News Release: Michigan Catholic Conference Statement on Failure to Appeal Judge's Decision on Infant Protection Act

LANSING—The following statement was issued by Paul A. Long, Vice President, Public Policy of the Michigan Catholic Conference:

It was with great disappointment that we received word from Michigan Attorney General Jennifer Granholm that she would not appeal a federal judge’s ruling striking down The Infant Protection Act. This law, passed overwhelmingly by both the Michigan House and Senate, was designed to protect infants in the process of being born from a painful and gruesome death.

It is our belief that the merits of this law were not heard in the court of U.S. District Judge Arthur Tarnow. His decision drew no distinctions between the Michigan law and laws passed in other states. But the Michigan law is distinctive and there are considerable merits to a challenge of his decision. It is our belief that only by appealing Judge Tarnow’s decision could there be a full and complete hearing of Michigan’s Infant Protection Act. Regrettably, Michigan’s highest ranking law enforcement officer has chosen not to fight for the most defenseless among us as they are in the process of being born. It is a sad week in the history of our state.

Michigan Catholic Conference is the official public policy voice of the Catholic Church in this state.

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