PRESS RELEASE: MLLC Files New Defamation Lawsuit on Behalf of Bethlehem House PRC

NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 1.29.25
Contact: Sam Whiting, [email protected]
Direct: 774.462.7043

Massachusetts Liberty Legal Center Files New Defamation Lawsuit on Behalf of Bethlehem House PRC
Reproductive Equity Now’s statements about Bethlehem House have damaged its reputation and caused significant emotional distress to its volunteer staff, who are simply trying to help women and babies.

Easthampton, MA – Earlier today, Massachusetts Liberty Legal Center filed a first-of-its-kind defamation lawsuit on behalf of Bethlehem House pregnancy resource center in Easthampton. The suit seeks damages and injunctive relief against Reproductive Equity Now (REN), a radical pro-abortion activist group that colluded with the State of Massachusetts in its million-dollar smear campaign against pro-life PRCs. The complaint, available below, alleges that REN deliberately defamed Bethlehem House and other PRCs in order to undermine the work that they do for pregnant and parenting women. This lawsuit is distinct from an additional lawsuit that MLLC and the American Center for Law and Justice filed last August on behalf of Your Options Medical PRC against the State and REN.

Bethlehem House is a charitable faith-based center that has provided compassionate and confidential material resources such as diapers, strollers, and cribs to over 5,000 pregnant and parenting women and their family members since 2006. Its mission is to “protect human life by providing loving and nurturing support to the mother and her child, during and after her pregnancy.” After the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, Bethlehem House was targeted by pro-abortion vandals, who spray-painted threats and splattered blood-red paint across the center. That same summer, the Easthampton City Council introduced an ordinance to censor PRCs like Bethlehem House. Through the advocacy of MFI and other pro-life activists, the ordinance was ultimately vetoed by the Easthampton mayor.

Now, Reproductive Equity Now has partnered with the State to accuse Bethlehem House and all other Massachusetts PRCs of posing as abortion providers and trying to deceive and harm the very women they serve. They published a guidebook and webpage which list Bethlehem House by name and allege that it uses deceptive practices to attract patients, such as locating near an abortion clinic, using language on its website to confuse women into thinking it offers abortion, and offering “medical disinformation” to patients. But nothing could be further from the truth. Bethlehem House is not located near an abortion clinic, its name and advertising are explicitly religious and pro-life, it does not use the word “abortion” on its website or other advertising, and it offers no medical care. No reasonable person who knows anything about Bethlehem House could confuse it for an abortion clinic.

REN’s statements about Bethlehem House have damaged its reputation and caused significant emotional distress to its volunteer staff, who are simply trying to help women and babies. Massachusetts Liberty Legal Center is proud to represent such a life-giving and impactful ministry as they seek justice for these unfair smears.

The full complaint is linked below:

1-19-2024 BH v REN Complaint Final Download

Visit the MLLC Website

In order to fund these kinds of lawsuits, we rely on generous donations from supporters like you. Please consider contributing to the fight for life and liberty in Massachusetts by donating to Massachusetts Family Institute (MLLC’s parent organization)!

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