A Texas judge reportedly sided with pro-abortionist Planned Parenthood on Friday in a case filed against pro-life group Texas Right To Life despite the abortion ban already in place in the state since last week.
Pro-life organization Texas Right To Life announced in Twitter that the District Court of Travis County for the 53rd Judicial District in Texas released a Temporary Restraining Order against them. Granted by Judge Amy Clark Meachum, the TRO expires on September 17 while the preliminary injunction hearing is scheduled four days earlier.
"To be clear: Today Planned Parenthood affiliates in TX received a TRO against Texas Right to Life only. The order from the Travis Co Judge DOES NOT stop other individuals not associated or working with TRTL from suing the abortion giant," Texas Right To Life tweeted on Saturday.
To be clear: Today Planned Parenthood affiliates in TX received a TRO against Texas Right to Life only. The order from the Travis Co Judge DOES NOT stop other individuals not associated or working with TRTL from suing the abortion giant. https://t.co/eIddl8b7Tn #prolife #txlege
"” Texas Right to Life (Text ProLife to 40237) (@TXRightToLife) September 4, 2021
As per the statement released by the Texas Right To Life, Planned Parenthood filed the lawsuit to stop them from using the newly-implemented Texas Heartbeat Act or commonly known as Senate Bill 8. Planned Parenthood alleged that they "stopped committing abortions in Texas" because of SB8 that the TRTL have spearheaded in lobbying in the state's legislature and through their website.
"Planned Parenthood affiliates sued Texas Right to Life, our Legislative Director John Seago, and 100 unnamed individuals on Thursday in an attempt to stop us from suing them under the Texas Heartbeat Act. The petition filed on September 2 cites Texas Right to Life's work in spearheading the policy in the state Legislature and our Pro-Life whistleblower website as reasons why they have stopped committing abortions in Texas," Texas Right To Life announced.
CBN News highlighted that though SB8 will mostly affect the number of abortions in Texas, the law nonetheless reminds the rest of the country about the life inside the womb where 3,000 of which are terminated each day through abortions.
The TRO specifies that it prevents "any and all parties and persons in active concert nd participation with them, from instituting any private enforcement lawsuits against" Planned Parenthood, which is one of the unique features of the Texas Heartbeat Act.
Pro-life groups and advocates celebrated on Wednesday the implementation of SB8 after Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union's attempt of blocking it was rejected by the United States Supreme Court. SB8 bans abortions where a heartbeat has been detected for pregnancies six weeks onwards and has a provision that allows anyone to file a lawsuit against the facility or practioner who conducted an abortion.
In the TRO, Judge Meachum ruled that SB8 is damaging to Planned Parenthood and that "money damages are insufficient" to compensate for it. Meachum defended that her decision suffices considering the "controversy" on SB8 as "precedent from the Supreme Court of Texas."
"The Court finds that S.B.8 creates a probable, irreparable, and imminent injury in the interim for which Plaintiffs and their physicians, staff, and patients throughout Texas have no adequate remedy at law if Plaintiffs, their physicians, and staff are subjected to private enforcement lawsuits against them under S.B. 8.," the TRO said.
"Money damages are insufficient to undo the injury to Plaintiffs, their physicians, and staff if the Defendants are not enjoined from instituting private enforcement lawsuits against Plaintiff under SB8," it continued, "Conversely, the Defendants will not be harmed if the Court restrains them and anyone in active concert and participation with them from instituting private enforcement lawsuits under S.B. 8 against Plaintiffs, their physicians, and staff."
Despite the TRO, Texas Right to Life Vice President Elizabeth Graham disclosed that they remain "undaunted" and will continue in saving lives each day--both the unborn's and their mother's.
"This lawsuit will not stop the work of Texas Right to Life. Estimates are that approximately 150 babies per day are being saved because of Texas Right to Life's leadership on the Texas Heartbeat Act. Planned Parenthood can keep suing us, but Texas Right to Life will never back down from protecting pregnant women and preborn children from abortion," Graham said.
