Courtroom Update on Vital Sidewalk Counseling Case

Mar 12, 2020

Yesterday, Liberty Counsel was in court defending the rights of Pro-Lifers to pray in front of a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic.  Here's what happened...

We need YOUR help right now to keep Freedom of Speech FREE! – Select here to help fund Two Rivers vs. Cirignano

Left to Right: Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel, Larry Cirignano, Roger Gannam, Assistant Vice President of Legal Affairs, & Peggy Nienaber, Vice President of Faith & Liberty

Two Rivers Charter Public School is attempting to protect Planned Parenthood by suing our client, Larry Cirignano. You see, the school (and Planned Parenthood) doesn't want pro-lifers like Larry praying or holding a sign on the public sidewalk where the abortion clinic sits between the elementary and middle schools.

It is shocking that a school entrusted with the care of young children would welcome and fight for a Planned Parenthood abortion facility to be located between its elementary and middle schools. It is even more shocking that a school meant to educate children about constitutional rights and values would be trying to deny those same rights to law-abiding citizens like Larry.

Instead of acknowledging the killing of innocent children in the abortion center sandwiched between their school buildings, the school is attempting to silence courageous advocates trying to protect children and women!

Every school day, students walk by this facility where babies are killed. School officials should be ashamed for trying to hide this death trap from parents and the public. Two Rivers is attempting to destroy the Constitution and deny Larry Cirignano and other pro-lifers their right to free speech.

We've asked the court to dismiss Two Rivers' case against Larry based on the local "Anti-SLAPP" law. SLAPP stands for "Strategic Lawsuit against Public Participation." Anti-SLAPP laws are intended to limit harassment lawsuits filed to silence individuals' constitutional free speech.

Although we do not have a ruling yet, the court was very receptive to our arguments. At the end of the day, this really is a First Amendment, free speech case. And for that reason, Larry has a reasonable expectation he will be vindicated. But we will still have additional legal expenses in defending Larry no matter how the ruling comes down. This case has now been ongoing since 2015!

We need your help to continue defending Larry and many other clients whose rights have been violated. You make the difference for this case and many, many others.

Don't let abortionists steal our freedom of speech the way they steal babies' lives.  Defend Larry Cirignano and others like him TODAY! – Select here

Liberty Counsel NEVER charges our clients. Most folks would never be able to afford to defend themselves in constitutional law cases – which is why big companies keep filing them to bully people into silence.

As Christians, we are called to defend the oppressed. At Liberty Counsel we do that every single day.  But we are only able to do this with YOUR generous support.  Please, give generously, because tomorrow it might be YOU or someone close to you who needs our defense.

Isaiah 1:17 says, "Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow."  With your help and God's grace, Liberty Counsel does just that.

In Christ,

Mat Staver
Founder and Chairman


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