Republican Louisiana Rep. Mike Johnson introduced legislation Tuesday that seeks to make leaking confidential information from the Supreme Court a federal crime.
The legislation was spearheaded by Johnson and has 11 other cosponsors. Johnson said he and his Republican colleagues feel that the institution of the Court has been damaged and that this bill, if passed, is a step to help repair the Court’s credibility. The legislation would make it so a Supreme Court leaker would face up to five years in prison if passed.
Politico released a draft opinion in early May indicating the Supreme Court is set to overturn Roe v. Wade, sparking outrage amongst many on the left about the possible opinion. Republicans have been extremely critical of the person who leaked the draft opinion to Politico, saying whoever is responsible needs to be held accountable. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: House Republicans Call For Justice Department, FBI Criminal Investigation Into Leak Of Draft Supreme Court Opinion)
“The possibility that individual states may again be allowed to restrict the abortion of unborn children has enraged the Left and sparked an unprecedented intimidation campaign to try to influence the pending Court decision. Our legislation can help prevent these unlawful tactics in the future and help preserve the necessary independence of our judiciary,” Johnson told the Daily Caller after the bill was introduced.
The bill introduction comes after a group of House Republicans called for a criminal investigation into the leaked Supreme Court draft opinion in a letter to the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigations.
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12 @HouseGOP members today filed a bill to make leaking confidential information from SCOTUS a federal crime.
The institution of the Court has been damaged and we must do what we can to try to repair it. pic.twitter.com/UnJGVYthLK
— Rep. Mike Johnson (@RepMikeJohnson) May 31, 2022
The cosponsors of the legislation included New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, West Virginia Rep. David McKinley, Illinois Rep. Mary Miller, Oklahoma Rep. Markwayne Mullin, Wisconsin Rep. Tom Tiffany, Wisconsin Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, Utah Rep. Burgess Owens, North Carolina Rep. Dan Bishop, Indiana Rep. Victoria Spartz, Texas Rep. Louie Gohmert and Virginia Rep. Bob Good. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Sen. Blackburn Warns Dems Could Try To Pack Court With Ketanji Brown Jackson Before Breyer Retires To Try To Save Roe v. Wade)
“The Supreme Court is under attack from radical activists inside the Court. The leak of this draft opinion destroys trust between the Justices and is an assault on our democratic institutions. Those response should be fully prosecuted,” Bishop told the Caller.
Republican Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn warned in an interview with the Daily Caller shortly after the Supreme Court leak that Democrats could use the leak to pack the court and add an additional seat.