It’s pretty well known that former Congressman Steve Driehaus is suing the Susan B. Anthony List for allegedly lying about his record as a “pro-life” politician.
The SBA-List accused Driehaus in a series of ads that he voted for federal funding of abortion in Obamacare – an accusation that I, along with the President of Planned Parenthood who called Obama’s order a “symbolic gesture,” a Department of Justice Attorney Laurence Tribe who called it merely a “signing statement on steroids,” and with the National Right to Life and the USCCB all agree.
But as George Will wrote, “A judge has ruled that his suit against the SBA List, charging “substantial economic and reputational harm” due to defamation, can go to trial. The SBA List is challenging the constitutionality of the false statement law.”
So let’s go with the logic a bit. If Driehaus can sue for “substantial harm” due to the actions of the SBA-List, why can’t pro-lifers sue Driehaus for alleged “harm” because of his telling pro-lifers that he wouldn’t vote for abortion funding.
All those pro-lifers can argue that they donated to Driehaus specifically for the purpose of having him vote against abortion. And then he turned around and voted for federal funding of abortion, according to many.
We can also certainly argue that we’ve been hurt due to being forced to pay for abortions in the future. And hey, if we need standing in the court, we’ll just say as “former fetuses” we’re suing on behalf of the unborn who will never get a chance to sue Driehaus themselves.
After that we’ll get to Bob Casey, Bart Stupak and…
November 17, 2011 at 3:13 pm
And remember to tell the judge what you did first
November 17, 2011 at 5:45 pm
I am from what was his district. if I ever met him, I would ask him whether whatever the party promised him was worth his soul.
November 19, 2011 at 10:27 am
JUDGE FINDS NO TAXPAYER FUNDING OF ABORTION IN HEALTH CARE REFORM BILL
SBA List's Motion to Dismiss Denied
August 1, 2011, Washington DC – Today, Judge Timothy S. Black ruled that there was no taxpayer funding of abortion in the health care reform bill dismissing the Susan B. Anthony List's motion for summary judgment in former Congressman Steve Driehaus' defamation lawsuit against the SBA List. At issue is whether or not the SBA List's accusations against Congressman Driehaus during the 2010 Election "inflicted grievous harm to his reputation, including his character and personal integrity, subjected him to public contempt and hatred, and adversely affected him in his profession as a public servant."
"It was unfortunate that a vote for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) was mischaracterized as a pro-abortion vote and used as a partisan tool to defeat pro-life Democrats, like Steve Dreihaus." said Kristen Day, Executive Director of Democrats For Life of America. "The ruling will not correct the injustices done to good Members, like Steve, but it also vindicates the other pro-life Members who were also unjustly targeted, including Sen. Bob Casey (PA), Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper (PA), Rep. Jerry Costello (IL), Rep. Joe Donnelly (IN), Rep. Brad Ellsworth (IN), Rep. Paul Kanjorski (PA), Rep. Dale Kildee (MI) Rep. Alan Mollohan (WV), Sen. Ben Nelson (NE), Rep. Jim Oberstar (MN), Rep. Nick Rahall (WV), Rep. Bart Stupak (MI) and Rep. Charlie Wilson (OH)."
At the heart of the debate is whether accusations by the SBA List that Congressman Driehaus voted for taxpayer funding of abortion is protected speech. The Ohio Election Commission found probable cause that the SBA List "violated two of Ohio's false statement laws". The SBA List ignored the Ohio Election Commission ruling and continued their effort to flood his district with their message. The SBA List contends that their statements, whether they are true or false, are protected speech because it was their "opinion" not "fact".
Judge Black disagreed and found that, "because each allegedly defamatory statement was expressly referred to as "a fact" or "the truth," any reasonable reader would understand that the taxpayer funded statements conveyed information of a factual nature." He pointed to several SBA List communications that reaffirmed that their accusations about taxpayer funding of abortion were facts, not merely their opinion.