Judge dismisses lawsuit over abortion rights measure rejected by South Dakota voters

A South Dakota judge dismissed a lawsuit targeting women filed by an anti-abortion group in June. abortion voters’ right criterion It was rejected this month.

In an order filed Friday, Circuit Court Judge John Pekas granted the Life Defense Fund’s motion to dismiss its lawsuit against the precautionary group Dakotans for Health.

Leslee Unruh, co-chair of the Life Defense Fund, said in a statement: “The people have made their decision, and South Dakotans have overwhelmingly rejected this constitutional abortion measure. We won in public opinion, and South Dakotans clearly saw through the abortion lobby’s deception.”

Dakotans for Health co-founder Rick Weiland said he expects the case to be dismissed.

“The Life Defense Fund’s accusations were part of a broader, unsuccessful effort to keep Amendment G off the ballot and silence the voices of South Dakota voters,” Weiland said in a statement. “But make no mistake; this impeachment is just one battle in a much larger war over the future of direct democracy in South Dakota.”

Lawsuit against Life Defense Fund objected to the petitions measurement It was stated that the ballot papers contained invalid signatures and that those in circulation were committing fraud and various irregularities. The anti-abortion group attempted to invalidate the ballot initiative and prevent the measure group and its staff from working on the ballot measure for four years.

Judge initially dismissed The lawsuit was filed in July, but the state Supreme Court I sent it back to him in August. In September, there was an apparent misunderstanding between lawyers and the court about scheduling the trial. I pushed the case back until after the election.

Even before the measure voting has been done In May, South Dakota’s Republican-led Legislature strengthened official opposition and passed a law People are allowed to withdraw their petition signatures.

South Dakota law enacted after U.S. Supreme Court Roe v. Wade overturns his case It banned abortion in 2022 and made it a crime to perform an abortion except to save the mother’s life.

South Dakota was one of three states where abortion rights measures failed this month. Others Florida And Nebraska Voters in six other states passed such measures.

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Dura reported from Bismarck, North Dakota.