Supreme Court Rules For Abortion Protesters In Civil Disobedience Case (RICO)

Associated Press / SFGate ^

[RCW2001]

The Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that a federal racketeering law was improperly used to punish aggressive anti-abortion protesters, a major victory for people who regularly block clinic doors.

The court's 8-0 ruling applies to protests of all sorts, not just at clinics.

[Desdemona]

One of my favorite pictures. Thanks.

[WriteOn]

hooray!

[Poohbah]

According to NOW's brief in this case, one didn't need to enter the clinic (legally or otherwise) to be an extortionist. All a protester needed to do was conduct a protest which "delayed" or "impeded" a pregnant woman seeking an abortion. That protest could have been entirely non-violent and conducted on public property; as far as NOW was concerned, it was still "extortion".

It is, when you get down to it. It's right up there with picket lines that attempt to impede law-abiding customers from entering a store.

Don't pretend that it's somehow perfectly legal activity that's only under attack because abortion is allowed. You are not allowed to prevent people from moving onto or off of public property.

Incidentally, much, perhaps all, of the evidence alleging violence on the part of Joe Scheidler in this case was perjured.

Is that a finding of fact? Have any criminal charges been filed?

In particular, a woman who testified about being beaten up by pro-lifers later bragged about being paid thousands of dollars by NOW to testify, and the "minister" who allegedly "saved" her from the protesters is apparently fictional.

Fine. File criminal charges and let's see where this goes.

I've seen Joe Scheidler's work at first hand. He has a habit of using his size to intimidate people. One of these days, someone's going to take him at his body language and exercise their 2nd Amendment rights at him.

[2timothy3.16]

Pro-life Christian Friends,

Please join me in commanding satan, in the name of Jesus the Almighty, to relinquish control of Chancellor-Palpatine-One-Particular-Harbor.

Could I be so bold as to suggest a bit of Scripture that I feel might be relevant to this?

Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works: 2nd Timothy 4:14

And a comment if I may: Sometimes, it would seem, we are to simply give them up to God, to just say, "Lord, deal with this person will you?"

[Mat_Helm]

Good news and a good beginning to ending the infanticide and murder of innocent children. Keep praying for the culture of death to end and pray for wisdom for youndg people to cherrish all life.

[nicmarlo]

Hooyah! 8-0 ruling favoring protestors.....!

[jwalsh07]

No, what is being said is that RICO and the Hobbs Act can not be used to silence speech.

Criminal misconduct is the purview of localities and states, not the great government in the sky.

RICO and the Hobbs Act do not "obtain".

[Artist]

This is GREAT news!!!

You made my day with that ping.

[dirtboy]

Hey, what is this.... { blink, blink } GOOD news on the life-issues front?

And the First Amendment front, as well as the 4th Amendment. A good day all around.

[Poohbah]

There is an issue of competing harms here. Forcing the 9-year-old to bring a child to term is, to put it mildly, reckless endangerment--the odds do not favor a successful delivery and, indeed, do not favor the mother's suriving the attempt. Is the unborn child's life more important than the mother's life?

[MissBaby]

Huge victory for the law and correction to the misuse of RICO statutes by activists lower courts.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

How many people do you plan to demonize this way - to the point of even running off folks who are in basic agreement with you? I can tell you that at this moment, several people are looking askance at these rants, both male and female, and are forming negative opinions.

[Poohbah]

"Criminal misconduct is the purview of localities and states, not the great government in the sky."

Be careful what you wish for.

[Campion]

Don't pretend that it's somehow perfectly legal activity that's only under attack because abortion is allowed. You are not allowed to prevent people from moving onto or off of public property.

You are not allowed to prohibit people from expressing their opinion in a non-violent way on public property because you disagree with it, or because it threatens your business, etc.

Is that a finding of fact? Have any criminal charges been filed?

That would have been the next step had NOW won.

I've seen Joe Scheidler's work at first hand. He has a habit of using his size to intimidate people.

How awful.

One of these days, someone's going to take him at his body language and exercise their 2nd Amendment rights at him.

There's no 2nd Amendment right to commit murder.

[Khepera]

If you were familiar with the English language you would clearly see he did not call you satin. He did ask for satin to release you from his grasp since you are clearly possesed or guided by satin.

Since you obviously do not understand or you willfully twist meanings it is no wonder you have issues with many concepts of right and wrong that others find so clear.

Your ignorance is only overwhelmed by you stubborn efforts at rejecting the truth.

[firewalk]

Thanks for the ping Nic

[Poohbah]

ME: "Is that a finding of fact? Have any criminal charges been filed?"

YOU: "That would have been the next step had NOW won."

Perjury is a criminal act regardless of whether NOW had won or not. Why are you so afraid of the criminal justice system scrutinizing your complaint?

Could it be that your complaint is bogus?

ME: "I've seen Joe Scheidler's work at first hand. He has a habit of using his size to intimidate people."

YOU: "How awful."

Yes. It's awful. It's the tactic of a schoolyard bully.

ME: "One of these days, someone's going to take him at his body language and exercise their 2nd Amendment rights at him."

YOU: "There's no 2nd Amendment right to commit murder."

If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck...maybe it shouldn't wander around loose during duck season.

If Scheidler looks and acts like he's threatening violence against someone, shooting him is self-defense, not murder.

[Poohbah]

You are not allowed to prohibit people from expressing their opinion in a non-violent way on public property because you disagree with it, or because it threatens your business, etc.

Blocking access to or from public property is not nonviolent expression of opinion.

[miltonim]

 

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Joseph M. Scheidler is National Director of the Pro-Life Action League, a national pro-life educational and activist organization headquartered in Chicago. The League is dedicated to saving lives through activism and to bringing the abortion issue to the public via the media. It has been said that Joseph Scheidler defined pro-life direct action.

Scheidler was called the Green Beret of the pro-life movement by syndicated columnist Patrick Buchanan. His book on his methods of fighting abortion, titled CLOSED: 99 Ways to Stop Abortion was updated in 1993, and he has produced the videos, "Meet the Abortion Providers," and "Abortion: the Inside Story," featuring former abortionists who are now telling the truth about what goes on in the abortion clinics.

Joe is a stimulating and controversial guest on radio and TV interviews and talk shows and has appeared on more than a thousand programs including: ABC News Nightline, Donahue, Crossfire, Face the Nation, Good Morning America, MacNeil/Lehrer Report and others. He has written many guest columns for newspapers such as USA Today and The Wanderer and has published articles in several national publications. He is currently featured in the national media as the chief defendant in a RICO lawsuit brought against him, the League and other pro-life activists by the National Organization for Women and two abortion clinics. The RICO case, NOW v. Scheidler, was filed in 1986. He originally won in the lower courts, but the case was sent back to the Federal Court by the Supreme Court in January, 1994. It went to trial March 2, 1998. Scheidler and the other defendants were found guilty of racketeering by a six-member jury. The finding will be appealed.

Mr. Scheidler is a dynamic speaker on the moral dimensions of the abortion issue and the effectiveness of direct action. He is a recognized expert in the following areas:

The Abortion Culture

Sidewalk Counseling

The Spiritual Dimension

Fetal Experimentation

Media

Church Responsibility

Battling the Courts

Return to Morality

The Pro-Life Action League publishes a quarterly newspaper, Action News, to keep its members abreast of new developments, pro-life successes and current projects. The office maintains an extensive library on pro-life subjects and can supply background information for reporters, legislators and educators. The league conducts a 24-hour news hotline, with a new message three times a week (773)-777-2525.

---

baby at 12 weeks

[BlessedBeGod]

8 to 0 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've been following this since the beginning!

Way to go, Joe !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!