The 3 - August 13, 2023

This week's edition of The 3, shining the spotlight on issues impacting the Christian community, there is new evidence that indicates that more than one FBI field office were looking at certain Catholics as possible domestic terrorists.  Also, Ohioans went the polls to try to raise the bar through which the state constitution can be amendment, a key move that would decrease the chances of a new amendment that establishes a so-called "right" to abortion and allows minors to receive gender transition surgeries.  Plus, a bill designed to reduce the impact of pregnancy resource centers in Illinois has been put on hold by a federal judge.

Catholics still under watchful eye of federal law enforcement

Earlier this year, it was reported that the FBI was looking into what have been termed "Traditional Catholics" as possible domestic terrorists.  That term was used by Life Site News in a recent article, which stated that: "New documents obtained by Rep. Jim Jordan...show that FBI offices in Los Angeles and Portland were involved in the creation of the FBI’s memo that described Traditional Catholics as potential domestic terrorists."

In a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray, Jordan wrote, “On July 25, 2023, the FBI produced a version of the Richmond document with fewer redactions than the two previous versions it had produced,” adding,. “This new version shows that the FBI’s actions were not just limited to ‘a single field office,’ as you testified to the Committee."  Jordan went on to say:

“This new information suggests that the FBI’s use of its law enforcement capabilities to intrude on American’s First Amendment rights is more widespread than initially suspected and reveals inconsistencies with your previous testimony before the Committee. Given this startling new information, we write to request additional information to advance our oversight.”

The article states that "Jordan also called on Wray to 'amend' his testimony and to more fully 'explain the nature and scope of the FBI’s assessment of traditional Catholics as potential domestic terrorists.'"  He set a deadline of 5:00 Eastern on the afternoon of August 22.

Ohio voters reject opportunity to increase threshold for approving constitutional amendments

Residents of Ohio went to the polls last Tuesday to vote on an amendment that would require 60% of voters to approve proposed amendments to the state constitution. The Washington Stand reported:

57% of Ohioans voted against Issue 1 in the August special election, according to unofficial results reported by the Ohio Secretary of State’s office. The issue would have required 60% of state voters to approve a proposed constitutional amendment in the initiative and referendum process, up from a simple majority adopted during the Progressive Era in 1912.

This was a key vote tied into a November vote on a proposed amendment that would place a so-called "right to abortion" in the state's constitution, an effort by the abortion industry to promote the taking of unborn human life that has received massive amounts of funding.  And there's more - the Washington Stand article points out:

A coalition of abortionists and their lobbyists has placed a measure on the November ballot that would add a “right” to abortion and minors’ gender transitions to the state constitution. Its supporters say it would restore the status that long held under Roe v. Wade, but opponents say it would effectively allow minors to obtain an abortion up to the moment of birth and confer a right for children to have transgender surgeries without parental consent or notification.

Approval of Issue 1 would have raised the threshold for November, but the money flowing into the state to defeat the referendum was just too much, which is a foreshadowing of what's to come. The article notes:

The official group opposing Issue 1 had a fundraising advantage of three-to-one and outspent pro-life forces 10-to-1. The pro-life Protect Our Constitution raised $4.9 million through July 19, compared to $14.8 million for the “No” campaign’s One Person One Vote. Protect the Constitution spent $1.6 million, compared to $10.4 million, according to an analysis from the Dayton Daily News.

That publication said, “A sizable chunk of the campaign’s money came from progressive dark money groups."

Legal relief comes for opponents of new Illinois law attempting to curb pregnancy centers

Recently on The Meeting House, the President of the National Institute for Family and Life Advocates, or NIFLA, Thomas Glessner, reported on two new state laws - one in Vermont and the other in Illinois - that negatively impact the work of pro-life pregnancy resource centers.

There has been court action concerning the Illinois law, and represents good news for the centers.  A press release from NIFLA stated:

In a big win for pregnancy centers in IL, the National Institute for Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA) and their attorneys at the Thomas More Society, a federal court judge has issued a preliminary injunction in court today in National Institute of Family Life Advocates et al. v. Raoul to block Illinois’ new law targeting pro-life pregnancy ministries.

Glessner is quoted as saying:

"This is a huge win for women and their families seeking assistance for an unplanned pregnancy, many of whom have nowhere else to go for help. It's also a big win for pro-life pregnancy centers whose First Amendment rights have been blatantly attacked by the state of Illinois who want to force them to go against their deeply held beliefs that women deserve better than abortion. This is also a victory for a woman's fundamental constitutional right to choose life and we are incredibly grateful to our attorneys at the Thomas More Society for their relentless work fighting for pregnancy centers to continue to help women in need..."