Congressmember arrested for taking part in a rally protesting SCOTUS ruling on abortion

JUDY CHU

California Congressmember Judy Chu, center, was arrested at an abortion rights rally last week.

The Asian American Congressmember who introduced a bill last year to ensure abortion rights becomes federal law was arrested at a  rally protesting the Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade. 

Rep. Judy Chu, D-CA, was arrested June 30 along with 180 other demonstrators protesting the Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, a 50-year law giving women the right to choose.

“The decision to march today was easy—I came out to march for the young rape survivor, the woman who cannot afford to travel to another state to access critical care, the mother with an ectopic pregnancy whose life is in danger. I came out to march for all of us”, Chu said in a tweet following her arrest.

Chu, chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, introduced the Women’s Health Protection Act last September after the Supreme Court allowed a new Texas law banning most abortions to remain in place.

The measure seeks to codify the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision into federal law "to protect a person’s ability to determine whether to continue or end a pregnancy" and to protect health care providers' ability to continue administering abortion services, according to the bill’s text.

Although the House passed the bill, Republican senators were able to block its passage in the US Senate with a 46-48 vote, far from the 60 votes needed based on the filibuster rule.

Last week's rally near the Supreme Court building was in response to the 6-3 ruling by radical conservative justices to overturn the landmark 50-year old Roe v. Wade decision even though the law had been upheld by SCOTUS numerous times. Trump appointees, Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barret, gave conservatives a super majority in the court even thuogh they testified under oath during their confirmation hearings that they would uphold precedent rulings.

Eighty-five percent of AAPI women support abortion access, according to a poll by the National Asian Pacific American Womens Forum.

““We are in this together and we will not back down or be silenced. I am ramping up my calls to abolish the Senate filibuster — and actively exploring every option to ensure we pass my bill, the Women’s Health Protection Act, which establishes a federal right to abortion care, and have it signed into law,” Chu said in her statement made after her arrest.

“Lives are at stake and this fight is far from over.” 

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

Supreme Court rules against Roe v. Wade; shakes up and angers AANHPI communities

A woman wept after hearing the Supreme Court decision on Roe v. Wade.

Even though the Supreme Court's decision on a woman's right to make decisions about her own healthcare was expected, today's ruling sent shockwaves reverberating throughout the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities.

The National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF)  condemned the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson’s Women Health Organization. Today’s final ruling overturns nearly 50 years of legal precedent on federally protected access to abortion.

“This is a direct and pernicious assault on people of color, including Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities where the path to abortion care is riddled with language barriers, cultural stigmas, and low rates of insurance coverage among our most vulnerable community members,” says Isra Pananon Weeks, interim executive director and chief of staff of National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF). 

The radical conservative majority of the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade on Friday, ending the constitutional right to abortion in those states restricting abortion and threatening access to reproductive healthcare nationwide.

The NAPAWF statement was issued after the Supreme Court's 6-3 ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization was issued along ideological lines, with all three liberal justices in opposition.

"With sorrow—for this court, but more, for the many millions of American women who have today lost a fundamental constitutional protection—we dissent," wrote Justices Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor and Stephen Breyer in their seething 59-page dissent.

“We believe in a Constitution that puts some issues off limits to majority rule. Even in the face of public opposition, we uphold the right of individuals — yes, including women — to make their own choices and chart their own futures. Or at least, we did once,” wrote the three moderate justices.

About one-fifth of pregnant Asian Americans may seek an abortion, a rate comparable to that of non-Hispanic white women, according to a study by City University of New York.

The restrictions approved by SCOTUS could take effect almost immediately in 13 states who have laws waiting for the Supreme Court ruling.

Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming—Republican-controlled legislatures have put in place "trigger bans" designed to outlaw abortion once Roe is overturned.

“This is a dark moment for our country,” said Caliofrnia's Attorney General Bonta, the first Filipino American AG for the state. “This court’s decision is outrageous, unprecedented, and dangerous. It blasts our nation back into the dark ages. Millions are now facing a stark reality when it comes to their right to choose. People all across the nation — their bodies, futures, and families — will be hurt by this decision."

California is home for the largest number of AANHPI in the country making up about 17% of the population, or about 6 million, based on the 2020 Census.

"In California, we refuse to turn back the clock and let politicians exert control over a person’s body. Despite the decision, abortion remains fully protected here in California," says Bonta. "We’ll keep fighting to strengthen and expand access to safe and legal abortion. ... Abortion remains a legally protected right in our state and, in California, we won’t backslide.”

“The cultural, economic, and logistical barriers for AAPI community members, especially those working for low-wages in frontline, service jobs, make traveling and getting an abortion often difficult if not impossible,” says Weeks.

AAPI women are overrepresented in the frontline and service industry, often working without health insurance and paid medical or family leave. Sixty-six percent of Asian Americans and 30% of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders also speak a primary language other than English at home which creates difficulties in accessing health care due to overwhelming language barriers. In addition, nearly two-thirds of Asian Americans and one-fifth of Pacific Islanders are foreign-born.

Nikki Tran of Maryland protested outside the Supreme Court last May. Since then, Chief Justice
John Roberts joined the five Justices on her poster in today's ruling.

“As the country’s fastest growing racial and ethnic group, a third of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders now live in one of the 26 states where abortion access has vanished. Gutting Roe cuts off access to abortion care and puts the well-being and financial stability for millions of AAPI women and families at tremendous risk,” says Weeks. The AAPI population, for instance, in Georgia and Texas has grown 138% and 128%, respectively since 2000. Both states are now primed to ban abortion following today’s Supreme Court ruling.

“The decision in Dobbs v. Jackson’s Women’s Health Organization is tragically wrong – overturning decades of established precedent, eroding basic human rights for millions of Americans and taking our country backwards and endangering many other civil liberties we take for granted," said John Yang, president of Advancing Justice, legal rights advocates. 

"We filed an amicus brief in this case with the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum because of our concern for the Asian American and broader immigrant community," continued Yang. "Given that Asian Americans are among the fastest-growing populations nationwide with nearly two-thirds of the population being foreign-born, we have grave concerns about the impact this decision will have on our communities. 

"Bans on abortion care are going to heighten fears of adverse immigration consequences for undocumented individuals, refugees, and other immigrants regardless of their immigrant status. We will need to come together to find a way to support our communities while we explore every course of action to reclaim this fundamental human right.”

Justice Thomas' opinion said that he and his fellow right-wing justices are not done  taking away Americans' rights in other areas, as well.

“Today’s devastating reversal is not only about reproductive rights, but protections for the LGBTQ community, voting rights, and marriage equality. With legislators across the US repealing early voting and mail-in ballot expansions, and the Supreme Court refusing to protect the Voting Rights Act, AAPI interests, including the right to an abortion, are being sidelined,” says Weeks.

“After two years of increasing anti-Asian hate, NAPAWF is no stranger to legislators overlooking our concerns or witnessing attacks on our health and safety," continued  Weeks. "We will not back down. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, other communities of color, and a majority of all voters support legalizing abortion. It is time for elected officials to act on our interests.”

"The Supreme Court has now mandated forced pregnancy, taking away an intensely personal freedom for pregnant people to make decisions about our own bodies with a doctor or loved one, and instead bringing politicians into your decision and your bedroom," said Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. "Every woman, every family, every pregnant person should fear what this means for their futures."

"It is important that Americans understand that this Supreme Court and Republicans in Congress will not stop here," Jayapal continued. "In the opinion, the [conservative] justices say explicitly that the court should reconsider 'all substantive due process precedents,' including the right to contraception, to same-sex marriage, and to same-sex relationships."

EDITOR'S NOTES: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

AANHPI women alarmed at SCOTUS' draft calling for overturning Roe v Wade

EPA

Asian American women protest Texas' restrictions on abortion rights.

UPDATED: 2 a.m., May 4, 2021

A leaked draft of a Supreme Court majority opinion has sent shockwaves across the nation, including the AANHPI communities.

Drafted by conservative Justice Samuel Alito wrote that the historic Roe v. Wade decision "was egregiously wrong from the start.” 

The draft, which was released Tuesday, was confirmed as authentic by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, who said, "Although the document described in yesterday’s reports is authentic, it does not represent a decision by the Court or the final position of any member on the issues in the case.”

“This opinion speaks to the unprecedented and alarming nature of the assault on our reproductive rights. Banning access to abortion care further jeopardizes the well-being and financial stability for millions of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) women and families," said Sung Yeon Choimorrow, executive director fo the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum.

The draft, which was circulated among the nine Justices Feb. 10 ruled in favor of Mississippi in the closely watched case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, over that state’s attempt to ban most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

"It's really quite a radical decision," President Biden said. “It's a fundamental shift in American jurisprudence."

"Every other decision based on the notion of privacy is thrown into question," Biden told reporters.

The President said the same arguments Alito used in the draft could also raise questions to other issues not specifically mentioned in the Constitution including the right of gays and lesbians to marry, interracial marriage, as well as constitutional protections for birth control.

If adopted as drafted in February the SCOTUS would end a half-century guarantee of federal constitutional protection of abortion rights and allow each state to decide whether to restrict or ban abortion. As of today, 24 states have similarly worded anti-abortion legislation in the pipeline.

Most observers believe the majority of the activist conservative SCOTUS will weaken Roe v. Wade with the Republican-appointed conservative Justices in the majority and the three Democratic appointees in the minority.

“The inescapable conclusion is that a right to abortion is not deeply rooted in the Nation’s history and traditions,” wrote Alito.

“It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives,” the justice wrote.

“We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled,” he writes

"Roe cannot and must not fall. The path to proper abortion care is already arduous for AAPI communities – filled with language barriers, cultural stigmas, and low rates of insurance for our most vulnerable members," Choimorrow continued in her statement.

"Roe ensures a woman’s right to choose to have an abortion," said Vice President Kamala Harris. "It also, at its root, protects the fundamental right to privacy. What is clear is that opponents of Roe want to punish women and take away their rights to make decisions about their own bodies. Republican legislators in states across the country are weaponizing the use of the law against women.

"The rights of all Americans are at risk," Harris said. "If the right to privacy is weakened, every person could face a future in which the government can potentially interfere in the personal decisions you make about your life. This is the time to fight for women and for our country with everything we have."

In September, 2021, a “friend of the court” brief, NAPAWF and Asian Americans Advancing Justice, representing 29 community and civil rights organizations, as well as bar associations, was filed representing the interests of Asian American and Pacific Islander women .

“We know that abortion access is already difficult for AAPI women. The cultural stigma and shame that comes with talking about abortion, let alone getting one, is compounded with significant language and economic barriers that can make accessing abortion care a harrowing and terrifying experience,” said Choimorrow when the amicus curie was filed.

“This is especially true for AAPI women who are over-represented in low-paying, service jobs and are more likely to not have health care coverage to begin with.” In 2020, AAPI women experienced the highest rates of long-term unemployment among minority women since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Given that AAPIs are among the fastest-growing populations nationwide with nearly two-thirds of the population being foreign-born, we have grave concerns about the impact of this case on our community,” said Niyati Shah, Advancing Justice – AAJC’s Director of Litigation. “The anti-immigrant sentiment will only further stoke the fear of AAPI women that they will face adverse consequences regardless of their immigration status.”

Overturning Roe v. Wade will effectively end legal abortion in at least 24 states, several of which are home to large and growing AAPI communities. For instance, the AAPI population in states with abortion restrictions or bans, such as Georgia, Texas, and North Carolina, has grown 138%, 128%, and 154%, respectively, since 2000. The rolling back of reproductive rights by banning access to abortion care will jeopardize the well-being and financial stability for millions of AAPI women and families.

TWITTER

California Attorney General Rob Bonta joined San Francisco activists protesting the
prospective Supreme Court ruling Roe v Wade.

After the draft was published by Politico, spontaneous protests occurred across the nation including in front of the Supreme Court in Washington DC.

The amicus brief filed last Fall emphasizes the unconstitutionality imposed by pre-viability abortion bans and the need to protect the constitutional right for continued access to abortion care for AAPI women. The barriers to safe reproductive care will become even more profound if Mississippi’s pre-viability abortion ban is upheld due to laws that unfairly target pregnant AAPI women for criminal prosecution.

A series of studies by CUNY's Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy found that roughly one-fifth of pregnant Asian Americans may seek an abortion, a rate comparable to that of non-Hispanic white women.

A separate study suggest that this CUNY's findings may be an underestimate. For example, the Center for American Progress contends that as many as one-third of pregnancies in the AAPI community may end in abortion.

Another study found that the AAPI community is the only racial community in which abortion usage hasn’t decreased in the last 15 years.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views frm an AAPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

Asian Americans add their voices to SCOTUS case that could overturn Roe v. Wade

SCREEN CAPTURE / NBC

Pro-choice advocates demonstrate in front of the Supreme Court.

Asian American groups are calling on the U.S. Supreme Court to reject a call by the state of Mississippi to overturn Roe v. Wade and allow individual states to ban or end the legal right to abortion.

“We know that abortion access is already difficult for AAPI women," said Sung Yeon Choimorrow, Executive Director, National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum (NAPAWF) in filing a friend of the court brief in 

"The cultural stigma and shame that comes with talking about abortion, let alone getting one, is compounded with significant language and economic barriers that can make accessing abortion care a harrowing and terrifying experience,” she said. “This is especially true for AAPI women who are over-represented in low-paying, service jobs and are more likely to not have health care coverage to begin with.” 

The National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF) and Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC (Advancing Justice – AAJC), filed an amicus brief in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which is slated to be heard on Dec. 1.

Also on Monday, the Department of Justice sought permission to present oral arguments when the nation's highest court hears challenges to Mississippi's strict abortion law, as the DOJ called on justices to uphold Roe v. Wade.

Overturning Roe v. Wade will effectively end legal abortion in at least 22 states, several of which are home to large and growing AAPI communities. For instance, the AAPI population in Georgia, Texas, and North Carolina, has grown 138%, 128%, and 154%, respectively, since 2000. The rolling back of reproductive rights by banning access to abortion care will jeopardize the well-being and financial stability for millions of AAPI women and families.

The amicus brief filed Monday emphasizes the unconstitutionality imposed by pre-viability abortion bans and the need to protect the constitutional right for continued access to abortion care for AAPI women. The barriers to safe reproductive care will become even more profound if Mississippi’s pre-viability abortion ban is upheld due to laws that unfairly target pregnant AAPI women for criminal prosecution.

The DOJ's brief backs Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the only abortion clinic in Mississippi, in its fight over the state’s attempt to ban the procedure after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

Since Roe v. Wade became law, it has survived a plethora of challenges. However, abortion foes are betting that the Supreme Court's 6-3 conservative majority will abolish Roe v. Wade.

In 2020, AAPI women experienced the highest rates of long-term unemployment among minority women since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Department of Justice sought permission Monday to present oral arguments when the Supreme Court hears a case challenging Mississippi's strict abortion law, as it called on justices to uphold Roe v. Wade.

Earlier this month, all three of the activist conservative Justices who were appointed by Trump, voted in the 5-4 majority vote taken in the middle of the night decided to not hear challenges to a controversial Texas law that would ban most abortions after five weeks, thus allowing it to become law in Texas. Chief Justice Roberts sided with the liberal Justices.

Underlining the Biden administration's support of Roe v. Wade, on Monday,  administration cited that law as it formally backed the Women’s Health Protection Act, a bill that would shield abortion rights across the country.

“In the wake of Texas’ unprecedented attack, it has never been more important to codify this constitutional right and to strengthen health care access for all women, regardless of where they live,” Biden’s Office of Management and Budget said in a prepared statement.

“We will not allow this country to go backwards on women’s equality,” said the statement. 

Planned Parenthood ousts Leana Wen as it's president

SCREEN CAPTURE / MSNBC

Dr. Leana Wen, the first Asian American head of Planned Parenthood, was ousted by its board.

(UPDATED 8:20 p.m. PDT, July 16)

In a cryptic tweet that raised more questions, Dr. Leana Wen resigned as President of Planned Parenthood after less than a year in that position.

"I am leaving because the new Board Chairs and I have philosophical differences over the direction and future of Planned Parenthood," Wen wrote on Twitter today (July 16).

Wen, the first Asian American to lead the national organization, said the decision was made by Planned Parenthood's board of directors in a "secret meeting."

Following is Wen's tweet:

Minutes prior to her formal statement, Wen revealed that she was ousted from her position and the decision was made in a "secret meeting" of the Planned Parenthood board

Wen's short time at Planned Parenthood was tumultuous, said three sources familiar with the situation who cited leadership and management issues according to CBS News.

Her leadership style led to high ranking staff leaving the organization, said a HuffPost source.

That same source claimed a leadership coach had to be brought in but the lessons didn't stick, apparently.

In a letter to staff, sent out later in the afternoon, Wen alluded again to the "philosophical differences," that may have led to her dismissal. She wanted to emphasize the concept that abortion as a healthcare issue, not a political isssue. The board, she wrote, thought the advocacy for abortion rights should take priority during this time when the issue is under attack.
The change in leadership is occurring during a time when the organization and abortion rights have come under heavy attack from the Trump administration and conservative states seeking to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court ruling that women have the right to make decisions about their health, including abortion.

So far this year, states across the country have passed more than 300 pieces of anti-abortion access legislation, more than any other year, according to data compiled by the Guttmacher Institute, a pro-abortion rights research organization. 

In a press release, Planned Parenthood gave no reason for Wen's departure; just a simple "thank you" and "best wishes:" "We thank Dr. Leana Wen for her service to Planned Parenthood in such a pivotal time and extend our best wishes for her continued success."  

The organization announced that in the interim, Alexis McGill Johnson has been named Acting President and CEO of PPFA and Acting President of PPAF, effective immediately. The search for Wen's replacement will begin early next year.

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Trump's Supreme Court nominee faces rough road ahead, say Asian American senators

From left: Senators Tammy Duckworth, Kamala Harris and Mazie Hirono.

DONALD TRUMP'S NOMINATION of U.S. Circuit Judge Brett Kavanaugh to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy on the U.S. Supreme Court drew strong reactions from the three Asian American senators who will ultimately vote on the nominee.

The conservative PR machine have been working overtime trying to paint Kavanaugh as a moderate but his record shows he may be a wolf in sheep's clothing.

Trump picked him out of a list vetted by the Federalist Society, an ultra-conservative legal organization,and the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank largely funded by the billionaire Koch brothers and their affiliates. 

Picking Kavanaugh off of this list is like putting an oil industry lobbyist in charge of the Environmental Protection Agency ... oh, wait!

Uh ... picking Kavanaugh off of this list is akin to putting an pro-charter school lobbyist in charge of the Department of Education ... oh, wait!

Uh, let's try ... picking Kavanaugh is comparable to putting a pharmaceutical executive  in charge of controlling drug prices and the Affordable Care Act as Secretary of Health & Human Services ... oh, hell! I give up!

Allowing special interest organizations line up Supreme Court nominees for the chief executive is highly unusual. In fact, no other president has depended on outside lobbyists for recommendations for judicial appointments.

Three of the senators who will cast votes on the nomination to the Supreme Court are Democrat Asian American senators Kamala Harris, Mazie Hirono and Tammy Duckworth.

California's Sen. Kamala Harris, who is also a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has made it clear that she will oppose the Kavanaugh's nomination.  “During the 2016 presidential campaign, President Trump made clear that he had a litmus test for Supreme Court Justices—overturn Roe v. Wade and oppose a woman’s constitutionally-protected right to make her own health care decisions. The President then released a list of nominees who had been vetted to meet that test. Judge Kavanaugh is on that list," said Harris in a statement.

“Judge Kavanaugh has consistently proven to be a conservative ideologue instead of a mainstream jurist. As recently as last year, he disregarded Supreme Court precedent and opposed the health care rights of a vulnerable young woman. That ruling was overturned by a sitting of all the judges on his court. In 2015, Kavanaugh wrote that an employer, based on their personal beliefs, can deny their employee access to birth control coverage."

Likewise, Hawaii Sen. Hirono, also a judiciary committee member, expressed her misgivings on Kavanaugh's so-called moderate image.  “Judge Kavanaugh has not earned the benefit of the doubt. He has the burden of proof to demonstrate his ability to be independent of the President and exercise unbiased and independent judgment," said Hirono. 

“Significantly, Judge Kavanaugh has advocated that Congress legislate to exempt U.S. presidents from civil and criminal actions while in office. This is of deep concern at a time when Donald Trump is a defendant in numerous civil lawsuits and is the subject of a significant criminal investigation," she said.

To Illinois Sen. Duckworth, Kavanaugh's apparent position on the Affordable Care Act is a personal issue.

“The newfound urgency to fill Justice Kennedy’s Supreme Court seat from many of the same people who refused to even consider President Obama’s nominee is transparent opportunism that represents everything Americans hate most about politics today," said Duckworth, who lost both her legs when her helicopter was shot down while she was flying combat missions in Iraq.

"We can’t ignore the reality that Donald Trump wants to take us back to a time when insurers could refuse coverage to people with pre-existing conditions or that he promised to only nominate Justices who would put the government back in between women and their doctors.

“If he succeeds, it won’t only affect people like me who could be prevented from having children through IVF (invitro fertilization); the impacts will be felt by everyone. Whoever replaces Justice Kennedy will play a critical role in the lives of all women and every single American. Moving forward, I will thoroughly review Judge Kavanaugh’s rulings, evaluate his qualifications and look for him to make it clear to the American public that he would be independent, not simply a rubber stamp for Donald Trump’s whims, if he hopes to earn my support.”

SCREEN CAPTURE / CNN

Judge Brett Kavanaugh was named by Donald Trump as his nominee for SCOTUS.

The chances of the Democrats blocking Kavanaugh's nomination are razor thin. Democrats are working to turn Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine, both of whom support Roe v. Wate, against Kavanaugh. However, Democrats only have 49 senators and some of those are wavering.

Democrats also hope to forestall the nomination process until after the November elections when they might regain the majority. However, Republican leader Mitch McConnel will likely  do everything he can to speed up the hearings and push for a vote before the elections.

Justice Kennedy, who announced his retirement at the end of the court's 2017-2018 session last month, was seen as a swing vote on many important social issues that came before the court. He cast the deciding vote in Fisher v. University of Texas that upheld affirmative action by allowing the use of race as a factor in school admissions; but on the other hand, he also voted with other conservatives in Citizens United v. FEC, that paved the way for an unprecedented influx of outside money in electoral politics, such as in super PACs by ruling that corporations have the same rights as individuals to contribute to political campaigns.

If Kavanaugh is confirmed for the lifetime position on the highest court in the land, the 53-year-old federal judge would give conservative justices a 5-4 majority and lead the court in a solidly conservative direction for decades to come, likely affecting decisions on abortion, gerrymandering, affirmative action, LGBTQ rights and immigration, not to mention the possibility of waving off any attempts to indict a sitting president.

“The Supreme Court has a profound impact on the rights—and lives—of all Americans," said Sen. Harris, who is among those who might be running against Trump in 2020.  

"When at its best, it has advanced the meaning of those words above its doors, ‘Equal Justice Under Law.’ At its worst, the Supreme Court has upheld racial segregation, enabled voter suppression, and equated corporations with people," she said. "Whether or a not the Supreme Court enforces the spirit of those words, ‘Equal Justice Under Law,’ is determined by the individuals who sit on that Court."
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