Court 'Made The Right Decision' On Roe V. Wade Overturn, Van Drew Says

NEW JERSEY — Rep. Jeff Van Drew praised the Supreme Court for overturning Roe v. Wade, saying "The United States Supreme Court has the sacred responsibility of interpreting the Constitution and upholding our nation’s founding principles free from political interference, which is exactly what it did today."

Van Drew, who represents New Jersey's 2nd District, emphasized the importance of respecting the integrity of the court.

The court's 6-3 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, a repudiation of the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision and a subsequent case on fetal liability, Planned Parenthood v. Casey, was expected. In May, Justice Samuel Alito Jr.'s majority opinion draft was leaked to Politico, setting the stage for a seismic shift in abortion rights.

When the draft was leaked, Van Drew notably released a comment decrying the leak itself, but made no mention about abortion.

"The Supreme Court made the right decision to return this issue to the states so they can create their own laws regarding abortion," Van Drew said. "Here in New Jersey, we must continue to speak out and fight against Governor Murphy’s radical policies that call for taxpayer funded partial birth abortions."

Van Drew also called on President Joe Biden and House Democrats to "forcefully condemn the Radical Left’s continued calls for a 'Night of Rage,'" as well as protect anti-abortion clinics, which Van Drew said have been graffitied and firebombed in recent weeks.

Van Drew's challenger in the November general election, Democrat Tim Alexander, also released a statement, calling the day "a sad day for America."

"This decision by an extremist faction of justices is unconscionable," Alexander said, adding that the decision is "the outright rejection of precedent."

"It is not the place of our government to interfere with anyone's control over their body," Alexander said. He said that Congress must take "immediate action" to protect reproductive rights and other rights that he said are now vulnerable.

Alexander also called out Van Drew for hypocrisy, saying he "claimed he was committed to protecting women's reproductive rights, and had a voting record to match."

Alexander said that when Van Drew switched political parties, leaving the Democratic Party to become a Republican, he changed this stance as well.

During this time, "we need a representative we can count on to stand by their values," Alexander said.