New York attorney general named in abortion rights litigation

(The Center Square) – Two businesses have sued New York Attorney General Letitia James in federal court saying she has threatened, prosecuted and intimidated pregnancy help organizations.

James’ actions are labeled by lawyers as violations of the First and 14th Amendments. The Center Square was unsuccessful getting answers to questions from James, a $220,000 a year employee of the state who won in the 2022 midterms with 54.6% of the votes.

Central to the case is abortion pill reversal services. The nonprofits want to use them, and their legal representative says the attorney general has unconstitutionally tried to stop them.

The case is filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York, with demand for jury. Plaintiffs are Summit Life Outreach Center and the Evergreen Association, two New York nonprofits.

James is named as a defendant in her official capacity as the state’s attorney general.

Summit Life is in Niagara Falls and, a release from their counsel says, “has a religiously motivated mission of providing local women with information and resources about pregnancy that they often cannot secure from any other source.”

Evergreen operates Expectant Mother Care and EMC Frontline Pregnancy Centers in Yonkers and the Bronx. Lawyers say these nonprofits “operate on the belief that the Bible teaches that every human life is sacred, and that no woman should feel forced to have an abortion due to a lack of financial or emotional support.”

In a release, the Thomas More Society representing the pregnancy centers calls James’ actions a “witch hunt.”

“Letitia James is a vocal abortion advocate who has made no attempt to hide her deeply entrenched animus against pregnancy help organizations,” said Peter Breen, executive vice president and head of litigation for the society. “Ms. James is on a witch-hunt to silence our pro-life ministries and shut down their constitutionally protected speech about abortion pill reversal. Instead of praise for the compassionate support these pro-life ministries provide to communities in need, Ms. James has answered their selfless service with lawsuits and investigations.”

Breen says James’ tactics are “lawfare to silence those who disagree with her.”

“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,” Breen added. “With this federal lawsuit, we are once again going on the offense to put an end to Ms. James’ attacks on New York’s life-affirming ministries.”