In an email to supporters after the announcement of John Roberts’ nomination to the Supreme Court, Feminist Majority president Eleanor Smeal falsely suggests that Roe is in danger of being reversed for the second time since Sandra Day O’Connor’s resignation:

Let there be no mistake about it. The case most likely to be reversed or pivotal in the coming Supreme Court nomination fight is Roe v. Wade. But even some of our progressive friends tend to marginalize the abortion issue. We must rally the millions of women and men who support reproductive rights if Roe is to be saved.

…The Feminist Majority will continue to examine Roberts’ record, and it will demand that Senators not confirm Roberts unless he makes clear that he will not reverse Roe and civil rights for women, minorities, and the disabled.

But of course, Roe does not need to be “saved”; there will be five votes supporting Roe on the Court after Roberts is confirmed. And the weasel phrase “reversed or pivotal” allows Smeal to suggest that Roe will be reversed, but gives her an out (since it could be “pivotal” without being “reversed”).

What’s ironic is that Smeal used almost the same misleading language in her last email, yet FM sent out a correction to this one stating that “In the original version of this email, the Feminist Majority, we believe, incorrectly stated that John Roberts represented Hooters in a sex discrimination case. Also, at a rally today, which may be appearing on CSPAN, Ellie Smeal inadvertently also made this error. We regret the error.” It’s great that they corrected the error, but pretending that Roberts will cause the court to reverse Roe is far more misleading.