Washington, DC — Joseph M. Scheidler, National Director of the Pro-Life Action League, a national pro-life activist organization based in Chicago, IL, has filed a libel lawsuit in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, against Patricia Ireland, President of the National Organization for Women (NOW).
He alleges libel as a result of statements Ireland made recently that Scheidler's Chicago Method of sidewalk counseling is “physical violence at the clinics. It's the attacks. It's the terrorism.”
Claiming that Priests for Life has taken up the Chicago Method she states that they (PFL) are ready to “start attacking the clinics again.” Ireland also said that NOW has “put Scheidler out of business.”
She made these false claims on the Fox cable program, Hannity & Colmes, and again in a speech at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL.
Scheidler and the Pro-Life Action League have continued their pro-life activist activities despite the fact a federal jury found him guilty of RICO charges brought by NOW. The NOW v. Scheidler case is currently awaiting a decision from the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago.
“These statements are entirely untrue,” said Scheidler. “The Chicago Method is, and has always been an approach to sidewalk counseling based on research into the malpractice suits against the abortion providers and abortion clinics, information which is available to the public and can be obtained from the clerk of the circuit court in any county where they have been filed.”
The Pro-Life Action League pioneered the technique of summarizing the complaints in these lawsuits and distributing the information to women at the abortion clinics with the aim of dissuading them from choosing abortion. The women are then provided with the name and address of crisis pregnancy centers where they can receive counseling and support in dealing with a problem pregnancy.
Scheidler is seeking damages in the amount of $50,000 as a result of Ireland’s libelous statements.
For more information about The Pro Life Action League, visit their website.
Click Here for related article on another Scheidler case.
(This article courtesy of Steven Ertelt and the Pro-Life Infonet email newsletter. For more information or to subscribe go to www.prolifeinfo.org or email infonet@prolifeinfo.org.)
