Ten Supreme Court clerks each insist they leaked Justice Samuel Alito’s draft decision overturning abortion rights. The leak set off explosive press coverage and protests across the country as many Americans feared the federal right to an abortion might end.
The admissions came after Chief Justice John Roberts said he would spare the legal career of the person or persons who leaked the decision, providing the leaker or leakers identified themselves. Roberts said he made the offer to "put the incident behind us and let the Court move forward." He noted, "The leaked document suggests the Court is about to overturn a precedent that has existed for nearly 50 years. We need Americans on all sides of this issue to respect the Court, and its rulings. Can't we all just get along?'
About an hour later, 10 clerks emerged from the ornate building as reporters gathered near the Supreme Court steps. "I am the leaker," each of the 10 clerks said separately, standing by the columns that grace the front of the structure. The clerks named themselves, and handed out information packets to reporters. The information revealed that all 10 clerks work for the three justices described as "liberal" by the mainstream media.
The appearance by the clerks set off a flurry of rightwing media reports. Journalists and commentators lurched in different directions, some blaming the liberal clerks for disrespecting the integrity of the Court, with others challenging Roberts for his perceived “weakness.”
But Fox News, the leading cable network, led the charge, breaking into regular programming with the news. "Fox News evening hosts were right," read the banner that flashed across the screen. "The liberals did it."
Soon, an interview with Rep. Jim Jordan, an Ohio Republican, appeared on a Fox talk show. He vowed, "If Republicans take back the House in November, we will subpoena the 10 clerks to make them tell the truth under oath."
A Fox News journalist then actually asked a probing follow up question. "But what if the clerks hire attorneys, file lawsuits challenging the subpoenas, and refuse to meet with Congress?"
"We are not the Democrats,” Jordan insisted. “We will not run a sham investigation akin to the so-called Jan. 6 insurrection," He continued, "Republicans are not weak. The Congress has a right to confiscate, I mean gather information. It is the duty of citizens to come forward to supply that information."
The Fox reporter continued pressing. "What if the clerks refuse to speak under oath?"
Jordan, a former college wrestler, said Congress has the "authority to instruct the sergeant at arms to grab the clerks and place them in holding cells at the Capitol until they comply with the lawfully issued subpoenas." Further pressed Jordan said he would not rule out waterboarding if necessary.
The comments and speculation continued on the leading cable network. Said one guest, "Maybe Roberts isn't a true conservative. He let Obama get away with his unconstitutional Obamacare. Now leaks indicate he is trying to weaken and preserve the federal right to abortion in a futile attempt to build consensus in the nation. True conservatives are aghast. We worked hard for decades to get to this point. We need to stay the course."
That observation caught the attention of the most prominent Fox star. Tucker Carlson phoned in to the program from the Russian Tea Room, where he vowed, "I will get Leonard Leo on my show tonight to find out if he snuck a squishy 'conservative' justice on the Court." Attorney Leo is a conservative legal activist credited with building The Federalist Society into a farm team for Republican-nominated Supreme Court justices. Leo is credited with leading the charge for the Roberts appointment, as well as the appointments of four of the other five Republican-nominated justices.
The swift rightwing reactions left a liberal pundit amused. "Tucker wants to grill one of their heroes. They are already turning against themselves. What’s next? The final decision will turn out the way that Roberts wants, giving both sides some of what they want.”
The aging white liberal prognosticator continued, “And Jordan wants to issue subpoenas. But he has refused an invitation to testify before the House committee. Jordan wants to throw the clerks in the Congressional dungeon if they don't comply. But he insists the MAGA rioters and coup plotters are victims."
Warmed up now, the pundit added, "Check out the history of the movie Spartacus. James Dalton Trumbo, the person who wrote the screenplay for that movie, was called before the House Un-American Activities Committee during the Republican-inspired red scare. He was one of the Hollywood 10 who were summoned to testify. Trumbo refused to speak against alleged communists who worked in Hollywood, spending a year behind bars for standing up to the Republican bullies.”
The liberal wag concluded, “It is appropriate that the liberal clerks are playing the Spartacus card. Right-thinking Americans need to oppose the raging minority that seeks to put us in the Capitol dungeon.”
