CARBONDALE, IL (KFVS) - SIU Carbondale Constitutional Law Professor Steven Macias says President Donald Trump's latest pick for the U.S. Supreme Court Justice will cause a conservative shift in the high court.
On Monday, President Trump announced his nominee for Supreme Court Justice -- Judge Brett Kavanaugh.
According to Macias, if the President's pick is confirmed to the high court, the move could have an impact on many social issues including abortion rights.
"Judge Kavanaugh is a relatively young man, so he's going to be on the court for quite a long time, maybe 20 or 30 years," says Macias. "It's not as though Judge Kavanaugh would be replacing a Justice who was completely and entirely pro-choice, but I think there is reason to suspect that he might be more conservative than Justice Kennedy."
Macias says there is nothing to indicate that Judge Kavanaugh would be "full blown" pro-choice member of the court.
"For those who care about abortion rights, for those who want to see abortion rights, constitutional abortion rights preserved, I think there is some reason to be concerned about Judge Kavanaugh," he said.
Macias says it's not clear that Kavanaugh would actually cast a vote to change current abortion laws.
"If Roe v Wade were to be overturned by a court that included Justice Kavanaugh, that would probably have very little impact in a state like Illinois," he said.
In 2017, Republican Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner signed a bill expanding abortion rights, but Macias points out surrounding states have not taken those legislative steps.
"In surrounding states Missouri, Indiana, Kentucky, I think all very likely to pass more restrictive laws if they are able to," Macias said.
Due to the seat being a conservative vacancy and not a liberal one, Macias said the change will not be as "monumental" of a shift.
Judge Brett Kavanaugh met with Senators on Tuesday, July 10.
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