Supreme Court to Hear Case Challenging New Jersey’s Attack on Pro-Life Pregnancy Center Donors
by Emmitt Barry, with reporting from Washington D.C. Bureau Staff
(Worthy News) – The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to take up a critical case that could determine whether pro-life organizations have the right to protect the privacy of their donors from government overreach.
In an unsigned order on June 16, the justices granted review in First Choice Women’s Resource v. Platkin, a case that centers on New Jersey’s attempt to force a pro-life pregnancy help network to hand over sensitive donor records and internal communications.
The case arose after New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin, a Democrat, issued a sweeping subpoena in 2023 demanding donor lists, private correspondence, advertising records, and information on medical personnel from First Choice Women’s Resource Centers–a network of faith-based pro-life pregnancy centers. The subpoena is part of an investigation under the state’s Consumer Fraud Act, driven by accusations that the centers mislead women by not offering abortion referrals.
Pro-life advocates see the subpoena as a blatant attempt to intimidate and silence those who offer life-affirming alternatives to abortion. “This is a clear case of viewpoint discrimination,” said attorneys with Alliance Defending Freedom, representing First Choice. “New Jersey’s attorney general is using the power of the state to target a nonprofit simply because of its religious beliefs and pro-life mission.”
Donor confidentiality is a cornerstone of charitable giving, particularly in the pro-life movement, where supporters often face harassment from activists and political opponents. Forcing disclosure of these records, First Choice argues, would chill free speech and discourage charitable giving, undermining their ability to serve vulnerable women and families.
The state’s campaign against pregnancy help centers is part of a broader effort by pro-abortion officials to discredit and shut down these vital ministries. In October 2023, Platkin joined 15 other Democratic attorneys general in denouncing pregnancy centers as purveyors of “misinformation and harm”–claims the pro-life community strongly rejects.
“This is not about consumer protection,” said a spokesperson for First Choice. “This is about punishing those who dare to offer hope and help to women who choose life for their babies.”
The Supreme Court’s decision to hear the case comes after lower courts refused to intervene, saying the investigation had not yet advanced far enough. But with the justices now taking up the matter, pro-life advocates are hopeful the Court will affirm that the First Amendment shields these organizations from invasive government fishing expeditions.
As the legal battle moves forward, the heart of the issue remains: Will the government be allowed to weaponize its investigative powers to crush dissenting views on life and family? The Supreme Court’s ruling could have profound implications for religious liberty and charitable organizations nationwide.
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