McConnell demands SCOTUS leaker be 'punished'

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday blamed the left for the Supreme Court abortion leak and called for the perpetrator to be punished.

The Kentucky Republican's statement comes one day after Politico published a leaked Supreme Court majority opinion draft suggesting that the justices voted to reverse the abortion precedent set in Roe v. Wade.

Chief Justice John Roberts confirmed the draft's authenticity on Tuesday and said he has directed the "Marshal of the Court to launch an investigation into the source of the leak."

McConnell wrote on Twitter, "Last night's stunning breach was an attack on the independence of the Supreme Court. By every indication, this was yet another escalation in the radical left's ongoing campaign to bully and intimidate federal judges and substitute mob rule for the rule of law."

Political figures echoed his sentiment after the leak, including Harvard Law professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz and Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) who both told "Hannity" on Monday night they think the leak came from someone attempting to alter the court's ruling.

McConnell also condemned the statements from President Joe Biden, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), all of whom called on the court to uphold Roe v. Wade.

Their comments "play into this toxic spectacle," McConnell said, adding, "Real leaders should defend the Court's independence unconditionally."

The leak should be investigated and punished to the fullest extent of the law, he stressed.

"The Chief Justice must get to the bottom of it and the Department of Justice must pursue criminal charges if applicable," McConnell said.

He concluded by urging the justices to ignore the outcry.

"All nine Justices should tune out the bad-faith noise and feel totally free to do their jobs following the facts and the law where they lead," he said.