On April 29 a federal appellate court panel deemed it “preposterous” that the National Organization for Women would challenge an invoice submitted by pro-life activists for expenses incurred during a lawsuit brought against them by the pro-abortion feminist group that lasted almost 28 years.

The court ordered NOW to pay defendants Joe Scheidler, Pro-Life Action League, Timothy Murphy, and Andrew Scholberg $63,391.45 – a pittance, really - for costs to successfully defend themselves in the now infamous NOW v. Scheidler anti-trust lawsuit, launched in 1986.

During that time the case received an unprecedented three hearings before the U.S. Supreme Court, with the pro-lifers getting support in the form of amicus briefs from unlikely places, including PETA and Martin Sheen, since the issue was free speech.

Read the history of NOW v. Scheidler here. In a nutshell, quoting the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin:

NOW tried to bring extortion claims against Scheidler and other anti-abortion activists under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) for their actions to halt abortions at various clinics that allegedly included violent acts.

From the pro-lifers’ press statement comes an interesting aside, proving once again that God brings good from evil:

NOW v. Scheidler brought about the birth of the Thomas More Society in March, 1997 - some sixteen years ago - just a few months after Tom Brejcha, partner in a Chicago law firm, was told by his managing partner at a firm meeting that he would either have to “quit the case or quit the firm.” Tom Brejcha quit the firm to carry on in defense of the case that will go down as a landmark in the annals of American law. 

Given NOW’s penchant for retaliation, will it readily pay the money it owes pro-lifers? According to Chicago Daily Law Bulletin, both sides’ attorneys agreed there is “no reason to believe that the payment will be delayed.”

We shall see. Women scorned and all that.