Posted on 06/18/2002 7:02:50 AM PDT by oneday
WASHINGTON DC—CCN News In January of this year the US Attorney General, John Ashcroft, was granted a federal injunction against Rev. Patrick Mahoney and six other pro-lifers to keep them off the public sidewalks near DC abortion clinics. This order was issued as hundreds of thousands of pro-lifers are traveling to Washington DC for the 29th annual March for Life.
A similar injunction was brought by Janet Reno and the Clinton Administration, but that injunction was thrown out by the 2nd Circuit Federal Court of Appeals. Now Ashcroft has asked for and received a 20-foot stay-away order, slightly modifying what Reno did.
The actions against Rev. Mahoney stem from 1998 when Rev. Mahoney prayed on a public sidewalk in front of a Washington abortion clinic (that clinic is now closed). The then Attorney General, Janet Reno, filed federal charges against Rev. Mahoney and six other pro-lifers saying that they had intimidated women seeking abortions. Despite the fact that no women seeking abortions, nor any staff, nor owner of the abortion clinic had filed a complaint, Reno took action against the pro-lifers on behalf of the federal government. In this unprecedented action Reno made the United States of America the plaintiff, the "injured party," in a claim against peaceful pro-life demonstrators.
Rev. Mahoney told CCN, "We came to expect Janet Reno to use the courts to silence peaceful protest and even prayers made in front of abortion clinics. It was an abuse of power, and the injunction was overturned, but that was how things were under the Clinton Administration."
The stay-away order was requested and written by John Ashcroft. Once again no abortion clinic filed for the injunction, the order was at the sole request of Ashcroft. "We are absolutely stunned," says Mahoney. "Why does the Bush Administration want to keep me from peacefully praying on a public sidewalk near an abortion clinic?"
"For Attorney General Ashcroft to use the weight of the Justice Department to keep peaceful pro-lifers from praying on a public sidewalk is an abuse of power," says Mahoney. "When Reno did it, it was found to be unconstitutional, and I am confident what Ashcroft has done is equally unconstitutional." Rev. Patrick Mahoney says he plans on testing this injunction by praying on a public sidewalk in front of a Washington DC abortion clinic on Thursday, June 20, 2002. He could serve up to six months in jail for violating this court order. ------------------ Rev. Patrick Mahoney, the director of the Washington DC based Christian Defense Coalition, may be reached for comment at 540-373-8099
Minister to Challenge Ashcroft Injunction Barring Peaceful Free Speech Contributed by CCNWashDC on Monday, June 17 @ 13:47:26 EDT
Christian Defense Coalition News Release: For immediate release. Attention: Assignment editor June 17, 2002
Minister to Challenge Ashcroft Injunction Barring Peaceful Free Speech on Public Sidewalks Outside of Abortion Clinics.
Rev. Patrick Mahoney May Face Six Months In Jail For Praying on a Public Sidewalk in Front of a Washington, DC. Planned Parenthood Clinic.
Mahoney Questions the Bush Administration's Commitment to Civil Liberties, the First Amendment and the Pro-life Movement.
A News Conference Will Be Held Tuesday, June 18th, At 1:00 P.M., in Front of The Department of Justice on Pennsylvania Avenue Side.
Mahoney to Pray at Planned Parenthood, Thursday, June 20th, at 12:00 P.M. (Located at 1108 16th Street NW.)
For More Information Contact: Rev. Mahoney at 202.547.1735
A very good question.
If you don't like the law, get congress to eliminate it or get the courts to overturn it. Until then dont be surprised when the Justice Department enforces it.
Duh? Because its the law of the land?
If Reno's injunction was thrown out by the appeals court and Ashcroft's has yet to pass court scrutiny, what established law is being violated?
Because the Bush administration knew America was shocked by the Clinton scandles, and saw that Christianity would be what America was craving at the ballot box - the opposite of Clinton.
Bush does a good immitation of a Christian, but his deeds and the deeds of those around him tell another story.
Bush and his team give speeches praising God, but they turn around and hire sodomites, silence pro-life, aid the Satanic public school system, do nothing about Christian oppression and their right to free expression, aid the political correctness thought police through the UN (although his mouth says otherwise), holds the tax payers in further bondage through taxation for all the new money he's been spending.
It's all a political show by a group of politicians for the votes and poll numbers.
"By their fruits you will know them." His rightousness does NOT exceed that of the pharoes.
They've also passed "shut up and sit down" CFR, also unconstitutional. They're just politicians in sheeps clothing. Nothing more.
Do not be decieved by words because politicians can twist, distort and decieve with them.
Their deeds tell the real story.
When Reno did it, it was found to be unconstitutional,
Ashcroft is disobeying the law of the land. The court has spoken on the matter.
They're just politicians after the Democrat vote, at the expence of their base.
Decieving? Sure. Rightous? No way.
OMG! Same here. Put the money where it will do some good. "Well done, faithful servant."
Perhaps you yourself wouldn't mind being run in yourself for driving 66 MPH in a 65MPH? Hey -- just the "Law of the Land, Bub -- RIGHT??
If you were trying to get into my house, in order to murder me, and someone came along and unlocked the door, knowing that a murder was about to occur, that person would be an accomplice to the murder.
When Ashcroft does anything that removes an obstacle that is preventing an abortion, he is acting as an accomplice to that homicide.
The defense "I am just enforcing the law of the land" is just the defense "I vas chust opeying orderss," but in slightly different words.
Any command or any pretense of a law that requires the commission of a crime must be disobeyed. The "law of the land" that Ashcroft is obeying requires him to act as an accomplice to homicide. In obeying or enforcing "the law," Ashcroft is commiting crimes.
I note first how you trivialize the evil currently embodied in the law. "If you don't LIKE the law..." is like saying, "If you don't LIKE death camps, wait for the law to change; until then, obey the guards, because they are just enforcing the law."
Some 43 million Americans are DEAD because of "the law." Every cop, every D.A., every judge, who has assisted in enforcing "the law" that makes abortion "legal," has made himself into a willing accomplice to multiple homicides, because he has removed or deterred people who would have interfered with homicides. Those crimes are DONE. They can never be "taken back" or undone.
The U.S. Government will either start protecting innocent babies from homicide, or it will cease to exist. The situation that exists now, in which every federal and state officer of the law is required to be an accomplice to homicides, cannot endure permanently. Requiring criminal behavior is the very definition of a criminal, tyrannical reqime. It will not last.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.