Vice President Kamala Harris attacked the conservative-controlled Supreme Court on Wednesday, warning that its future decisions could limit a broad range of civil rights and personal freedoms for many Americans.
In an interview with The New York Times, she expanded on her criticism of the court’s decision to overturn federally guaranteed abortion rights in 2022, going beyond President Biden’s past comments to raise direct alarms about Justice Clarence Thomas and the broader direction of the court.
“This court has shown itself to be an activist court,” said Ms. Harris, who previously served as California’s attorney general and as the district attorney of San Francisco. “I worry about fundamental freedoms across the board.”
Asked what specific legal precedents could be undone by the court, Ms. Harris demurred, saying she was “hesitant” to do so.
“I don’t want to, at this point, use my voice in a way that is alarmist,” she said. “But this court has made it very clear that they are willing to undo recognized rights.”
The interview, conducted after a campaign event focused on abortion rights in Pennsylvania, covered a range of issues related to the court, the 2024 election and the state of American abortion rights. Ms. Harris’s comments went beyond previous criticism of the country’s highest court by the Biden administration, though her remarks were far less scathing than the direct attacks made during the previous administration, when then-President Donald J. Trump went after Justice John Roberts.
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