Opinion ID: 3009951
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Operation Rescue

Text: A plaintiff must prove three elements by clear and convincing evidence to establish that a party is liable for civil contempt: (1) that a valid order of the court existed; (2) that the defendants had knowledge of the order; and (3) that the defendants disobeyed the order. Roe II at 657. Although the district court made no specific findings regarding Operation Rescue's role in the July 9th RHCC blockade, the court's conclusion that it was not established by clear and convincing evidence that the red arm bands [that Roach and Lewis had worn] were associated with Terry or Operation Rescue, Roe V at 2, suggests that the court implicitly concluded that Operation Rescue had no involvement in the July 9th blockade and therefore did not disobey the order. We conclude that the trial court abused its discretion by holding that evidence demonstrating an association between the red arm bands and Operation Rescue was necessary to establish Operation Rescue's involvement in the RHCC blockade. Such a test has no basis in the language of the Revised Permanent Injunction. By focusing on the arm bands, the court appears to have ignored the vast documentary evidence that plaintiffs presented at the hearing, linking Operation Rescue to the blockade. Included in the documentary evidence establishing the connection between Operation Rescue, Operation Rescue National, and the RHCC campaign are the literature, fundraising letters, and organizing materials put out by Operation Rescue, Operation Rescue National, Randall Terry, and Keith Tucci to promote the Cities of Refuge Campaign. These include the materials publicizing and raising funds for the Cities of Refuge campaign, some of which urged non-violent direct action in the Philadelphia area during the period from July 8-17, 1993. App. at 258, 260-61, 262-74. On April 4, 1993, Keith Tucci, in his capacity as Executive Director of Operation Rescue National, sent out a letter on Operation Rescue letterhead to promote the Cities of Refuge life-saving activities and to solicit funds for these events. App. at 267-68. Operation Rescue and Operation Rescue National materials published after the Cities of Refuge campaign claimed credit for its success. App. at 275-84. A publication, entitled The Rescuer, expressly identified the July 9th blockade of RHCC as part of the Cities of Refuge Campaign. App. at 285-88. We find the Appellees' argument that Operation Rescue National is a separate and distinct organization from Operation Rescue to be disingenuous.2 Indeed, the record supports the 2 At least two other federal courts have found Operation Rescue National and Operation Rescue to be the same organization. See NOW v. Operation Rescue, 816 F. Supp. 729, 733 (D.D.C. 1993); Women's Health Care Servs., P.A. v. Operation Rescue-National, 1991 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14521, -4 (D. Kan. Aug. 27, 1991); conclusion that there is a similarity of membership and an interchangeable use of names between the two groups. Even if the record does not establish that Operation Rescue and Operation Rescue National are identical, it indicates that Operation Rescue National and Operation Rescue acted in concert to conduct the Cities of Refuge Campaign. The Appellees often failed to distinguish between Operation Rescue National and Operation Rescue in their own promotional literature. For example, when Randall Terry sent out a letter soliciting support for the Cities of Refuge Campaign on stationary identifying him as Founder, Operation Rescue, he sought donations for Operation Rescue National but stated: The child-killers fear Operation Rescue more than any other prolife group. Your gifts help Operation Rescue National keep the abortion industry on the run. App. at 262-63 (emphasis added). Similarly, Keith Tucci sent his April 4 Cities of Refuge fundraising letter on Operation Rescue stationery, referred to Operation Rescue in the body of the letter, but signed it as Executive Director of Operation Rescue National. App. at 267-68. Testimony at the hearing also linked Operation Rescue National to Operation Rescue and to the July 9th RHCC blockade.3 Many of the blockaders at RHCC wore Cities of Refuge badges and Rescue arm bands. App. at 38, 116. An attendee at the Valley 3 See App. at 71 (testimony that a check written and mailed to Operation Rescue was cashed and endorsed by ORN, presumably Operation Rescue National). Forge Hilton rally testified that those present wore similar emblems, as well as t-shirts and hats with the same Cities of Refuge logo as that on the Operation Rescue/Cities of Refuge promotional mailings. App. at 166-67. In light of the overwhelming record evidence of Operation Rescue involvement, we believe that the trial court abused its discretion by basing its decision solely on its finding that the red arm bands were not proven by clear and convincing evidence to be associated with Operation Rescue and thereby concluding that Operation Rescue was not implicated in the July 9th blockade.