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[GK86]

Full article here.

A federal judge on Tuesday temporarily blocked Texas from cutting off Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood, ruling the state had presented no credible evidence to support claims the organization violated medical or ethical standards related to abortion procedures.

The ruling, a preliminary injunction issued by Sam Sparks, a United States District Court judge in the Western District of Texas, means that, for now, 30 health centers that serve about 12,500 Medicaid patients can continue to receive funding from the medical program that serves the poor. The case is set to go to trial, where the judge can rule on its merits.

The state’s attorney general, Ken Paxton, said in a statement on Tuesday that Texas would appeal the injunction.

Cecile Richards, the president of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, hailed the ruling, calling it a “victory for Texas women.” In a statement, she said, “We will never back down, and we will never stop fighting for our patients.”

In his ruling on Tuesday, Judge Sparks, wrote that the office of inspector general for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission “did not have prima facie of evidence, or even a scintilla of evidence, to conclude the bases of termination” that the Planned Parenthood providers were unqualified.

A video secretly recorded in April 2015 purported to show Planned Parenthood officials trying to illegally profit from the sale of aborted fetal tissue and discussing the issue with abortion opponents who posed as representatives of a biomedical company.

But the judge wrote in his ruling on Tuesday: “A secretly recorded video, fake names, a grand jury indictment, congressional investigations — these are the building blocks of a best-selling novel rather than a case concerning the interplay of federal and state authority through the Medicaid program. Yet rather than a villain plotting to take over the world, the subject of this case is the State of Texas’ efforts to expel a group of health care providers from a social health care program for families and individuals with limited resources.”

Judge Sparks, who was nominated by President George Bush, a Republican, in 1991, repeatedly cast doubt on the video. The inspector general presented no evidence that Planned Parenthood had profited from procuring fetal tissue or that a doctor had ever altered an abortion procedure “for research or for any other purpose,” the judge wrote.

 

[B.O.O.M]

Go Judicial System!

 

[rjinaz]

Good on that judge. A Bush era Republican at that.

 

[Lord of Ostia]

Good on this judge, clearly very good at their job and as impartial as possible. Don't be surprised if pro-life groups run a campaign against his retention though, happened in my state.

 

[BobLoblaw]

Judges are the last line of defense against all of this Republican fuckery.

 

[massoluk]

I'm amazed at all these Judiacry awesomeness.

 

[ryutaro's mama]

Judges are the last line of defense against all of this Republican fuckery.

Yep.

 

[Mortemis]

Once again, lady justice comes in for the save.

 

[Extra Sauce]

Good on that judge. A Bush era Republican at that.

Is Trump pushing old Republicans to the left?

I like to think some of them are currently looking at him and thinking "are we the baddies?"

 

[Pagusas]

Is Trump pushing old Republicans to the left?

I like to think some of them are looking at him and thinking "are we the baddies?"

I think he just makes normal republicans look more left than they are. This ruling was based on (lack) of evidence and law, not on personal belief.

 

[CHC]

I just want a judge-ocracy. Dump every fucking unqualified asshole in Congress. Literally the only good news to come out since November has had to with judges stepping in. Terrifying how willing the rest of the government is to just go hog fucking wild. Disgusting.

 

[Lord of Ostia]

I think he just makes normal republicans look more left than they are. This ruling was based on (lack) of evidence and law, not on personal belief.

To be fair that's how all rulings should be decided.

 

[CrocMother]

Is Trump pushing old Republicans to the left?

I like to think some of them are currently looking at him and thinking "are we the baddies?"

Kinda crazy that we have to keep stating this but judges aren't supposed to let political party affiliations have any impact on rulings. Law is law.

 

[ThisGuy]

Almost makes you want to write a thank you letter.

 

[Zubz]

Kinda crazy that we have to keep stating this but judges aren't supposed to let political party affiliations have any impact on rulings. Law is law.

In these scary times, it's easy to doubt their objectivity. I'm glad they seem to be holding onto theirs, though.

 

[Extra Sauce]

Kinda crazy that we have to keep stating this but judges aren't supposed to let political party affiliations have any impact on rulings. Law is law.

It's the ideal being strived for but realistically the positions of judges on the political spectrum do have an impact.

 

[Monocle]

ACTIVIST judge rules in favor of human decency. Sound the alarm.

 

[Bishman]

Judges saving the country from Trump.

 

[Nafai1123]

I'm glad the judicial still believes in facts and evidence.

 

[GameAddict411]

I think I am going to put temporary on my hated vocabulary list. Why can't they rule permanently? Because it can be appealed? Or that the judge didn't issue a final decision?

 

[GameAddict411]

Kinda crazy that we have to keep stating this but judges aren't supposed to let political party affiliations have any impact on rulings. Law is law.

They aren't supposed to, but in reality everyone have their own set of biases no matter how much they try to suppress them. Why do you think the supreme Court is so polarized?

 

[KHarvey16]

I think I am going to put temporary on my hated vocabulary list. Why can't they rule permanently? Because it can be appealed? Or that the judge didn't issue a final decision?

It's temporary because that's what they asked for. Basically you bring a lawsuit and then you say the effects of what I'm suing over are so bad you should stop it while we argue.

 

[Lord Frieza]

Judges are the last line of defense against all of this Republican fuckery.

And a lot of them are conservative appointed judges. Says a lot about where we are right now.

 

[GameAddict411]

It's temporary because that's what they asked for. Basically you bring a lawsuit and then you say the effects of what I'm suing over are so bad you should stop it while we argue.

OK, I hope we see a final decision soon.

 

[Future]

I think he just makes normal republicans look more left than they are. This ruling was based on (lack) of evidence and law, not on personal belief.

That isn't left concept.