A Major Ruling on Abortion

<p>The Supreme Court on Monday struck down a Louisiana law that could have left the state with a single abortion clinic. It was a setback for conservatives in the first major ruling on abortion since two Trump appointees joined the bench. We examine the implications for future challenges, and why — for the third time in two weeks — Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. sided with his four more liberal colleagues.</p><p>Guest: Adam Liptak, who covers the Supreme Court for The Times.</p><p>For more information on today’s episode, visit <a href="http://nytimes.com/thedaily" target="_blank">nytimes.com/thedaily </a></p><p>Background reading: </p><ul><li>Chief Justice Roberts also<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/29/us/supreme-court-abortion-louisiana.html?smid=pc-thedaily" target="_blank"> voted with the court’s liberal wing</a> in rulings on<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/16/podcasts/the-daily/supreme-court-lgbtq.html?smid=pc-thedaily" target="_blank"> job discrimination against L.G.B.T.Q. workers</a> and on<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/18/podcasts/daca-supreme-court-dreamers.html?smid=pc-thedaily" target="_blank"> a program protecting young immigrants</a>.</li><li>The ruling on Monday stalled anti-abortion momentum for now, but the movement<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/29/us/june-medical-supreme-court.html?smid=pc-thedaily" target="_blank"> has a long pipeline of new cases</a>.</li><li>Justice Stephen G. Breyer wrote that the Louisiana law was “almost word-for-word identical” to<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/28/us/supreme-court-texas-abortion.html?smid=pc-thedaily" target="_blank"> a law from Texas, which the court struck down</a> in 2016.</li></ul>