while realizing the benefit of consolidation. Our approach is resonating with customers and we are seeing steady demand in this segment. Turning to security, we continue to advance our security suite and are particularly excited about our entry into managed detection and response. MDR is a unique marriage in the security industry, combining cutting edge technology with human oversight and expertise to give organizations advanced protection. This combination solves a deep pain point for our customers because threats are increasing, but organizations cannot manage those threats alone. Alert fatigue, staying ahead of the involving threat environment, and staffing challenges mean organizations need help. In a recent poll we conducted with thousands of our MSPs, they expressed a strong desire for MDR from N-able. Industry research firms also validate the MDR market, with Canalys recently stating that the cybersecurity services opportunity for partners will be larger than selling cybersecurity technology this year. MDR is much more than managed EDR, because MDR goes beyond the endpoint, providing broad security visibility and response across the customer’s entire IT ecosystem, including their users, cloud applications, and network. This is powerful. Adding MDR broadens our appeal as a one-stop shop for security solutions and services. And we have the backing of a strategic partner in this space, born from the front lines of national cyber defense with multi-tenanted cloud-native modern architecture. We believe this is a significant opportunity, and perhaps most telling. Since commercializing this technology, customer engagement has met our high expectations. In addition to delivering more solutions, we are focused on a superior customer experience. To this end, we recently enhanced our integration framework, improving functionality across our security offerings. This enhanced framework also expands our ecosystem breadth, facilitating faster time to market with vendors that want to expand their go-to-market reach through an enabled partnership. Across the security spectrum, from MDR to mail, security remains mission critical, and we are committed to helping propel our customer security journey forward. With these trends powering demand, we are investing and operating for the long-term and are focused on delivering great technology that positions N-able to advance the age of the MSP. Our operational efforts and strategic goals are all focused within the framework of our sell-to and sell-through business model. We refer to our MSP customers as partners as we leverage the reach of our approximately 25,000 MSPs to gain access and sell our solutions to over 500,000 small and medium-sized businesses. This partnership enables a multi-pronged growth algorithm which allows us to reach the SME at healthy profit margins. When we land an MSP, we grow. When an MSP lands a customer, we grow. And when an MSP customer adds an employee, we grow. And when we bring a new service to market, we unlock the potential to grow across that MSP and SME base. These elements of our model form the building blocks of our growth algorithm, which are MSP retention, cross-selling of new services to existing MSPs, MSP device growth, and lastly, N-able adding new MSPs. And I want to discuss operational updates in the third quarter regarding each of these components. Starting with N-able adding new MSPs, our new customer engine continues to be strong. While we’re only three quarters through the year, the 2023 customer cohort dollars are the best ever since we became a public company. We are reaching new customers who are choosing to partner with N-able. This success, despite an uncertain macro environment reflects the strength of our compelling value proposition and is a testament to the efforts of our go-to-market teams. Education leads to adoption, and the N-able — was out in force in the market, connecting with customers. In the third quarter alone, we hosted seven roadshows across North America, sponsored 11 global industry events, and hosted over 50 head nerd boot camps, reaching thousands of partners and prospects. In addition to helping land new MSPs, our efforts to educate our partners on the value of our offerings help drive their expansion. And we saw steady cross-sell in the quarter. With our solution set spanning RMM, data protection, and security, enabled MSPs have a low friction path to expansion. Our average revenue per partner is growing as customers buy more of our solution. And there’s steady penetration and uptake across our product set. We see a rich opportunity for further penetration with multi-billion dollar cross-sell potential in our existing base. While cross-sell and NCA are healthy, the uncertain macro environment is weighing on partner device growth and retention. We are seeing tighter IT budgets and slower device growth. We believe tighter budgets have led to rationalization and optimization of existing spend. That said, there are numerous bright spots in our operational effort to retain and expand customers. Our partner success organization scored their highest ever customer satisfaction score on technical support. We see continued demand for our N-able head nerds who are partner evangelists and subject matter experts. And as part of our ongoing mission to constantly improve every aspect of the customer experience, we launched a new partner success center, N-ableMe, and have already engaged with nearly 13,000 partners through the center. We invest in these elements of our business because we grow as our partners grow. With the MSPs acting as an extension of our sales force, we efficiently access SME IT spend, and our third quarter adjusted EBITDA margin was the highest in our public history, which serves as a strong testament to the effectiveness of our strategy. Great technology and superior operational execution are the lifeblood of our business, but our people and culture are the oxygen. One key focus area is our continued diversity, equality, and belonging journey. As one recent example, we hosted a global, cross-functional women leadership summit to help drive cultural transformation and execution excellence, and further develop our women leaders. We were also honored to be recognized by Comparably, a leading workplace, culture, and corporate brand reputation platform, with three awards in the quarter. With that, I would like to turn the call over to Tim to discuss our financial results and outlook, then I will circle back to some closing remarks. Tim? Tim O’Brien: Thank you, John and thank you all for joining us today. Our third quarter results were strong, exceeding guidance on both the top and bottom lines. Steady demand for our platform, solutions, and strong cost management highlighted by our highest ever adjusted EBITDA margin as a public company, helped drive our outperformance. Looking ahead, we believe our market remains durable, and while we are mindful of the macro environment, our business model, with multiple growth vectors and a clear strategic focus remains well-positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for MSPs. For our third quarter results, total revenue was $107.6 million, representing approximately 15% year-over-year growth or approximately 13% on a constant currency basis. Subscription revenue was $105.2 million, representing approximately 15% year-over-year growth or approximately 13% on a constant currency basis. Other revenue, which consists primarily of revenue from the sale of maintenance services associated with the historical sales of perpetual licenses and revenue from professional services was $2.4 million up approximately 2% year-over-year. We ended the quarter with 2,134 partners that contribute $50,000 or more of ARR, which is up approximately 19% year-over-year. Partners with over $50,000 of ARR now represent approximately 55% of our total ARR, up from approximately 50% a year ago. Looking at net retention for the third quarter, dollar-based net revenue retention, which is calculated on a trailing 12-month basis, was approximately 108% or 110% on a constant currency basis. Turning to profit and margins, note that unless otherwise stated, all references to profit measures and expenses are calculated on a non-GAAP basis and exclude the items outlined in the GAAP to non-GAAP reconciliations provided in today’s press release. Third quarter gross margin was 84.6% compared to 84.8% in the same period in 2022. Third quarter adjusted EBITDA was $36.6 million, up approximately 27% year-over-year, representing approximately 34% adjusted EBITDA margin. Unleveraged free cash flow was $30.2 million in the third quarter, and CAPEX, inclusive of $2 million of capitalized software development costs was $5.5 million, or 5.1% of revenue. Non-GAAP earnings per share was $0.09 in the quarter, based on 186 million weighted average diluted shares. We ended the quarter with approximately $127 million of cash and an outstanding loan principal balance of approximately $343 million, representing net leverage of approximately 1.6 times. Approximately 46% of our revenue was outside of North America in the quarter. Turning to our financial outlook, as John discussed, we see tailwinds in our market and believe in the long-term opportunity for N-able. As we look to the near term, we see macro uncertainty creating caution in SME IT budgets, with organizations seeking to optimize spend in a tighter budgetary environment, which we have reflected in our guidance. And while our R&D engine continues to bring critical, robust solutions to MSPs, our growth expectations are reflective of the time to market for these new products which we continue to work to accelerate. With that in mind, for the fourth quarter of 2023 we expect total revenue in the range of $106.5 million to $107 million representing approximately 11% to 12% year-over-year growth, or approximately 10% to 11% on a constant currency basis. We expect fourth quarter adjusted EBITDA in the range of $35 million to $35.5 million, representing an adjusted EBITDA margin of approximately 33%. For the full year 2023, we now expect total revenue of $420 million to $420.5 million, maintaining the midpoint of our prior full-year guidance, representing approximately 13% year-over-year growth on both a reported and constant currency basis. We are raising our adjusted EBITDA outlook, and now expect full year adjusted EBITDA of $139.2 million to $139.7 million, up approximately 22% year-over-year at the midpoint, and representing an approximately 33% adjusted EBITDA margin. There have been changes to the foreign exchange environment since our last outlook and I want to take a moment to reconcile the impact of these changes on our guidance. In our previous call, we assumed FX rates for the Euro and Pound of 1.07 and 1.25, respectively. Using updated FX rates for the remainder of the year of 1.05 for the Euro, and 1.22 for the Pound, and updating other currencies to reflect the current rate environment translate to a negative impact on revenue of approximately $1.1 million for the fourth quarter. We believe our ability to maintain the midpoint of our full year 2023 revenue guidance and raise full year 2023 adjusted EBITDA guidance despite these FX headwinds, speaks to our operational strength. We reiterate that we expect CAPEX, which includes capitalized software development costs of approximately $8.5 million will be approximately 6% of total revenue for 2023. We also expect adjusted EBITDA conversion to unlevered free cash flow to be approximately 65% for the full year. We expect total weighted average diluted shares outstanding of approximately 187 million for the fourth quarter and 186 million for the full year. Finally, we expect our non GAAP tax rate to be approximately 23% in the fourth quarter, and 25% for the full year. In closing, we are pleased with our strong third quarter. Looking forward while we are mindful of the macro uncertainty, we believe we are uniquely positioned to benefit from the robust long-term addressable market opportunity. We have a proven track record of execution. Our customer base is diversified by region and industry and the IT management, security and data protection solutions we provide are high IT priorities. The addition of our new MDR offering adds another gear to the business model. With our strong adjusted EBITDA margins, free cash flow, and balance sheet, we have considerable capital allocation flexibility to invest strategically to meet the needs of our market. Now, I will turn it over to John for closing remarks. A – John Pagliuca: Thanks, Tim. We scaled our business to new heights in the third quarter, and made progress on critical strategic initiatives. As we march forward on our quest to advance the age of the MSP, our vision is clear and we believe the opportunity is vast. The SME IT ecosystem we serve is large and growing and our differentiated model, which efficiently cracks the code to the trillion dollar plus SME IP market by providing enterprise grade technology to MSPs delivers both growth and profit. With our clear strategy, and appealing market opportunity providing direction and energy to over 1500 plus N-ableites, our sharp focus is on driving operational excellence and continuing to deliver great technology to MSPs. And with that, we will open up the line for questions. Operator. See also Worried About Deficit Stan Druckenmiller Is Still Very Bullish On These Stocks and 11 Cheap Solar Stocks To Buy According To Analysts. Q&A Session Follow N-Able Inc. Follow N-Able Inc. We may use your email to send marketing emails about our services. Click here to read our privacy policy. Operator: Thank you. [Operator Instructions]. Our first question for today comes from Mike Cikos of Needham. Your line is now open. Please go ahead. Mike Cikos: Hey team, thanks for taking the questions here. Great to see the revenue beat here and then the maintenance of that revenue guide as well as the EBITDA, the beaten race for the full year that we’re seeing here despite some of those FX headwinds that I know that Tim had addressed earlier. I think there’s probably two different angles but both of these questions are kind of getting at the new customer engine that we’re talking to and John, appreciate the comments as well, as far as that growth algorithm. The first question is really tied to the macro. And I know that you guys are saying, hey, the calendar 2023 customer cohort is a choice cohort from a dollar perspective when thinking about those new customers for the company as a publicly traded company since a spin. I guess in the context of macro, can you help us think about — I know you guys are saying that it’s potentially a more cautionary environment, is that cautionary comments demonstrating even on a quarter-to-quarter basis that things might be more difficult versus where we were 90 days ago? That’s the first question. I do have a follow up beyond the macro. John Pagliuca: Thanks, Mike and appreciate you following the stock, I’m looking forward to talking to you and your team a little more tomorrow. So on the quarter-on-quarter comment, look we purposely wanted to spell out the growth algorithm just to remind folks that we have this multifaceted approach. As you mentioned, the NCA part of the algorithm was quite strong, it was quite strong in Q3, even compared to Q2. There’s really no major difference in the macro environment that we’re necessarily seeing from Q2 to Q3, like quarter-over-quarter performance. I would say it’s more Mike of like a little bit of a continuation of the same where we’re seeing MSPs looking to hit their targets, both their top line and their bottom line targets and the way that they’re achieving that is more through cross sell of additional services, rather than adding SMEs. And so that’s where we’re seeing a little bit of that moderated device ads coming up. And so I’d say it’s a continuation of really the moderated device ad, and a little bit more of a focus on where they’re spending their money as it relates to licenses, licensing costs, across their broader portfolio. Mike Cikos: Got it and thank you for the color there. And then the second question, this one comes back to the new customers, but through the lens of almost competition here. And so I just wanted to see, is there any change on the competitive front, obviously, we are some quarters removed from the Data [ph] acquisition, is there any benefit coming to N-able through that? And then the secondary pieces, obviously, you guys are talking about the MDR offering and what that does for N-able, but I have to imagine in some sense that that elevates you guys at a competitive level. So any feedback that you guys are receiving since the MDR, I know you had some bullish comments in the prepared remarks, but just wanted to see if I can get any incremental color on those two pieces? Thank you. John Pagliuca: Yeah, on the NCA, I’d say we continue to see a strong uptick in our core data protection offering. So when we spun the business out a couple of years back, we looked at Cove and data protection as a category, there is tremendous opportunity; one, from the category and what we’re seeing as the demand from the MSP base, but two, we have a differentiated offering from a technology and from a TCO, total cost of ownership. So we decided a couple of years back to invest in the new brand, bring back up to the front, as we called it internally, and really started pushing the COVID initiative and suite as more of an NCA, new customer offering as opposed to just a cross sell offering. And really, we’re starting to see the fruit of all that hard work from our go to market teams and the brand and our product leadership continuing to differentiate that offering. So overall, across the geos I would say we’re pretty consistent. But if I had to point to one headline, or bright spot, it’s really that Cove’s data protection offering having success in new customers. On the MDR front, yeah, we are bullish. This is an offering that we’ve been studying in the market, that we’ve been studying for quite some time and wanted to make sure that we found an offering that could, by itself, differentiate N-able compared to all the competitive landscape. And we think this will help Mike, both on our cross sell. As you know, we have a large security offering and so MSPs look to N-able, and they trust N-able with the security offerings. So we expect them to continue to trust N-able with the MDR offering. But also this will help us with NCA, new customer acquisition. And even some of our early conversations with some of the MSPs in the market, if they’re not in the market for data protection offering or an RMM offering we’re having now a conversation with them on MDR. And so we’re quite excited as to what this offering brings both in terms of cross sell, but also new customer acquisition. So look for further updates as we get into 2024 there. Mike Cikos: That’s great to hear. Thank you. Operator: Thank you. Our next question comes from Jason Ader of William Blair. Your line is now open. Please go ahead. Jason Ader: Yeah, thank you. Good morning, guys. I just wanted to ask about the RMM business drill down on that a little bit. Just for modeling purposes, can you just remind us what you’ve said publicly about how big RMM is as percentage of your revenue?.....»»

In this article, we discuss billionaire John Paulson’s Messy divorce and top stock picks. If you want to see more stocks in this selection, check out Billionaire John Paulson’s Messy Divorce and Top 5 Stock Picks. Born to immigrant parents, John Alfred Paulson is one of Wall Street’s most revered hedge fund managers and one of […] In this article, we discuss billionaire John Paulson’s Messy divorce and top stock picks. If you want to see more stocks in this selection, check out Billionaire John Paulson’s Messy Divorce and Top 5 Stock Picks. Born to immigrant parents, John Alfred Paulson is one of Wall Street’s most revered hedge fund managers and one of the most followed voices. He rose to fame at the height of the 2008 financial crisis, making $4 billion by shorting the housing market. Paulson & Co, a hedge fund he founded in 1994, generated about $15 billion for investors even as turmoil rocked the markets. The hedge fund manager became widely recognized for identifying overvalued assets and taking positions that would benefit from a decline in value. As part of the strategy, the legendary investor has always emphasized conducting in-depth research to identify promising investment opportunities. The strategy entails going through financial statements and analyzing fundamentals and macro trends. Consequently, investors have always sought billionaire John Paulson’s top stock picks. Paulson’s impressive returns at the height of the financial crisis did not come as a surprise, having accrued significant experience and understanding after years on Wall Street. The Finance degree holder from the New York University College of Business and Public Administration acquired an MBA from the Harvard Business School in 1980, which paved the way for him to take up a job at Boston Consulting Group Odyssey Partners and Bear Sterns. His star in the investment world would align after founding Paulson Co in 1994 with $2 million and one employee. As the financial crisis ended in 2011, the hedge fund had about $38 billion in assets under management, affirming Paulson’s success as a hedge fund manager. Nevertheless, by 2018, the hedge fund’s holdings had declined significantly to just $9 billion in assets. The massive sell-off came as the overall hedge fund industry came under immense pressure and lost ground amid severe losses. Paulson Co’s reputation had also been tarnished over the decade amid poor returns on hedging returns that could not keep up with the unhedged returns of the market indices. After an illustrious career, Paulson announced at the end of 2020 that this hedge fund would no longer accept outside money. The hedge fund was converted into a family office. Amid the success in the equity markets, Paulson fell into the category of hedge fund managers embroiled in a fierce divorce standoff. In 2022, the legendary investor made his intention to marry his 34-year-old girlfriend clear after moving her into his Fifth Avenue apartment. The billionaire investor told friends he wanted to have a baby with the nutrition influencer Alina de Almeida, who was almost half his age. The rumors came to light amid an ugly divorce from Jenny Paulson, having been married for 20 years and sharing two daughters. The soon-to-be ex-wife rejected a multibillion-dollar settlement from the hedge fund magnate, deciding to take the divorce to court. Nevertheless, Paulson is not the first and won’t be the last hedge fund manager embroiled in a fierce divorce settlement. Billionaire hedge fund manager Israel Englander, who co-founded Millennium Management, was forced to settle for over $1 billion as his wife of more than 40 years left him for a woman. The wife filed for divorce, alleging that the billionaire investor worth over $10 billion had become enraged after she fell in love with a Swiss gallerist. David Einhorn’s performance in the market was never affected as he separated from his wife of 24 years, Cheryl Strauss, in 2017. The Greenlight Capital hedge fund founder has become a successful long/short equity hedge fund manager. Ken Griffin, the brains behind Citadel Investment Group, another high-profile hedge fund, found himself in a fierce standoff with his ex-wife Anne Dias Griffin after filing for divorce. The ex-wife demanded $1 million in monthly expenses, including $160,000 for hotels and $2,000 for stationery, as part of a divorce settlement in 2015. The divorce battle came after Griffin had built a $24 billion hedge fund empire. Studies have shown that divorce issues can significantly affect fund managers’ performance. Likewise, divorce issues have always been a red flag for savvy investors investing in hedge funds. Hedge fund manager Paul Tudor is one of the high-profile portfolio managers to reiterate that he always withdraws money from a fund when a manager’s marriage break up. “You can automatically subtract 10% to 20% from any manager when he is going through a divorce,” Tudor said at a conference in 2013. It has also emerged that marriages tend to be more detrimental to older managers who frequently use a trading strategy. Performance among those above the median age of 49 tends to fall 14.3% when hit with marriage issues. On the other hand, young managers are barely affected. Nevertheless, the likes of Ken Griffin, David Einhorn, and John Paulson have not been affected by marital strife. The duo has continued to perform, depicted by the solid returns of their hedge funds. Bill Ackman, John Burbank, and David Tepper are other high-profile hedge fund managers embroiled in divorce issues and have continued to deliver stellar returns for investors. Our Methodology Paulson has joined an exclusive club of hedge fund managers, including Carl Icahn, George Soros, and Stanley Druckenmiller, who have quit managing money for external customers. By releasing himself from the demands of sending quarterly client letters and explaining complex positions to clients, Paulson is now solely focused on managing his money and growing his wealth. While the billionaire investor has also been embroiled in a fierce divorce settlement, he has not shown any signs of going slow on investing. The legendary investor is active and has diversified his holdings into various sectors, from healthcare to basic metals and financial services. Likewise, he is always looked upon as investors seek insight into market movements and emerging opportunities. Similarly, we have picked billionaire John Paulson’s top stock picks as of the end of the second quarter of 2023. The stocks represent more than 80% of Paulson & Co’s portfolio. We have ranked the stocks in ascending order of the hedge fund’s stakes in them. We also got the scoop on what 910 hedge funds in our database had to say about each stock by the end of Q2 2023. Billionaire John Paulson’s Messy Divorce and Top Stock Picks 10. SSR Mining Inc. (NASDAQ:SSRM)  Paulson & Co Q2 2023 Investment: $28.36 Million   Percentage of Paulson &Co as of Q2 2023: 2.76%   Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 18 SSR Mining Inc. (NASDAQ:SSRM) sums up billionaire John Paulson’s top stock pick and one of his hedge fund’s most significant holdings in the mining sector. The company acquires, develops, and operates precious metal resource properties in Turkey and America. The company has made a name for itself in exploring gold, silver, copper, lead, and zinc deposits. Over the last ten years, SSR Mining Inc. (NASDAQ:SSRM) has returned 154% to investors, affirming why it is one of billionaire John Paulson’s top stock picks. Since the legendary investor acquired stakes in the company in 2019, they have registered a 108% gain. While the stock is down from its all-time highs, Paulson & Co. has still generated significant returns, For instance, SSR Mining Inc. (NASDAQ:SSRM) has returned $74 million to shareholders through dividends and a share buyback program. Likewise, it is on track to return over $100 million for a third consecutive year. Of the 910 hedge funds in Insider Monkey’s database, 18 reported having stakes in SSR Mining Inc. (NASDAQ:SSRM). 9. Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (NYSE:AEM) Paulson & Co Q2 2023 Investment: $39.16 Million   Percentage of Paulson &Co as of Q2 2023: 3.82%   Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 42 Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (NYSE:AEM) is another company that seeks to strengthen Paulson & Co.’s prospects in the mining sector. The gold mining company explores, develops, and produces precious metals in low-risk jurisdictions. It boasts flagship projects in Canada, Australia, Finland, Mexico, and the US. It has emerged as billionaire John Paulson’s top stock pick even as it increases clout in the gold mining industry through aggressive acquisitions and booking huge profits. While Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (NYSE:AEM) used to operate a single mine in 2008, it has more than 12 operational projects, including the acquisition of Canadian Malartic from Yamana Gold. Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (NYSE:AEM) is on course to increase its annual production from 3.1 million ounces of gold in 2022 to 3.44 million ounces at the year’s end. The mining stock is one of the oldest in Paulson & Co.’s portfolio, with the first investment made in 2011. According to Insider Monkey’s database of 910 hedge funds, Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (NYSE:AEM) had 42 hedge funds backing it by the end of the June quarter. The lion’s share of Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (NYSE:AEM) was held by First Eagle Investment Management, which had a $313 million stake in the company. 8. Thryv Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:THRY)  Paulson & Co Q2 2023 Investment: $49.20 Million   Percentage of Paulson &Co as of Q2 2023: 4.8%   Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 18 Thryv Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:THRY) is a communication services company that offers digital marketing solutions and cloud-based tools to small and medium-sized businesses. The company provides print and digital solutions, including print Yellow Pages search engine market and other digital media solutions. Thryv Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:THRY) emerged as billionaire John Paulson’s top stock pick at the height of the pandemic as digital marketing was in high demand. At one point, the stock rallied by more than 300%, generating significant returns for the legendary investor. While the stock has pulled significantly from its 52-week high, the hedge fund still generates substantial returns. The stock currently accounts for 4.8% of Paulson & Co.’s portfolio. A total of 18 hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey had reported owning stakes in Thryv Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:THRY) as of the end of the second quarter of 2023. 7. Horizon Therapeutics Public Limited Company (NASDAQ:HZNP) Paulson & Co Q2 2023 Investment: $51.43 Million   Percentage of Paulson &Co as of Q2 2023: 5.02%   Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 85 Headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, Horizon Therapeutics Public Limited Company (NASDAQ:HZNP) is a biotechnology company that discovers, develops, and commercializes medicines for addressing critical needs impacted by autoimmune and severe inflammatory diseases. It is one of billionaire John Paulson’s top stock picks in the healthcare sector as it boasts a portfolio of 12 medicines touching on rare diseases, gout, ophthalmology, and inflammation. Horizon Therapeutics Public Limited Company (NASDAQ:HZNP) has become one of Paulson’s best investments since first acquiring stakes in 2019. The share price has exploded from $25 a share to a high of $116. The stock has nearly doubled in value over the past year as it closes in on a $27.8B deal to merge with Amgen. After the takeover, Paulson & Co. owns stakes worth $51 million, accounting for 5.02% of its portfolio. During Q2 2023, 85 hedge funds out of the 910 that are part of Insider Monkey’s database were Horizon Therapeutics Public Limited Company (NASDAQ:HZNP)’s investors. Matthew Halbower’s Pentwater Capital Management is the largest investor among these since it owns a $1.31 billion stake. 6. AngloGold Ashanti Limited (NYSE:AU) Paulson & Co Q2 2023 Investment: $80.85 Million   Percentage of Paulson &Co as of Q2 2023: 7.89%   Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 16 AngloGold Ashanti Limited (NYSE:AU) is a basic materials company that operates as a gold mining company in America, Africa, and Australia. The company’s flagship project is Geita project at the Geita project in the Lake Victoria goldfields of Mwanza, Tanzania. It also operates mines in Ghana, Brazil, the US, and Australia. AngloGold Ashanti Limited (NYSE:AU) has emerged as billionaire John Paulson’s top stock pick since 2010. Over the past, the hedge fund has bought and sold shares as one of the ways of gaining exposure and locking in profit. As of the end of the second quarter, the stock accounted for 7.89% of the hedge funds portfolio. Insider Monkey sifted through 910 hedge funds and found out that 16 of them had stakes in AngloGold Ashanti Limited (NYSE:AU) by the end of the June quarter. Howard Marks’ Oaktree Capital Management was the top gun among the investors, which paid $99.7 million for a piece of the pie. Click to continue reading and see Billionaire John Paulson’s Messy Divorce and Top 5 Stock Picks. Suggested articles: Bill Gates’ Investment Company’s 10 Newest Stock Picks 15 Worst Performing Dow Stocks YTD Retirement Stock Portfolio: 10 Low Risk Investments Disclosure: None. Billionaire John Paulson’s Messy Divorce and Top Stock Picks is originally published on Insider Monkey......»»

Unitil Corporation (NYSE:UTL) Q3 2023 Earnings Call Transcript November 11, 2023 Todd Diggins: Good morning, and thank you for joining us to discuss Unitil Corporation’s Third Quarter 2023 Financial Results. Speaking on the call today will be Tom Meissner, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer; and Dan Hurstak, Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer. […] Unitil Corporation (NYSE:UTL) Q3 2023 Earnings Call Transcript November 11, 2023 Todd Diggins: Good morning, and thank you for joining us to discuss Unitil Corporation’s Third Quarter 2023 Financial Results. Speaking on the call today will be Tom Meissner, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer; and Dan Hurstak, Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer. Also with us today is Bob Hevert, President and Chief Administrative Officer. I’m Todd Diggins, Chief Accounting Officer. We will discuss financial and other information on this call. As we mentioned in the press release announcing today’s call, we have posted information, including a presentation, to the Investors section of our website at unitil.com. We will refer to that information during this call. Moving to Slide 2, the comments made today about future operating results or events are forward-looking statements under the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements inherently involve risks and uncertainties that can cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted. Statements made on this call should be considered together with cautionary statements and other information contained in our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and other documents we have filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements speak only as of today, and we assume no obligation to update them. This presentation contains non-GAAP financial measures. The accompanying supplemental information more fully describes these non-GAAP financial measures and includes a reconciliation to the nearest GAAP financial measures. The company believes these non-GAAP financial measures are useful in evaluating its performance. With that, I will now turn the call over to Chairman and CEO, Tom Meissner. Tom Meissner: Great. Thanks, Todd, and good morning, everyone. Thanks for joining us today. Before I begin, I’d like to start by acknowledging the tragic events that recently took place in Lewiston, Maine. Lewiston is an area that we serve, and we are absolutely heartbroken for those lost and injured as well as their friends and family and for the larger Lewiston community. We’re going to support the community in any way we can, and we recently made $100,000 donation to the Lewiston-Auburn Area Response Fund that will directly help those effective. The company will also match any employee contributions to this fund. We recognize that our assistance is only a small step toward helping Lewiston begin to recover from this senseless tragedy. Once again, our hearts go out to those affected by this terrible incident. We continue to look to help the community rebuild in any way we can. With that, let’s move on to Slide 4, where I’ll begin today’s discussion. We continued our strong year-to-date performance, and, today, announced net income of $1.4 million or $0.09 per share for the third quarter of 2023. Through the first 9 months of the year, net income was $29.7 million or $1.85 per share, representing an increase of $0.17 per share or approximately 10% over the same period in 2022. Earnings growth was achieved through successful execution of our regulatory agenda and a steady focus on cost control. Decoupled rate structures, which now apply to the majority of our customers, provided expected revenue stability through the first 9 months of the year. Our disciplined approach to cost management has resulted in operation and maintenance expenses that have increased less than 1% compared to the same 9 months of 2022, a noteworthy accomplishment considering the current inflationary environment. As we will discuss in greater detail later on the call, we remain heavily engaged in our regulatory agenda with base rate case proceedings currently underway for our Fitchburg electric and gas divisions and a successful settlement recently approved for our Northern Utilities Maine division. This settlement is another testament to the positive relationships we have with our regulators as it took less than 5 months from the filing date to reach a settlement that was approved by the Maine Public Utilities Commission. Our financial and operational performance remains strong and reinforces our investor value proposition of low-risk sustainable growth, including our long-term earnings guidance of 5% to 7%. Turning now to Slide 5. I’m pleased to announce that our 2023 corporate sustainability report is now available at unitil.com. As we have previously noted, sustainability is central to our strategies, and we recognize the opportunities and challenges inherent in the clean energy transition. This report provides an update on our progress as we work to achieve a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2050. I invite you to read through this report on our website to learn more about our commitment to sustainability. Maintaining and attracting a talented and diverse workforce is critical to our success. And for the second consecutive year, we have been recognized as 1 of the best companies to work for in New Hampshire by Business New Hampshire Magazine. This is a great achievement that we should acknowledge, but 1 that we cannot take for granted. Being an employer of choice in our region is more important than ever. We will continue to embrace diversity in employee well-being. With that, I will now pass it over to Dan, who will provide greater detail on the quarterly and year-to-date results. Dan Hurstak: Thank you, Tom. Good morning, everyone. I’ll begin on Slide 6. As Tom mentioned, we announced third quarter earnings per share of $0.09. For the first 9 months of the year, net income increased $2.8 million, or $0.17 per share, compared to the same period in 2022. This growth is the result of higher sales margins, partially offset by higher operating expenses and higher interest expense. Through the first 9 months of 2023, our decoupled rate structures in Massachusetts and New Hampshire have provided expected revenue stability and supported earnings by approximately $0.34 per share. We anticipate full year 2023 earnings will exceed the high end of our guidance range of 7% relative to earnings per share of $2.59 in 2022, due in part to the recent Maine rate case settlement. Turning to Slide 7. I will discuss our electric and gas adjusted gross margins. Starting with electric operations, electric adjusted gross margin was $80.1 million for the 9 months ended September 30, 2023, an increase of $3.5 million compared to the corresponding period in 2022. This increase in electric margin primarily reflects higher distribution rates and customer growth. Electric unit sales were down for both residential and commercial and industrial classes as a result of warmer-than-normal winter weather and lower average usage, partially offset by customer growth. The company’s electric distribution revenues are substantially decoupled, which eliminates the dependency of distribution revenue on the volume of electricity sales. Through the first 9 months of 2023, we estimate revenue decoupling supported electric margin by $0.14. As we mentioned during the last call, year-over-year electric meter growth was slightly lower due to a mass meter conversion that effectively replaced approximately 200 residential meters with a few commercial meters. This conversion was included in the Unitil Energy Systems rate case settlement and had no effect on distribution revenue. We serve many seasonal electric customers that discontinue service ahead of the colder winter months. And in 2023, we saw more of these seasonal customers turn off service in September than in prior years. We expect that the timing of seasonal customers turning off service, which does not have a significant effect on revenue, is reducing our year-over-year customer growth, and we expect the effect of the timing of seasonal customer shutoffs to normalize during the fourth quarter. We continue to expect future electric customer growth to be consistent with historical annual growth trend of approximately 0.5%. Moving to gas operations. Gas adjusted gross margin was $106.4 million for the 9 months ended September 30, 2023, an increase of $5.8 million compared to the same period in 2022. This increase in gas margin reflects higher rates in customer growth, partially offset by the unfavorable effects of warmer winter weather in Maine. Based on weather data collected in the company’s gas service areas, on average, there were approximately 9% fewer effective degree days in the first 9 months of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022. In Maine, our only non-decoupled service area, weather-normalized sales increased 3% in the first 9 months of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022. We added approximately 800 gas customers compared to the same period in 2022. Through the first 9 months of 2023, we estimate that revenue decoupling supported gas margin by approximately $0.20 per share. Moving to Slide 8. We provide an earnings bridge comparing year-to-date 2023 results to 2022. For the first 9 months of 2023, adjusted gross margin increase that combines $9.3 million, primarily as a result of higher distribution rates and customer growth, partially offset by warmer winter weather. As a reminder, the results for the 9 months ended September 30, 2022, included the recognition of recoupment amounts related to the company’s New Hampshire electric and gas rate case orders, which positively affected margin in 2022. Recoupment is a regulatory treatment in which permanent rate case awards are reconciled back to the effective date of the temporary rate award. Operating and maintenance expenses increased $0.5 million, largely due to higher operating costs, which are partially offset by lower labor costs. The lower labor costs primarily reflect lower retirement benefit service costs and lower restricted stock compensation expense. Depreciation and amortization increased by $3.2 million, reflecting higher levels of utility plant in service and higher amortization of rate case and other deferred costs. Taxes other than income taxes increased by $1.2 million due to higher property taxes on higher utility plant in service and higher payroll taxes. Interest expense increased $2 million, reflecting higher interest expense on short-term borrowings, partially offset by lower interest expense on long-term debt and higher interest income on regulatory assets. Other expense decreased by $2 million, largely due to lower retirement benefit costs. And lastly, income taxes increased $1.6 million, reflecting higher pretax earnings in 2023, as well as higher flowback of excess accumulated deferred income taxes in the first half of 2022 as a result of the company’s New Hampshire electric and gas rate case orders. Moving to Slide 9. The Maine Public Utilities Commission approved a comprehensive settlement in our gas base rate case proceeding in late September and new rates took effect on October 1. The settlement was based on a forecasted test year, which should reduce earnings attrition and provide a higher likelihood that the company will earn its authorized return on equity. The approved revenue increase is approximately $7.6 million with an equity layer of 52% and a return equity of 9.35%. The company’s accelerated cost recovery mechanism for infrastructure replacement remains in place with our next distribution rate increase expected to take effect in May 2024. We consider this a successful outcome that results in just and reasonable rates, is beneficial to all stakeholders and highlights the positive relationship we have with our regulators. Turning to Slide 10. Base rate case filings for the Fitchburg electric and gas divisions were submitted on August 17, with requested increases of approximately $6.8 million for the electric division and $10.9 million for the gas division. These requested revenue increase amounts include the transfer to base rates of certain revenues that are currently collected through capital investment recovery mechanisms. These filings include a requested equity layer of 52.26% and a return on equity of 10.5% for the electric division and 10.75% for the gas division. These rate cases include proposals for multiyear performance-based ratemaking structures, with annual inflation-based adjustments, which are aligned with department precedent, promoting regulatory efficiency and bill stability. The performance-based ratemaking proposal for the electric division includes a capital investment recovery mechanism, which would provide revenue to address the portion of the revenue requirement for capital investments not recovered through the inflation adjustment. For the gas division, the company’s current cost recovery mechanism for infrastructure replacement, the gas system enhancement program remains in place. Public hearings are scheduled for November 9 and November 29, and we look forward to working with all stakeholders throughout this proceeding. We will provide additional updates on these proceedings during our next earnings call. Turning to Slide 11. Our investment outlook remains strong, and capital spending has increased by over $12 million in 2023 as compared to 2022. The 2023 capital spending level is consistent with our capital investment plan. Over the past 3 years, our rate base growth has been approximately 7.4%, near the midpoint of our long-run rate base growth guidance of 6.5% to 8.5%. I also want to mention that the Kingston Solar Project is progressing well, and we expect to begin site work this winter. In Massachusetts, we recently submitted our draft, Electric Sector Modernization Plan, which addresses the Commonwealth pathway to decarbonization, and includes investments that we believe need to be made to support the Commonwealth’s goals. This plan includes significant investments that are not currently reflected in our capital investment plan. And if approved, we expect this incremental capital spending would positively affect rate base growth. The draft plan is currently under review, and our final plan will be submitted early next year. Moving to Slide 12. Our balance sheet remains strong, and our credit metrics continue to support our investment-grade credit ratings. In July, we issued $25 million of senior unsecured notes at Fitchburg Gas and Electric, which was used to refinance short-term borrowings and for other general corporate purposes. Our capital structure is balanced and cash flow from operations continues to fund the majority of our investment plan. We have no floating rate long-term debt, and we also do not have any significant long-term debt maturities until 2026. We will provide an update to our investment and financing plan during our year-end earnings call. I will now turn the call back over to Tom. Tom Meissner: Great. Thank you, Dan. I will be ending on Slide 13. Through the first 9 months of this year, we have, once again, highlighted how Unitil delivers — continues to deliver on its commitments. We maintain our status as a premium utility. We continue to provide long-term earnings growth in line with peers, while paired with a lower-risk profile. We are a fully-regulated company that is well diversified as a combination utility operating in 4 regulatory jurisdictions and with decoupled rate structures for a majority of our customers. Our service areas not only offer strong economic growth, but lower risk as the areas we serve have fewer severe weather events than most areas of the country. Our distinct growth prospects are stronger than ever, and we believe we will continue to deliver solid and sustainable value for all stakeholders for many years to come. We welcome the challenges and opportunities ahead as we play a key role in the clean energy transition. We look forward to providing additional updates on our progress and strategies during our year-end earnings call. With that, I’ll turn it back over to Todd. Todd Diggins: Thanks, Tom. That wraps up the material for this call. Thank you for attending. I will now turn the call over to the operator who will coordinate questions. See also 20 Truly Extraordinary Whiskeys Under $75 and 25 Cheapest and Safest Places to Live in The World. Q&A Session Follow Unitil Corp (NYSE:UTL) Follow Unitil Corp (NYSE:UTL) We may use your email to send marketing emails about our services. Click here to read our privacy policy. Operator: [Operator Instructions] Our first question comes from the line of Shar Pourreza of Guggenheim Partners. Shar Pourreza: I guess the first thing is, how should we sort of think about the right base to use going forward for the 5% to 7% to go off of, right? So should we be growing 5% to 7% off the higher ’23 base, which is now north of 7%? I guess, how do we sort of think about it in light of the strong results this quarter — this year? Dan Hurstak: Shar, it’s a good question. When we look at the 5% to 7% growth rate, the way that we think about the base year is 2022. Shar Pourreza: Got it. Okay. That answers that. And then just on the 5% to 7%, which you just obviously reiterated, could we just get a sense around what you’re assuming in plan as we’re thinking about earned returns? So are you assuming lag is diminished through the trajectory as well as what are you currently assuming around equity needs as we think about the profile and shape of that 5% to 7%? Dan Hurstak: Sure. So I guess, Shar, I’ll start with the second question first. On equity needs, we have the financing wheel that’s presented in the presentation that looks out over the 5-year plan. And so as we think about funding the capital investment plan over that time, that’s the percentage of equity that we would need. And we’ll do that as we can over that 5-year period. And I forgot the first part of the question. Shar Pourreza: Just around regulatory lag and so the 5% to 7%, I’m just trying to figure out what the shape of that 5% to 7% is? So you answered the financing side, but just around should we assume midpoint? Is it linear? What’s built into that 5% to 7%? Should we assume higher end because of regulatory lag is diminishing through time, just getting a sense around that profile? Dan Hurstak: Yes, I think that’s a good question. I think a midpoint assumption out in the further years is probably fair for right now. And then as we mentioned today, for 2023, we do expect to be above the higher end of that 5% to 7% range. Operator: This does conclude today’s call. Thank you for your participation. You may now disconnect. Follow Unitil Corp (NYSE:UTL) Follow Unitil Corp (NYSE:UTL) We may use your email to send marketing emails about our services. Click here to read our privacy policy......»»

Trump Campaign Fights For Place On Michigan Ballot Authored by Steven Kovac via The Epoch Times, Attorneys for President Donald Trump have filed suit in the Michigan Court of Claims in a preemptive effort to preserve his place on the state’s 2024 ballot. The proactive move is designed to counter at least two pending lawsuits that are attempting to have President Trump disqualified under Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution for being an alleged “insurrectionist” in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021 rally-turned-riot at the Capitol Building in Washington. Because the factual allegations of both anti-Trump suits overlap with one another, this article will focus on LaBrandt et al. v. Benson, filed on Sept. 29, 2023. The plaintiffs are four registered voters from Michigan. They are represented by Michigan attorney Mark Brewer and five Massachusetts lawyers from the group Free Speech for People (FSP). According to its website, FSP is a national “non-profit, non-partisan” political advocacy organization. The defendant in the suit is Michigan’s Democrat Sect. of State Jocelyn Benson. FSP has also filed a nearly identical lawsuit in Minnesota. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson speaks in Detroit, Michigan, on Aug. 18, 2020. (Rebecca Cook/Reuters) A separate high-profile case against President Trump is currently being tried in Colorado. Court Order Could Disqualify Donald Trump In the Michigan complaint, the plaintiffs asked the court to declare President Trump ineligible to hold public office ever again. They also asked the court to permanently enjoin Ms. Benson from including President Trump as a candidate in the upcoming Feb. 27 Michigan Republican presidential primary and the Nov. 5, 2024, general election. Michigan law requires the secretary of state to compile and issue a list of the presidential candidates generally recognized by the national news media and place them on their party’s primary ballot by Nov. 10. Political Cover? The plaintiffs assert in their complaint that legal action is necessary because, on Sept. 13, 2023, Ms. Benson published an op-ed in the Washington Post claiming that she lacks the legal authority to investigate and determine whether a presidential candidate should be ineligible to run for office because of a Fourteenth Amendment violation. “She has declared that she will place Trump’s name on the Michigan 2024 presidential primary ballot unless a court prevents her from doing so,” reads the complaint. Political observers see Ms. Benson, a former law school dean, as a strong candidate to succeed Democrat Governor Gretchen Whitmer when both are term-limited out of their present positions in 2026. Serious Allegations The pleadings allege that President Trump concocted a “scheme to overthrow the government” and “to retain power even if he lost.” They also allege, “Trump engaged in insurrection or rebellion and is thus disqualified from public office,” pursuant to Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment. The Fourteenth Amendment was ratified in 1868 for the purpose of keeping ex-Confederates from holding office in the reconstructed Union. The complaint also alleged that President Trump “attempted to enlist government officials to illegally overturn the election.” Not Since Rutherford B. Hayes In the hotly contested presidential election of 1876 between Republican Rutherford B. Hayes and Democrat Samuel Tilden, the race could not be decided by the Electoral College because the disputes over the electors from four states could not be resolved. Congress created a special Electoral Commission that ultimately sorted things out in favor of Mr. Hayes in March 1877. This precedent was the basis for the Trump strategy of January 6, 2020. The 1877 procedure was banned in a bill passed by Congress and signed by President Biden in Dec. 2022. “On January 4, 2021, Trump and his then-attorney John Eastman met with then-Vice-President Mike Pence and his attorney Greg Jacob to discuss Eastman’s legal theory that Pence might either reject votes on January 6 during the certification process or suspend the proceedings so that states could reexamine the results,” alleges the complaint. Article Two, Section One of the U.S. Constitution requires the vice-president, in his capacity as President of the Senate, to preside over the counting of electoral votes in a joint session of Congress. Plaintiffs’ pleadings quote a portion of President Trump’s explanation of the procedure from the speech he delivered at the scene of the Save America Rally held on Jan. 6, 2021, in the Ellipse, a large park south of the White House. Referring to Mr. Pence, President Trump is alleged to have said, “All he has to do is refer the illegally-submitted electoral votes back to the states that were given false, fraudulent information where they want to recertify.” Earlier in the program, Mr. Eastman is alleged to have told the crowd, “All that we are demanding of Pence is, this afternoon at 1 o’clock, he let the legislators of the states look into this so we get to the bottom of it.” Incendiary Rhetoric? The complaint makes much of what it calls President Trump’s incitement of the crowd to violence. This is important, say the plaintiffs, because, though President Trump committed no overt acts of insurrection, his remarks tie him to the criminal conduct of some of his supporters at the Capitol Building. The complaint cites a couple of quotes from President Trump's Ellipse speech as examples of his inflammatory talk. President Trump is alleged to have said: “We want to go back, and we want to get this right because we’re going to have somebody in there that should not be in there, and our country will be destroyed, and we’re not going to stand for that. “And we’re going to have to fight much harder. “And we fight. We fight like hell. And if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore.” Similar Remarks Following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Michigan’s Democrat Governor Gretchen Whitmer repeatedly said in public statements, “I will fight like hell” to preserve the right to obtain an abortion. To date, no legal action has been taken against Ms. Whitmer for her choice of words. Ten Thousand National Guardsmen The complaint does not mention that, days before the Ellipse rally, President Trump asked then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser to concur with his request to deploy 10,000 National Guardsmen to protect the Capitol—something they declined to do. However, the complaint does list several instances on Jan. 6, in which President Trump appealed to the large and boisterous crowd to remain peaceful. March ‘Peacefully and Patriotically’ In his Ellipse speech, President Trump is quoted in the complaint as allegedly saying, “I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol Building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.” Among several other appeals for peace and calm by President Trump cited in the complaint are the following: At 2:38 p.m., Trump posted on X: "Please support our Capitol Police and Law Enforcement. They are truly on the side of our Country. Stay peaceful!” Later, at 4:17 p.m., the complaint states that President Trump released a video on Twitter directed to the protestors in which he allegedly said: “I know your pain. I know your hurt…I know how you feel, but go home, and go in peace.” The Trump Team Sues Benson Representing President Trump in his lawsuit against Ms. Benson is constitutional lawyer David Kallman and his partner Stephen Kallman of the Kallman Legal Group of Lansing, Michigan, as well as Mark Meuser of the Dhillon Law Group. In a complaint filed on Oct. 30, 2023, President Trump’s legal team asserted that “President Trump did not engage in an insurrection as those terms are used in Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment.” His attorneys argue that neither the secretary of state, other state officials, nor the state courts have the legal authority to decide whether a candidate for president is ineligible to appear on the ballot. They contend that the Constitution commits to Congress the responsibility of determining matters of presidential candidates’ qualifications and that the amendment is not self-enforcing but requires an operative act of Congress to carry it out. None of President Trump’s constitutionally protected free speech concerning the Jan. 6 protest meets the “stringent requirements for ‘incitement’ both because the content itself is not sufficiently explicit and because it does not evince a specific intent to engage in unlawful activity,” reads his complaint. President Trump's lawyers asked the court to declare that, as "a matter of federal constitutional law" and according to Michigan statute, Ms. Benson lacks the authority to determine whether a presidential candidate may be disqualified. A Preemptive Blow They also asked the court to enjoin Ms. Benson from refusing to place President Trump on the ballot based on allegations relating to Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment. As early as Aug. 18, 2023, Trump attorney David Warrington of the Dhillon Law Group sought confirmation from Ms. Benson that, pursuant to Michigan law, she would include President Trump’s name on the Secretary of State’s list and be placed on the ballot. According to the Trump complaint, Ms. Benson did not respond. The Michigan Office of the Secretary of State does not comment on pending litigation. All three cases are scheduled for hearings on Nov. 9 at the Michigan Court of Appeals courtroom in Grand Rapids. Tyler Durden Sun, 11/05/2023 - 20:20.....»»