Breitbart: A federal judge in Pennsylvania has blocked the Trump administration’s new rule on Obamacare’s contraceptive mandate that exempts employers with religious or moral objections to providing contraception and abortion-inducing drugs and devices to employees through health insurance plans.
U.S. District Judge Wendy Beetlestone, an Obama appointee, said Friday that the state was “likely to suffer serious and irreparable harm” if she did not order a preliminary injunction.
Beetlestone’s order follows a lawsuit filed by Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, who posted on Twitter the ruling was a “critical victory for millions of women and families and for the rule of law”:
Among the faith organizations affected by the ruling are the Little Sisters of the Poor – who minister to the elderly poor.
The pro-life Susan B. Anthony List (SBA List) is also affected by Beetlestone’s nationwide preliminary injunction.
“This is a shameful ruling that seeks to continue the Obama-era assault on conscience rights and religious liberty,” said SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser in a statement sent to Breitbart News. “Why should Catholic nuns who care for the elderly poor be forced by the government to provide abortion-inducing drugs in their health care plans?”
“Moreover, moral objectors like my own pro-life organization, SBA List, should not have to pay for life-ending drugs that are antithetical to our mission,” Dannenfelser continued. “There is absolutely no ‘compelling state interest’ in forcing pro-life employers to violate their consciences to provide abortion-inducing drugs. We thank President Trump for standing up for conscience rights and religious liberty and are confident the Administration will fight this ridiculous ruling.” read more
Now, remember, send all future invoices directly to “U.S. District Judge Wendy Beetlestone.” If she wants Josh Shapiro to split the cost, well, she can just sue his a$$.
I’d continue to refuse to comply. Let the ‘judge’ stew in her own juices.
Deal with it.
The compelling State interest is in compelling compliance. If people are allowed to follow their consciences, the authority of the State is nullified. This must not happen.
I *love* the nuns’ signs!
Puns with a hint of snark….
I am SO sick of hearing “A Federal judge blocked….!” And it’s always an oblowme or Clinton appointed Judge!
The judge blocked, not because of the 2,000-page law but because of the administrative mandate that came afterward. And yet this administration isn’t allowed to reverse it?
The Lefties want authoritative administrative control over everything – except that they don’t want it when the Right is in the driver’s seat.
Perhaps this judge didn’t read SCOTUS ruling in Hobby Lobby. 5-4 in favor of HL and that’s before Gorsuch!
Why elect Presidents when the Judiciary thinks they run the country? Need to find someway to get them back to defending laws as written rather than interpreting laws as want to see them.
I agree with this judge. Birth control is a right outlined in the Constitution. Freedom of religion is not.
Or do I have that backwards.
Besides, if “a danger to the country” is a reason for violating the Constitution, I can think of many things we should do.