Abortion Lawsuit Complains to Court About Arkansas’ Pro-Life Groups, Leaders
A pro-abortion lawsuit announced in Little Rock last week complains to the court about the effective pro-life work that Family Council, Arkansas Right to Life, and Arkansas’ many pro-life leaders have accomplished over the past several years.
Attorneys with Amplify Legal are representing plaintiffs who want to strike down Arkansas’ law that prohibits abortion except to save the life of the mother. Amplify Legal describes itself as “the litigation arm of Abortion in America.”
The group’s 86-page legal complaint challenging Arkansas’ abortion restrictions also specifically mentions the pro-life work of groups like Family Council and Arkansas Right to Life against a failed 2024 abortion amendment. The complaint says:
“[C]anvassers for the abortion amendment faced unique harassment and intimidation from anti-abortion advocates, including those with direct ties to Defendant Huckabee Sanders. Hundreds of volunteers from across the state as well as paid canvassers from a company called Verified Arkansas LLC (“Verified”) worked to collect signatures to put the amendment on the ballot. The canvassers faced verbal assaults and were often followed by protesters from organized groups, including Family Council Action Committee, Arkansas Right to Life, and Catholic Diocese of Little Rock. Another group, the Arkansas Family Council posted on its website the names and home cities of 79 paid canvassers hired by Verified.”
The lawsuit fails to mention that abortion amendment canvassers allegedly were promised $500 bonuses to provoke “altercations” with pro-lifers. It does not provide evidence of any “verbal assaults” that abortion amendment canvassers faced in 2024.
The lawsuit also fails to make it clear that the names and addresses of a ballot initiative’s donors and its paid canvassers are public records under Arkansas’ campaign laws and its transparency laws. The transparency helps voters know who is responsible for a ballot measure, and it helps ensure compliance with Arkansas’ other laws governing the initiative process.
It also does not address allegations that pro-abortion canvassers encouraged citizens to sign petitions more than once.
The lawsuit also complains about Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ strong, pro-life positions and about Attorney General Tim Griffin’s decision to send cease-and-desist letters to abortionists in other states promoting dangerous abortion drugs in Arkansas.
Governor Sanders has consistently issued statements affirming the sanctity of human life, and she has signed pro-life legislation from Arkansas’ General Assembly.
Besides taking action against out-of-state groups that ship abortion drugs into Arkansas, Attorney General Griffin has urged the federal government to help states like Arkansas enforce their pro-life laws.
Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin told media outlets last week that the lawsuit on its face appears to have little legal merit. Family Council agrees with the A.G.
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that states like Arkansas are free to enact laws restricting or prohibiting abortion. We are confident our courts ultimately will uphold Arkansas’ pro-life laws against this legal challenge.
Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.
