Justice Roberts Sides With Liberal Justices To Block Louisiana Abortion Law
BOLDUAN: A huge decision from the Supreme Court today. The Chief Justice John Roberts and joining the court's 4 liberal leaning justices in striking down Louisiana's restrictive abortion laws it would have closed all but one abortion clinic left in the state. The justices struck that down today. Chief Justice Roberts citing earlier precedent in saying that the Louisiana law amounted to an undue burden on access. But also importantly Roberts choosing the integrity of the court over personal ideology it seems. CNN's Ariane de Vogue joins me now for much more on this. Ariane, as was pointed out to me earlier this is the first time that Chief Justice has ever voted against abortion regulations. What do you make of this decision?</s>ARIANE DE VOGUE, CNN SUPREME COURT REPORTER: Right. As you said the Chief Justice here sighting with those four liberals to strike down the Louisiana Abortion Law it was 5-4. This was a law that required doctors to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital. Clinics and doctors who challenged it said it was medically unnecessary. It was a failed attempt to restrict abortion. Whereas Louisiana said look it's a public safety measure. It's necessary for public safety. A little bit of context here keep in mind it was just 4 years ago that the court struck down a Texas law. And in that case Chief Justice John Roberts was on the other side. But today he said in this opinion he vote separately. So the four liberals wrote the main opinion and then he wrote separately to join them to give them his vote. And he said this; the Louisiana Law imposes a burden on access to abortion just as severe as that imposed by the Texas law for the same reasons. Therefore the Louisiana's Law cannot stand under our precedents. So there he is, he is providing the fifth vote but here's what's really interesting in his opinion he also suggested that similar laws might be able to stand in the states.</s>VOGUE: So today this is a win for the clinics but they see more challenges ahead. And they see that this is all playing out in the heat of the election.</s>BOLDUAN: We cannot forget that, that is for sure. Thank you Ariane I really appreciate it. Coming up for us more than 80 cases of Coronavirus thought to be linked now to one bar in Michigan. What happened there and what's happening now that's next?