McCarthy Urges Voters To Just Ignore Thomas’ Call To Reconsider Other Landmark Cases

WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 09: U.S. House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) arrives at a news conference at the U.S. Capitol June 9, 2022 in Washington, DC. House Republicans held a news conference to discuss th... WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 09: U.S. House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) arrives at a news conference at the U.S. Capitol June 9, 2022 in Washington, DC. House Republicans held a news conference to discuss the public hearings that will be held this month by the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) on Monday insisted that voters really don’t need to worry about Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’ calls to reconsider landmark cases that granted the right to same-sex marriage and contraception, among other decisions, when they cast their ballots in the midterms.

In its 213-page decision overturning Roe v. Wade on Friday, the conservative majority, led by Justice Samuel Alito, vowed that the decision does not pose threats to other constitutional rights related to bodily autonomy and private relationships.

Thomas, however, disagreed. He suggested in a concurring opinion that the Court should revisit other landmark decisions related to host of protected privacy rights.

During an interview on Fox News, McCarthy was asked about whether he thinks Democrats could use Thomas’ concurring opinion as a rallying cry heading into the midterms.

McCarthy simply shrugged at the idea, insisting that Alito and the other conservative justices wouldn’t bother trying to overturn other landmark cases.

“You read the opinion — he said no, this is only dealing with Roe v. Wade, not with anything else,” McCarthy said. “I don’t think they will be used in a campaign. It’s inoculated from there.”

In the wake of the Court’s move to overturn the right to an abortion, Democrats such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) have expressed alarm at Thomas’ opinion and the prospect of where the justices might be headed next.

“I understand that the rest of the court said, ‘No, no, we’re not going there,’ but remember how we got to where we are,” Warren said during an interview on ABC News on Sunday.

Warren also called on voters to elect Democrats in the midterm elections who are willing to eliminate or change the filibuster to help codify Roe, which Pennsylvania Senate candidate John Fetterman and Wisconsin Senate candidate Mandela Barnes have said they would do if they win election.

“We [need to] get two more senators on the Democratic side, two senators who are willing to protect access to abortion and get rid of the filibuster so that we can pass it,” Warren said.

Watch McCarthy’s remarks below:

Latest News
326
Show Comments

Notable Replies

  1. Derpty derp!

  2. That is the best selected photo they could have possibly found. Really highlights the face-calling-out-for-a-fist quality, that special je ne sais Qevin.

  3. It’s statements like this that remind me he’s the congressman from Okiefornia.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

320 more replies

Participants

Avatar for eldonlazar Avatar for teenlaqueefa Avatar for callmeeric Avatar for sniffit Avatar for greylady Avatar for califdemdreamer Avatar for dangoodbar Avatar for fiftygigs Avatar for tena Avatar for jonney_5 Avatar for Anarchy_Bunker Avatar for lizzymom Avatar for susanintheoc Avatar for noonm Avatar for castor_troy Avatar for brian512 Avatar for timorwig Avatar for godwit Avatar for philmore Avatar for zenicetus Avatar for rascal_crone Avatar for m_00_m Avatar for dogselfie Avatar for ajswift89

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: