Washington State Backs Down from 'Unconstitutional' Investigation into Pro-Life Groups

Calvin Freiburger : May 31, 2024
LifeSiteNews.com

"The US Constitution protects Obria Group and Obria Medical Groups PNW's right to freely speak their beliefs, freely exercise their faith, freely associate with like-minded individuals and organizations, and continue to provide services in a caring and compassionate environment to women and men facing difficult pregnancy circumstances." -ADF senior counsel Tim Garrison

(Seattle, WA) — [LifeSiteNews.com] Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson is backing down from an investigation into two faith-based, pro-life nonprofits after a lawsuit filed by the religious liberty law firm Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF). (Image: Pexels)

Last year, Ferguson issued civil investigative demands seeking answers from Obria Group and Obria Medical Groups PNW ostensibly concerning potential violations of Washington's Consumer Protection Act. ADF maintained that the investigation, which sought to look through documents dating back more than a decade, had nothing to do with any actual complaints or evidence of wrongdoing but was instead a fishing expedition motivated by the groups' pro-life views.

On November 30, ADF attorneys filed a lawsuit against Ferguson in the US District Court for the Western District of Washington, Tacoma Division, accusing his office of an illegal unconstitutional investigation into the groups' privileged material and protected speech.

"The US Constitution protects Obria Group and Obria Medical Groups PNW's right to freely speak their beliefs, freely exercise their faith, freely associate with like-minded individuals and organizations, and continue to provide services in a caring and compassionate environment to women and men facing difficult pregnancy circumstances," ADF senior counsel Tim Garrison said at the time. "Our clients have already expended exorbitant time and financial resources trying to comply with the unreasonable demands made by Washington's attorney general and we urge the court to swiftly halt his unlawful actions."

On May 23, Assistant Attorney General Heidi Anderson sent the pro-life groups' attorneys a letter notifying them that Washington's Consumer Protection Division "closed its investigation into the potential Consumer Protection Act violations set forth in the May 19, 2022 Civil Investigative Demands." She added, "No further responses to the CIDs, or those issued to Obria's vendors, are necessary," and that "No inference should be drawn from the Division's decision not to pursue litigation and to close its investigation"... Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here

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