Guest Interview Avail: Don Stenberg, former Nebraska Attorney General Who Argued the Landmark Partial-Birth Abortion Case in U.S. Supreme Court
The case of June Medical Services v Gee will be argued in the U.S. Supreme Court on March 4. Louisiana enacted the Unsafe Abortion Protection Act which requires abortion providers to have admitting privileges at a hospital located within 30 miles of the clinic where they perform abortions. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the law and the abortion providers asked the Supreme Court to review the case. The state of Louisiana cross appealed, arguing that the abortion providers lacked legal standing to bring the case.
Former Nebraska Attorney General, Don Stenberg, who argued the landmark partial-birth abortion case of Stenberg v Carhart in the U.S. Supreme Court, joins us to discuss the upcoming June Medical Services case.
Suggested Q&A:
Q1: In 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a Texas law that required abortion doctors to have admitting privileges within 30 miles of where they perform abortions was unconstitutional. Doesn’t that mean that Louisiana’s law will be ruled unconstitutional also?
A: No, for three reasons.
One, Louisiana raises the issue that abortion providers do not have standing – that is, do not have a legal right, to represent their patients in court.
Two, there are important factual differences.
Three, the makeup of the Supreme Court is different now.
Q2: Let’s talk about each of those. What is Louisiana’s argument that abortion providers don’t have legal standing to bring this lawsuit?
Q3: What are the factual differences between the 2016 case and this one?
Q4: How has the makeup of the Supreme Court changed and why does that matter?
Q5: In your opinion, what are the prospects for Louisiana’s law being upheld by the Supreme Court?
Q6: In your opinion, what are the prospects for Roe v. Wade being overturned, either now or in the foreseeable future?
Q7: If Roe v. Wade were overturned that, by itself, does not make abortions illegal does it?
Q8: Tell us about your book and where can we get a copy of Eavesdropping on Lucifer?
ABOUT DON STENBERG…
Don Stenberg (born September 30, 1948) served as attorney general of the state of Nebraska from 1991 to 2003 and later served as the Nebraska state treasurer from 2011 to 2019. He previously also served as legal counsel to Nebraska Governor Charles Thone from 1979 to 1983. His law degree, with honors, is from Harvard Law School.
As a pro-life Republican, Don Stenberg fought to end partial-birth abortion in the state of Nebraska. As Nebraska’s Attorney General, he personally defended Nebraska’s ban on partial-birth abortion in an argument in the U.S. Supreme Court. Unfortunately, the 2000 Supreme Court was too liberal and overturned Stenberg’s legislation in Stenberg v. Carhart.
Today Don Stenberg is on a media and book tour promoting his new book, Eavesdropping on Lucifer. In the book, Lucifer explains to his apprentice how the drastic changes in our culture came about – from abortion on demand to Ten Commandment monuments being removed and religious freedom being restricted. In the end, Lucifer admits and complains that his evil work can be defeated by belief in God’s Son.
Don’s book is scheduled to be released May 5, 2020, but can be preordered on Amazon.com or BarnesandNoble.com. Here’s an endorsement by former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft:
“Eavesdropping on Lucifer is common sense, digestible wisdom that can be easily understood by every generation. C.S. Lewis would have given it his stamp of approval.”
–Former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft
