Chief Justice John Roberts says maybe it's best to move on from the SCOTUS leak (and other 'unfortunate' things)

Doug P. | 9:42 AM on September 10, 2022

Back in early May, a draft opinion on Roe v. Wade that Justice Samuel Alito authored was leaked to the media and caused the intended uproar (up to and including threats on the lives of conservative justices and a thwarted assassination plot).

How’s the internal SCOTUS investigation into the leaker’s identity going? Justice Neil Gorsuch said a report will be finished soon:

While the Supreme Court as an institution has remained tight-lipped on the leak probe since Chief Justice Roberts ordered an investigation, Justice Gorsuch shared new information on Thursday about what comes next. https://t.co/LaZazWVsF1

— Spencer Brown (@itsSpencerBrown) September 9, 2022

So, according to Gorsuch, a report will be eventually released, though what information will be shared with the public remains to be seen:

“The chief justice appointed an internal committee to oversee the investigation,” Gorsuch noted on Thursday, adding the committee has “been busy” in the months following the unprecedented leak that stunned Court watchers and breached the longstanding trust within the Supreme Court.

“We’re looking forward to their report, I hope soon,” Gorsuch added, though he didn’t say whether the investigation’s findings about who leaked the draft or how it ended up published by POLITICO would be released to the public.

Chief Justice John Roberts has indicated that he thinks maybe it’s time to just drop the leaked draft thing and all the madness that ensued and move on:

"I think just moving forward from things that were unfortunate is the best way to respond," Chief Justice John Roberts said in his first public comments since the court reversed Roe v. Wade last term, triggering demonstrations across the country. https://t.co/5hJBgUlgTf

— CNN (@CNN) September 10, 2022

Roberts said recently the “best way to respond” might be to just put it behind us:

Speaking to an audience of judges attending the 10th Circuit Bench and Bar Conference in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Roberts noted that the metal barricade that had been installed around the building is now down, and he announced that when the justices return to the bench to start a new term next month, the public will finally be able to attend arguments in person once again.
[…]
Acknowledging that the last year had been “difficult in many respects,” Roberts said he and his colleagues are working to move beyond it.

“I think just moving forward from things that were unfortunate is the best way to respond,” he said.

“Unfortunate”? That’s one way to put it.