Following the announcement that an investigation by the Supreme Court was unable to determine who leaked the draft opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, Rep. William Timmons (SC-04), along with Reps. Joe Wilson (SC-02), Jeff Duncan (SC-03), Ralph Norman (SC-05), Nancy Mace (SC-01), Russell Fry (SC-07), Robert Aderholt (AL-04), Christopher Smith (NJ-04), Michael Guest (MS-03), and Randy Weber (TX-14) introduced the Leak and Lose Act to punish leaks of Supreme Court opinions or draft opinions with a $5,000 fine and permanent forfeiture of admission to practice before all Federal courts.

“The leak of a draft Supreme Court opinion to the media was a dangerous affront to the highest court in the land and the very bedrock of our judicial system,” said Rep. William Timmons (SC-04). “We must take action to ensure something like this never happens again. My legislation, the Leak and Lose Act, will help deter any future leaks and ensure the Supreme Court can continue to uphold the rule of law free from any political pressure.”

Background:

The Leak and Lose Act of 2023 states:

“Whoever willfully and unlawfully conceals, removes, mutilates, obliterates, or destroys, or attempts to do so, or, with intent to do so takes and carries away (including electronically) from a building in which the Supreme Court conducts business, any opinion or draft opinion of a case being heard by the Supreme Court, prior to the date on which such opinion is published by the Supreme Court, shall be fined $5000, and if applicable, shall forfeit their admission to all Federal courts and shall be ineligible for admission to a Federal court for the remainder of their life.”

The full text of the bill may be found here.