Supreme court denies abortionists' racketeering claims

Today the Supreme Court ruled 8-0 (Samuel Alito did not rule on the case) that abortion clinics could not use RICO and other federal anti-racketeering statutes as a basis for banning anti-abortion demonstrations

If you are confused about how laws designed to stop the Mafia were twisted around and used against abortion clinic protesters, I'll try to briefly explain the situation.

Organized crime uses many tactics in order to control or dominate local businesses.  These tactics often include coercive actions designed to drive customers away from certain businesses, thereby forcing those businesses either to close down or to turn their operations over to the Mafia.  In legal parlance, such disruptive activities are part of a set of criminal activities known as racketeering.

Abortion clinics petitioned the courts, claiming that abortion protesters were driving away customers and hurting business!  The attorneys for the abortion clinics argued along these lines during almost twenty years of lawsuits and appeals.

The Supreme Court unanimously agreed that the RICO law could not be convoluted in such a fashion.  This is the second bit of good news for the Pro-Life movement in a week. 

More info at Generations for Life.

(h/t Malkin)