Samuel Alito: Top US judge mocks world leaders over abortion ruling
A conservative member of the US Supreme Court has mocked world leaders who criticised last month's ruling that overturned American abortion rights.
2022-07-29 20:20:52 - VI News Staff
Justice Samuel Alito, who wrote the ruling, dismissed criticism from a host of prominent figures, including UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
He joked that Mr Johnson, who leaves office in September, had "paid the price" for arguing against the verdict.
Mr Alito, a devout Catholic, was speaking at a conference in Rome.
"I had the honour this term of writing I think the only supreme court decision in the history of that institution that has been lambasted by a whole string of foreign leaders who felt perfectly fine commenting on American law," Mr Alito said.
"One of these was Boris Johnson, but he paid the price," he said, drawing laughter from the audience. Mr Johnson, who announced his intention to resign earlier this month after a string of scandals, had called the ruling "a big step backwards".
Mr Alito also referenced French President Emmanuel Macron, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, who had condemned the "rolling back of constitutional rights" in the US during a speech to the UN earlier this month.
"What really wounded me was when the Duke of Sussex addressed the United Nations and seemed to compare the decision whose name may not be spoken with the Russian attack on Ukraine," Mr Alito said.
Prince Harry appeared to be referring to the abortion ruling when he said in his address to the UN: "From the horrific war in Ukraine to the rolling back of constitutional rights here in the United States, we are witnessing a global assault on democracy and freedom..."