A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction preventing New York Attorney General Letitia James from taking action against pregnancy clinics that promote abortion pill reversal on the grounds that it would restrict protected free speech. The lawsuit was filed by the Thomas More Society on behalf of two pro-life ministries, Summit Life Outreach Center and the Evergreen Association, who claimed that James had threatened prosecution against pregnancy centers for sharing information about abortion pill reversal, which James deemed as unproven. The judge, a Trump appointee, ruled that James cannot prevent the clinics from promoting abortion pill reversal on their websites and social media platforms.
The medication abortion procedure involves taking mifepristone followed by misoprostol, but pregnancy clinics have advised that those who change their minds and want to continue the pregnancy can do so by abandoning the second drug and taking doses of progesterone instead. In May, James filed lawsuits against 11 pregnancy centers that promoted abortion pill reversal, accusing them of engaging in fraud, deceptive business practices, and false advertising. Despite not being named in James’ lawsuit, Summit Life Outreach Center and the Evergreen Association said her targeting of other pregnancy centers had placed them at risk.
Barbara Bidak, the executive director of Summit Life Outreach Center, emphasized that her staff works tirelessly to provide life-affirming options for women in need. She expressed relief that a federal judge has recognized that James’ legal attacks on pro-life ministries are unconstitutional and violate their First Amendment right to share the message of Abortion Pill Reversal. Peter Breen of the Thomas More Society argued that the pro-life ministries have a constitutional right to share information about abortion pill reversal, and that their message is saving thousands of lives. The Thomas More Society is also representing the 11 clinics in a separate case, which saw a federal judge ruling that the clinics were protected by the First Amendment.
The ruling by the federal judge was welcomed by pro-life advocates who argue that pregnancy centers should be allowed to share information on abortion pill reversal, a procedure they believe can save lives. Peter Breen of the Thomas More Society stated that small nonprofits, which aim to compassionately serve women and offer them alternatives to abortion, deserve to have their speech protected and not censored by Attorney General James. James had accused the pregnancy centers of spreading dangerous misinformation by promoting abortion pill reversal without medical and scientific proof. This back-and-forth legal battle highlights the ongoing debate surrounding abortion and free speech rights in the United States.
The fight between the pro-life ministries and the New York Attorney General is part of a larger national conversation on reproductive rights and the role of pregnancy clinics in providing information about abortion options. The judge’s decision to grant a preliminary injunction in favor of the pro-life ministries is seen as a victory for free speech advocates and a blow to efforts to restrict information about abortion pill reversal. It remains to be seen how this legal battle will ultimately play out, but for now, the pro-life ministries have been granted some protection against threats of prosecution by the Attorney General.
