(NewsNation) — The abortion ruling has the nation wondering, if now, other major Supreme Court precedents will be overturned.
On Friday, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas called for overturning the constitutional rights the court had affirmed for access to contraceptives and LGBTQ rights in an opinion concurring with the majority decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
In his separate opinion, Thomas acknowledged that Friday’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization does not directly affect any rights besides abortion. But he argued that the Constitution’s Due Process Clause does not secure a right to an abortion or any other substantive rights, and he urged the court to apply that reasoning to other landmark cases.
“I think you’re going to see a lot of Democrats really start to seize on the those remarks in their political rhetoric,” The Hill’s Julia Manchester said during an appearance on NewsNation Prime.
The Supreme Court also issued its biggest gun rights ruling in more than a decade.
The court ruling issued Thursday specifically overturned a New York law that had been in place since 1913 and required that people applying for a concealed carry permit demonstrate a specific need to have a gun in public, such as showing an imminent threat to their safety. The court’s conservative majority said that violated the Second Amendment, which they interpreted as protecting people’s right to carry a gun for self-defense outside the home.
“It just shows how President Trump’s legacy is playing out on the Supreme Court with these really conservative-leaning decisions on major cultural topics, gun control, or gun rights, and obviously, abortion access,” Manchester said. “This is the legacy of Donald Trump that we’re seeing playing out.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.