Last Tuesday, a judge rejected the lawsuit brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James against a pro-life business from upstate New York to Manhattan. Her petition follows Heartbeat International’s complaint against James for politically motivated targeting of childbirth aid facilities.
James is suing Heartbeat International and a number of other related maternity help centers because he has a history of using the justice system to defame pro-life activists. She claims that these organizations made “false and deceptive statements” regarding the reversal of abortion pills ( APR ). The first of two tablets in a chemical pregnancy regimen, mifepristone, is the first of two pills in a process called APR. While James argues that APR is no FDA- approved or supported by some health organizations, numerous organizations, experts, and studies have demonstrated its effectiveness for women who change their minds about molecular abortion. Giving information to people constitutes fraud and misleading advertising in contravention of state laws, according to James.
Both events agreed to combine the competing claims. Heartbeat International requested convergence in northern Monroe County, where the first lawsuit was filed, as this would be a wise move because the majority of the pro-life companies involved are based northern. In addition to her business located across the street from the Monroe County courthouse, James ‘ main office is located north in Albany.
But, James filed an order with the judge to move the event from eastern Monroe County to Manhattan in a distinct try to find the best possible abortion control. In their judge processing, Heartbeat International’s lawyers refuted James ‘ outrageous demand, saying:”…
Instead of yielding to this reasonable compromise ,]James ] seeks to block this already- in- development situation, so she can try to combine it into her later- filed event in New York County, a highly difficult ( and much more expensive ) venue, where none of the Plaintiffs are representative. ]James’s ] litigation techniques smack of flagrant forum shopping: New York County has no connection to this discussion or any of the Claimants. ]James ] concedes that most of the Plaintiffs are Upstate. ( See NYSCEF Doc. No. 13, at 4.) Moreover, even]James ] herself appears not to be “resident” in New York County, as the Appellate Division has previously held that the Attorney General’s “principal offices” are in Albany, not Manhattan.
James ‘ absurd move to Manhattan was overruled by New York Supreme Court Justice Sam Valleriani on May 24. The two complaints were combined, with Monroe County acting as the case’s proper place.  ,
Peter Breen, Executive Vice President & Head of Litigation at the Thomas More Society, the not-for-profit law firm representing Heartbeat International and the engaged pregnancy aid locations, viewed this action as a win against James.  ,
Letitia James has attempted to illegally intimidate and harass New York’s pregnancy aid organizations into silence, threatening them with legal action if they continue to deliver their honest message regarding abortion reversal, according to Breen in a statement. We are pleased that Monroe County’s Court made the decision to combine the cases and hear them in Rochester, the “most fair, appropriate, and logistically convenient venue,” rather than Manhattan, which has no connection to the case.
Monroe Harless is a summer intern at The Federalist. She recently received degrees in journalism and political science from the University of Georgia.
