CV NEWS FEED // The Thomas More Society filed a federal lawsuit on Aug. 7 against New York Attorney General Letitia James on behalf of two pregnancy help organizations, accusing James of unconstitutional actions aimed at shutting down Abortion Pill Reversal (APR) services.
The Thomas More Society reports that the lawsuit, filed by their attorneys in the United States District Court in Rochester/Buffalo, New York, claims that James’s actions violate the First and Fourteenth Amendments by engaging in viewpoint discrimination and intimidation against organizations that promote the pro-life message.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of two New York-based nonprofit pregnancy help organizations, Summit Life Outreach Center and The Evergreen Association. The complaint accuses James of using threats and intimidation to silence organizations that share information about APR, arguing that her actions have unlawfully restricted their free speech by targeting their message on APR’s safety and effectiveness.
Summit and Evergreen provide information on APR to women who have taken mifepristone, which is the initial pill in a chemical abortion, but later decide to reverse the process. APR gives these women an opportunity to attempt to save their unborn child even after starting the abortion procedure.
However, due to fear of harassment and legal action by the New York Attorney General, the Thomas More Society reports, both organizations have reduced or avoided promoting APR on their social media platforms and websites.
This is not the first legal action James has taken against pregnancy help organizations. As CatholicVote reported previously, she has also filed a lawsuit against Heartbeat International and a collective of nonprofit pregnancy help organizations in New York, accusing them of making “misleading statements” about APR.
Peter Breen, Executive Vice President and Head of Litigation at the Thomas More Society, warned against James’ blatantly biased use of her power.
“Ms. James is on a witch-hunt to silence our pro-life ministries and shut down their constitutionally protected speech,” he said. “Abortion Pill Reversal gives women a second chance to choose life—a life-saving option that Ms. James seems to think pregnant women are not entitled to choose.”
