Massachusetts and the Abortion Industry Ask Judge To Throw Out Our Vital Case Challenging Their Unlawful Attempt To Shut Down Pro-Life Pregnancy Resource Centers – Critical Court Hearing Scheduled

At the ACLJ, we’ve warned about the growing hostility toward pro-life organizations – especially in pro-abortion states like Massachusetts, where abortion activists hold enormous sway. Now, we’re directly confronting that hostility in court.

We filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of a Christian pro-life Pregnancy Resource Center (PRC) in Massachusetts. Our lawsuit is against Governor Maura Healey and Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein, as well as a prominent abortion lobbying group, Reproductive Equity Now, and its president, Rebecca Hart Holder, for launching what we believe is a coordinated, unconstitutional smear campaign aimed at shutting down pro-life resource centers, like our client, and promoting abortion-only messaging.

The defendants have tried to discredit our client by spreading false and misleading information – painting PRCs as deceptive and harmful simply because they don’t refer or perform abortions. But the truth is these centers provide compassionate, no-cost support to women facing unplanned pregnancies. That’s something worth defending.

What’s at Stake

This case is a battle not only to defend life but the First Amendment itself. The government should not be in the business of punishing or silencing viewpoints it doesn’t like. But that’s exactly what’s happening here. When the state uses its power to favor one side of the abortion debate while actively working to suppress the other by shutting them down and putting them out of business, that’s unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination.

Where Things Stand Now

At the end of last year, all the defendants filed motions to dismiss our case. For those unfamiliar with the term, a motion to dismiss is a legal request asking the court to throw out a case before it ever goes to trial – essentially arguing that, even if everything we’ve alleged is true, the law doesn’t allow the case to proceed. We strongly disagree.

We’ve filed legal arguments explaining why our case must go forward, and now we’ll have the opportunity to make those arguments in person. The judge has scheduled a hearing for May 8, where both sides will appear in court to argue whether the lawsuit should be dismissed or allowed to proceed.

This is a crucial moment. If the court denies the motions, we’ll move forward with discovery – gathering evidence, questioning witnesses, and exposing the truth behind this coordinated campaign against pro-life centers. But if the judge grants the motions and dismisses the case, we are fully prepared to appeal that decision – all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary.

We’re committed to seeing this fight through – because the rights of pro-life organizations to serve, speak, and stand for life are too important to let government overreach go unchecked.

Thank you for continuing to stand with us. We’ll keep you informed every step of the way.