Supreme Court Under Criminal Probe by Trump's DOJ

The Department of Justice has launched a criminal investigation into the unauthorized release of a Supreme Court draft opinion in 2022, which overturned the constitutional right to abortion in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. Federal prosecutors have obtained grand jury subpoenas and are requesting information from individuals who were employed at the Supreme Court at the time of the leak, as reported by The New York Times.

The Supreme Court itself conducted an internal investigation following the disclosure, but concluded in January 2023 that they were unable to identify the source of the leaked draft. The current criminal inquiry has reignited questions about the specific criminal charges prosecutors intend to pursue, the evidence they are seeking, and the extent to which the executive branch can investigate the confidential operations of another branch of government.

U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, is leading the investigation. This development comes as certain relevant federal statutes near their five-year statute of limitations deadlines and as President Donald Trump and other conservative figures continue advocating for the identification of the person responsible for the leak.