'A Profound Injustice': Missouri Judge Rules Abortion Rights Amendment Invalid

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Campaigners who last month celebrated the success of their effort to place an abortion rights referendum on November ballots in Missouri faced uncertainty about the ballot initiative Friday night, after a judge ruled that organizers had made an error on their petitions that rendered the measure invalid.

Judge Christopher Limbaugh of Cole County Circuit Court sided with pro-forced pregnancy lawmakers and activists who had argued that Missourians for Constitutional Freedom had not sufficiently explained the ramifications of the Right to Reproductive Freedom initiative, or Amendment 3, which would overturn the state's near-total abortion ban.

The state constitution has a requirement that initiative petitions include "an enacting clause and the full text of the measure," and clarify the laws or sections of the constitution that would be repealed if the amendment were passed.

Missourians for Constitutional Freedom included the full text of the measure on their petitions, which were signed by more than 380,000 residents—more than twice the number of signatures needed to place the question on ballots.

Opponents claimed, though, that organizers did not explain to signatories the meaning of "a person's fundamental right to reproductive freedom."

Limbaugh accused the group of a "blatant violation" of the constitution.

Rachel Sweet, campaign manager for the group, said it "remains unwavering in [its] mission to ensure Missourians have the right to vote on reproductive freedom on November 5."

"The court's decision to block Amendment 3 from appearing on the ballot is a profound injustice to the initiative petition process and undermines the rights of the... 380,000 Missourians who signed our petition," said Sweet. "Our fight to ensure that voters—not politicians—have the final say is far from over."

Limbaugh said he would wait until Tuesday, when the state is set to print ballots, to formally issue an injunction instructing the secretary of state to remove the question.

Missourians for Constitutional Freedom said it plans to appeal to a higher court, but if the court declines to act, the question would be struck from ballots.

As the case plays out in the coming days, said Missouri state Rep. Eric Woods (D-18), "it's a good time for a reminder that Missouri's current extreme abortion ban has ZERO exceptions for rape or incest. And Missouri Republicans are hell bent on keeping it that way."

The ruling came weeks after the Arkansas Supreme Court disqualified an abortion rights amendment from appearing on November ballots, saying organizers had failed to correctly submit paperwork verifying that paid canvassers had been properly trained.
https://www.commondreams.org/news/abortion-missouri

Anybody want to guess what political party he belongs to? The party of "Keep them Barefoot, Pregnant, and in the Kitchen." AKA the Republican Party.
Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.-Huxley
"We can have democracy in this country, or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can't have both." ~ Louis Brandeis,

Re: 'A Profound Injustice': Missouri Judge Rules Abortion Rights Amendment Invalid

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CowboyT wrote: Sun Sep 08, 2024 1:18 pm OK, so they made a mistake in the filing. It happens; people get documents rejected for technical mess-ups all the time, especially with the government. Simply fix the mistake and re-file it. Done.
This. A simple solution and the correct one. The rest of the comments here are hair on fire.
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"Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated!" Loquacious of many. Texas Chapter Chief Cat Herder.

Re: 'A Profound Injustice': Missouri Judge Rules Abortion Rights Amendment Invalid

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sikacz wrote: Sun Sep 08, 2024 1:39 pm
CowboyT wrote: Sun Sep 08, 2024 1:18 pm OK, so they made a mistake in the filing. It happens; people get documents rejected for technical mess-ups all the time, especially with the government. Simply fix the mistake and re-file it. Done.
This. A simple solution and the correct one. The rest of the comments here are hair on fire.
Unless you're a woman or a supporter of women's bodily autonomy.

CDF
It's a buck dancer's choice my friend, better take my advice
You know all the rules by now, and the fire from the ice

Re: 'A Profound Injustice': Missouri Judge Rules Abortion Rights Amendment Invalid

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CDFingers wrote: Sun Sep 08, 2024 2:09 pm
sikacz wrote: Sun Sep 08, 2024 1:39 pm
CowboyT wrote: Sun Sep 08, 2024 1:18 pm OK, so they made a mistake in the filing. It happens; people get documents rejected for technical mess-ups all the time, especially with the government. Simply fix the mistake and re-file it. Done.
This. A simple solution and the correct one. The rest of the comments here are hair on fire.
Unless you're a woman or a supporter of women's bodily autonomy.

CDF
I'm not seeing how, given that all they have to do is correct the mistake and re-file. Would you please be specific on how simply correcting the mistake and re-filing is somehow "bad"? Specifics, please.
"SF Liberal With A Gun + Free Software Advocate"
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Re: 'A Profound Injustice': Missouri Judge Rules Abortion Rights Amendment Invalid

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CowboyT wrote: Sun Sep 08, 2024 2:17 pm
CDFingers wrote: Sun Sep 08, 2024 2:09 pm
sikacz wrote: Sun Sep 08, 2024 1:39 pm
CowboyT wrote: Sun Sep 08, 2024 1:18 pm OK, so they made a mistake in the filing. It happens; people get documents rejected for technical mess-ups all the time, especially with the government. Simply fix the mistake and re-file it. Done.
This. A simple solution and the correct one. The rest of the comments here are hair on fire.
Unless you're a woman or a supporter of women's bodily autonomy.

CDF
I'm not seeing how, given that all they have to do is correct the mistake and re-file. Would you please be specific on how simply correcting the mistake and re-filing is somehow "bad"? Specifics, please.
The problem I see is that the judge (who shares a surname with a former radio host loathed by anyone to the left of "hunts humans for sport") has made this decision so that pro-choice folks have little time to make the fixes happen before election day, stalling it for at least another election cycle. During that delay, the pro-forced-birth crowd has time to come up with even more ways to delay/disrupt the initiative.
Eventually I'll figure out this signature thing and decide what I want to put here.

Re: 'A Profound Injustice': Missouri Judge Rules Abortion Rights Amendment Invalid

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BearPaws wrote: Sun Sep 08, 2024 7:47 pm
CowboyT wrote: Sun Sep 08, 2024 2:17 pm
CDFingers wrote: Sun Sep 08, 2024 2:09 pm
sikacz wrote: Sun Sep 08, 2024 1:39 pm
This. A simple solution and the correct one. The rest of the comments here are hair on fire.
Unless you're a woman or a supporter of women's bodily autonomy.

CDF
I'm not seeing how, given that all they have to do is correct the mistake and re-file. Would you please be specific on how simply correcting the mistake and re-filing is somehow "bad"? Specifics, please.
The problem I see is that the judge (who shares a surname with a former radio host loathed by anyone to the left of "hunts humans for sport") has made this decision so that pro-choice folks have little time to make the fixes happen before election day, stalling it for at least another election cycle. During that delay, the pro-forced-birth crowd has time to come up with even more ways to delay/disrupt the initiative.
Unfortunately the carelessness of the filers brought this issue to this point. Instead of being drama queens just refile. Yes, I’m very aware of women’s bodily autonomy issues and they are not just limited to the womb as some here seem to think.
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"Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated!" Loquacious of many. Texas Chapter Chief Cat Herder.

Re: 'A Profound Injustice': Missouri Judge Rules Abortion Rights Amendment Invalid

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BearPaws wrote: Sun Sep 08, 2024 7:47 pm
CowboyT wrote: Sun Sep 08, 2024 2:17 pm
CDFingers wrote: Sun Sep 08, 2024 2:09 pm
sikacz wrote: Sun Sep 08, 2024 1:39 pm
This. A simple solution and the correct one. The rest of the comments here are hair on fire.
Unless you're a woman or a supporter of women's bodily autonomy.

CDF
I'm not seeing how, given that all they have to do is correct the mistake and re-file. Would you please be specific on how simply correcting the mistake and re-filing is somehow "bad"? Specifics, please.
The problem I see is that the judge (who shares a surname with a former radio host loathed by anyone to the left of "hunts humans for sport") has made this decision so that pro-choice folks have little time to make the fixes happen before election day, stalling it for at least another election cycle. During that delay, the pro-forced-birth crowd has time to come up with even more ways to delay/disrupt the initiative.
Don't forget: In red and purple states, the pro-choice initiative is KEY to getting women, and men who care about women, to the polls to vote, and they'll be voting for the President as well--and guess who is the pro-choice Presidential candidate. So blocking this referendum is KEY to ensuring that the state of Miss-er-i goes to the convicted felon and his pervert running nut.

There is no bottom to how dirty the MAGApublican are or will go. Law no longer means ANYTHING to them, except to bend others to their own selfish will.
"Even if the bee could explain to the fly why pollen is better than shit, the fly could never understand."

Re: 'A Profound Injustice': Missouri Judge Rules Abortion Rights Amendment Invalid

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CowboyT wrote: Sun Sep 08, 2024 2:17 pm
CDFingers wrote: Sun Sep 08, 2024 2:09 pm
sikacz wrote: Sun Sep 08, 2024 1:39 pm
CowboyT wrote: Sun Sep 08, 2024 1:18 pm OK, so they made a mistake in the filing. It happens; people get documents rejected for technical mess-ups all the time, especially with the government. Simply fix the mistake and re-file it. Done.
This. A simple solution and the correct one. The rest of the comments here are hair on fire.
Unless you're a woman or a supporter of women's bodily autonomy.

CDF
I'm not seeing how, given that all they have to do is correct the mistake and re-file. Would you please be specific on how simply correcting the mistake and re-filing is somehow "bad"? Specifics, please.
"The rest of the comments here are hair on fire" to which I replied, "Unless you're a woman or a supporter of women's bodily autonomy."

If you really need an explanation, ask for it. Do not expect circumlocutions. So, ponder on it a bit before you ask.

CDF
It's a buck dancer's choice my friend, better take my advice
You know all the rules by now, and the fire from the ice

Re: 'A Profound Injustice': Missouri Judge Rules Abortion Rights Amendment Invalid

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BKinzey wrote: Tue Sep 10, 2024 1:16 pm I'm pretty sure if they change the petition in order to refile they need new signatures. "By Tuesday" (which is today), in order to be put on the ballot.

I'm guessing the problem is there isn't time, nor the money, to get new signatures for the upcoming ballot.
Ah, I see. I would love to see this initiative happen. However, they have to do it right. Perhaps this is a good lesson for them, and for us all. Especially when dealing with the law, dotting your "i's" and crossing your "t's" matters and is important. We've got to be sure there is no legal reason for rejection.
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Re: 'A Profound Injustice': Missouri Judge Rules Abortion Rights Amendment Invalid

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CowboyT wrote: Tue Sep 10, 2024 4:53 pm
BKinzey wrote: Tue Sep 10, 2024 1:16 pm I'm pretty sure if they change the petition in order to refile they need new signatures. "By Tuesday" (which is today), in order to be put on the ballot.

I'm guessing the problem is there isn't time, nor the money, to get new signatures for the upcoming ballot.
Ah, I see. I would love to see this initiative happen. However, they have to do it right. Perhaps this is a good lesson for them, and for us all. Especially when dealing with the law, dotting your "i's" and crossing your "t's" matters and is important. We've got to be sure there is no legal reason for rejection.
It’s up to people filing to make sure their paperwork is correct. I don’t know if the court held their decision on purpose to a date late enough to ensure a refile wouldn’t be possible or tight. The filers should have been checking their filing paperwork while the court had it. Someone should have caught the mistake and had amended paperwork ready the same day.
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"Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated!" Loquacious of many. Texas Chapter Chief Cat Herder.

Re: 'A Profound Injustice': Missouri Judge Rules Abortion Rights Amendment Invalid

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Yes
Voters in Missouri will be able to vote on an amendment to protect abortion access, after the state Supreme Court overturned a lower court’s ruling Tuesday that would have removed it from the ballot. The decision came just hours before the state’s absentee ballots are set to be printed. The justices ordered Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft (R) to recertify the measure, after he abruptly decertified it Monday, despite the deadline for such action already having passed. Proponents of the measure wanted Ashcroft held in contempt, but the court declined.

“Today’s decision is a victory for both direct democracy and reproductive freedom in Missouri,” said Rachel Sweet, campaign manager for Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, the coalition backing the measure. “This ruling is a validation of the more than 380,000 Missourians who signed the petition. This fight was not just about this amendment — it was about defending the integrity of the initiative petition process and ensuring that Missourians can shape their future directly.” The amendment would permit abortion until fetal viability, at about 24 weeks, the point in a pregnancy when a fetus can survive outside the womb.

Missouri is one of 10 states that could potentially vote on abortion rights ballot amendments in November. Abortion rights supporters have succeeded every time the issue has been on a state ballot since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade more than two years ago. Missouri was the first state to ban almost all abortions after the ruling, and passage of the ballot measure would be the first time such a ban would be overturned.
https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/4 ... on-access/
"Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts." - Daniel Patrick Moynihan

Re: 'A Profound Injustice': Missouri Judge Rules Abortion Rights Amendment Invalid

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YankeeTarheel wrote: Tue Sep 10, 2024 9:06 pm The highest Missouri Court overturned the judge's order and restored the pro-choice initiative to the fall ballot.
That's fortunate. And I hope the filers of this initiative have learned their lesson about getting the paperwork right so that this doesn't happen again.
"SF Liberal With A Gun + Free Software Advocate"
http://www.sanfranciscoliberalwithagun.com/
http://www.liberalsguncorner.com/
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Re: 'A Profound Injustice': Missouri Judge Rules Abortion Rights Amendment Invalid

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CowboyT wrote: Tue Sep 10, 2024 9:44 pm
YankeeTarheel wrote: Tue Sep 10, 2024 9:06 pm The highest Missouri Court overturned the judge's order and restored the pro-choice initiative to the fall ballot.
That's fortunate. And I hope the filers of this initiative have learned their lesson about getting the paperwork right so that this doesn't happen again.
I agree. You KNOW they are going to find ANY crack to prevent people from voting on this, and from voting in general.
"Even if the bee could explain to the fly why pollen is better than shit, the fly could never understand."

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