In June 2017, former New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman filed a federal lawsuit against a group of peaceful pro-life advocates from Brooklyn. Ten members of Brooklyn’s Church@TheRock (pictured with attorneys Steven Crampton and Martin Cannon), including the pastor, Rev. Kenneth Griepp, found their First Amendment rights to counsel women were now under threat. New York has an existing Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances law which is intended to prevent actual, intentional interference with access to a clinic by means of force, threats, or physical obstruction. Peaceful pro-life activity is specifically protected. The Thomas More Society argued the case was without merit because it was actually an assault on the First Amendment rights of pro-life sidewalk counselors who have been coming to Choices Women’s Medical Center in Jamaica-Queens weekly to peacefully offer information and alternatives since 2012.  The pro-lifers were falsely accused by former New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman of harassing women who were going into the abortion facility. The church’s attorney, Thomas More Society Special Counsel Martin Cannon, told One News Now that “from the very beginning of the case, it was apparent to us that the evidence just didn’t match Mr. Schneiderman’s accusations. Pro-life sidewalk counselors from the Church@TheRock in Brooklyn were told by a federal judge that they can continue to gather outside an abortion clinic in Queens, New York.

“I am Ken Griepp, Pastor of Church at the Rock in Brooklyn, New York.  For the past nine years members of our church have gone out on Saturday mornings to one of the largest abortion clinics in New York City and lawfully pleaded with moms and dads to protect the lives of their unborn children. We offer information and tangible help for any needs they may have. Four years ago, we were shocked to receive successive telephone calls and emails from major news organizations asking our response to the New York State Attorney General’s charges against ten of us—charges we had no idea had been filed. Then I received a call from Andy Bath, Vice President of the Thomas More Society, offering to represent all of us. We were blown away, and gratefully accepted! To this day we are so impressed by their incredible work on our behalf. They stood with us through a grueling 14-day hearing in federal district court—and won! When that decision was overturned by the Second Circuit, they appealed, and the three-judge panel withdrew their decision. As the litigation continues, we are so thankful for Thomas More’s relentless work on our behalf, and on behalf of the unborn children. Throughout the litigation and to this day, we go out to the clinic weekly knowing that we have a dedicated legal team defending the truth on our behalf. Thank you, Thomas More Society!”