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A state district judge in New Orleans on Monday temporarily lifted Louisiana’s abortion ban until July 8, when the court will consider a legal challenge to the ban from a Shreveport abortion clinic, the clinic’s administrator and a medical student abortion rights organization based at Tulane University.
“Hoping to start procedures again tomorrow. We have patients here today for consults,” said Kathaleen Pittman, who runs the Shreveport abortion clinic, Hope Medical Group for Women, in an email Monday.
Pittman, as an individual, is one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit.
Attorney General Jeff Landry and Louisiana Department of Health Secretary Courtney Phillips, who serves under Gov. John Bel Edwards, are defendants in the lawsuit. Landry’s office said will represent the state and defend Louisiana’s abortion ban in court.
“It is unfortunate that there are those who continue to utilize confusion, misinformation, and deceit as scare tactics in the face of the recent SCOTUS Dobbs decision,” Landry wrote on Twitter Monday.
All Louisiana three clinics halted abortions last Friday, within hours of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning its 1973 Roe v. Wade opinion that entitled people to abortion access in all states. Louisiana has so-called “trigger laws” that were designed to automatically prohibit almost all abortion in the state based on that court decision.
Yet the Shreveport abortion clinic and other plaintiffs argue that Louisiana’s multiple, conflicting abortion bans are “vague” and do not make clear whether an abortion ban has taken effect, who enforces the ban and what the penalties are for performing illegal abortions.
Orleans Parish Civil District Judge Robin Giarrusso has only granted a temporary restraining order on the ban, meaning the court could put it back in place as early as July 8, when the first hearing on the case will be held.
The Shreveport clinic is checking with patients who were scheduled to have abortions this week to see if they are keeping their appointments, Pittman said. It will then try to “fill in” with those whose abortion appointments were canceled on Friday and Saturday, when the abortion ban was thought to be in place.
Louisiana Illuminator is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Louisiana Illuminator maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jarvis DeBerry for questions: info@lailluminator.com. Follow Louisiana Illuminator on Facebook and Twitter.
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'This is big': Former senator explains why Jan. 6 committee might have scheduled a last-minute hearing
June 27, 2022
The House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Congress revealed that they are holding an unexpected hearing on Tuesday at 1 p.m. EST. According to former Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO), this isn't normal and it likely means there's something significant happening.
"They've done a very good job exceeding expectations so I don't think they'll want to upset that track record," she began speaking to MSNBC's Nicolle Wallace on Monday. "So, you have to assume this is big because I will tell you one thing I know for sure having spent a lot of time in Washington, D.C., members of Congress don't show up three days before the Fourth of July weekend for just anything."
McCaskill went on to explain that there are only a few reasons that a committee would rush to get someone to testify the way that they are.
"This is either a witness that for some — because of a frailty, an illness, maybe perhaps, they're not sure of their ability to appear later or probable much more likely what Mike [Schmidt] just said," she said. "They're saying they'll do it now, but they're reluctant, so there is an effort to make sure they capture the live testimony while the iron is hot and while the witness says I will do it. Because they've had a lot of witnesses who have refused to give live testimony."
IN OTHER NEWS: Man who allegedly 'attacked' Rudy Giuliani has his charges downgraded
"So, I think that's probably what it is," she continued. "Now, this is the one time as a prosecutor I'm jealous of the committee members because obviously, you cannot put a witness on that the other side doesn't know about in a real trial. Surprise witnesses are only in rebuttal and then the other side has to have opened the door. So, I think this will pique interest with all of us and I don't think they would be piquing interest if they didn't think they could deliver something."
Wallace noted that the committee has set very high standards and they've met the mark each time. She cited Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), who made it clear that he's not interested in what the Justice Department may or may not do. His focus, he told ABC News, is that the democracy of America is at stake and he intends to do whatever it takes to save it.
See the exchange below or at this link.
Ex-Senator explains why 'you have to assume this is big' J6 committee holding last-minute hearing youtu.be
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A ShopRite worker who was arrested after he allegedly hit Rudy Giuliani in the back has had his charges downgraded, the New York Post reports.
Daniel Gill, 39, left a Staten Island Criminal Court after his arraignment Monday.
Gill, who has no previous criminal history, had his charges downgraded to third-degree assault, third-degree menacing, and second-degree harassment over the caught-on-camera attack inside the supermarket. He was initially charged with second-degree assault involving a person over age 65. He was allowed to be released on his own recognizance.
“It appears to be a tap on the back and not a slap,” Gill’s defense attorney, Susan Platis, had argued during his arraignment. “This is not criminal contact, it is very unlikely that the touch could have caused any injury. So to call this assault in the third, or even menacing, is a stretch.”
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Giuliani refused medical attention at the scene, but complained of swelling and “much more pain” due to the incident.
Security footage of the incident shows Gill come up behind Giuliani and slap him on the back before apparently exchanging words with him. While the slap doesn't seem to reflect Giuliani's account, he can been slightly lurching forward after Gill makes contact with his back. Giuliani has called for Gill to be locked up, saying he could have easily been killed if he’d been knocked to the floor.
“This guy should be in prison,” Giuliani said during a virtual press conference ahead of Gill’s court appearance, then later slammed the downgrading of charges, saying “finally, I thought we had a DA in New York in Staten Island who was a real DA in favor of protecting victims and not letting criminals go free.”
Giuliani claims the man said the former New York City mayor "kills women" due to his stance on abortion.
from gifs
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