Friends, I have something to share with you.
We just took a step we have never taken before at Vitae Foundation.
Today, together along with Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America (SBA) and Thomas More Society (TMS), Vitae Foundation took a stand against the abortion industry by filing an Amicus Brief in the State of Missouri at the Cole County Courthouse, where our national office is located.
You may be asking yourself, “What is an Amicus Brief?”
Derived from the Latin term, Amicus Curiae, which translates as “friend of the court” Amicus Briefs are filed by parties not involved with the case and serve to provide the court with context that the parties cannot. Amicus Briefs are typically filed in cases with wide public interest such as human rights, civil liberties, etc.
So, here’s why we’re stepping in with filing the Amicus Brief—
The case originally came about when retired physician Anna Fitz-James, on behalf of Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, filed eleven proposed ballot measures to amend the Missouri Constitution, which if enacted, would legalize painful, late-term abortions—including right up until the moment of birth—for virtually any reason.
In Missouri, after the initiative petitions are filed, they are sent to the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, and the Auditor to determine the content and financial impact of the measures.
Attorneys with the ACLU of Missouri who are representing Anna Fitz-James filed a lawsuit which proposed that the statutory plan for writing summary statements for ballot measures be dismantled, and that she should write her own explanation of what will be on the ballot—with no public comment or oversight from government officials elected by the voters.
Wait… What?? Yes, you read that correctly.
With this lawsuit, the ACLU is attempting to undermine our ballot proposal process to allow them to write their own titles and descriptions that will then be delivered to Missouri Voters. This will not just affect the abortion issue but could potentially set a precedent for future initiatives to bypass state officials’ oversight.
For anyone who knows the patterns of the abortion industry, this isn’t terribly surprising. As part of our filing, we showed evidence of their deceitful tactics with one of our exhibits, filed with the brief.
We also highlighted our research in the Amicus Brief filing. In each study we’ve done, the same themes appear. The abortion industry:
- intentionally withholds critical information from women to protect their interests;
- teaches women to keep essential information secret from medical professionals to protect their interests;
- omits information about the chemical abortion process to protect their interests; and
- doesn’t explain the risks of this mentally, physically, and emotionally invasive procedure to protect their interests.
Today, the abortion industry with the help of the ACLU wants to withhold information from Missouri Voters to protect their interests. I often say, “People who have nothing to hide, hide nothing.” I think that definitely applies here.
I hope you can see why we decided to step in to do something in our home state.
Vitae Foundation joined SBA, and TMS in filing the brief to defend voters and proclaim truth to change the culture. The broad definition of “Reproductive Freedom” in the initiative petitions is intentionally deceptive by failing to identify the true consequences if they passed, in that they would gut existing laws protecting women and preborn children. The language in the proposed amendments misleads the voter by failing to explain that they would eliminate even the most basic medical and safety protections when it comes to abortion and will enable non-doctors to perform abortions, further endangering women.
For the past thirty years and over nine research studies, Vitae Foundation has spoken to countless women who have had firsthand experiences with abortion. These women voluntarily explain the deceitful tactics used by the abortion industry to push them to make the decision to abort without having all of the facts.
We could not allow the same thing to happen to Missouri voters.
The citizens of Missouri are depending on their state government officials to ensure they receive accurate information about these important issues so they can make an informed and confident decision on the ballot.
You might be wondering why they chose to do this in Missouri.
Well, we have a long history of protecting the preborn in our state, and we were the first state to make abortion illegal after the Dobbs Decision. They would love to reverse all of the hard work pro-life advocates have labored on for years here in Missouri, and the abortion industry is willing to stoop to any low to make it happen, including the same deceitful messaging tactics we have seen throughout the years. They desperately want to win Missouri over as a radical pro-abortion state so they can set up a plan to continue picking each state off one by one throughout the country, coming for our values and our culture of life. Missouri is just a pawn in their game.
I don’t know about you, but I refuse to be a pawn. If you’re as fired up as I am about this, I hope you’re asking yourself what you can do.
The bench trial will take place in Jefferson City at the Cole County Courthouse on June 7, 2023. Until then, please meet the Lord in prayer and pray for Judge Jon Beetem that he will ensure our voices and the voices of those women and babies harmed by abortion are heard.
For Life,
