Justice Gorsuch: Investigation on Supreme Court leak could wrap up soon

Sept. 9 (UPI) -- Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch said that the court's investigation into the leaker of the opinion that overruled Roe vs. Wade could be completed soon.

Speaking at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit's semiannual Bench & Bar Conference in Colorado, Gorsuch said the leak was a threat to the judicial decision-making process.

"Improper efforts to influence judicial decision-making, from whatever side, from whomever, are a threat to the judicial decision-making process and inhibit our capacity to communicate with one another," Gorsuch said.

A draft version of the ruling in Dobbs vs. Jackson Women's Health Organization was leaked in May to Politico. That draft showed that the court would vote to overturn Roe, which it ended up doing. The decision returned the issue of abortion to the states.

Many Republican-led states already have taken steps to limit abortion rights and even eliminate the procedure and criminalize doctors who perform one.

Chief Justice John Roberts had announced an investigation into the leak, which would be by an internal committee.

"That committee has been busy and we're looking forward to their report, I hope soon," Gorsuch said.

None of the justices have spoken publicly on the report, but there have been reports that clerks and other court personnel were asked to turn over phone records.

It is unclear how extensive or successful that effort has been, according to the Washington Post.