Anti-abortion group to challenge ‘Restore Roe’ campaign in court

Dakotans for Health accused of tricking voters into signing petition for pro-abortion ballot measure

Volunteers with Life Defense Fund protest near an event being held by Dakotans for Health Wednesday morning. (Submitted)

An organization attempting to expand abortion access in South Dakota through the ballot box is being sued for allegedly misleading voters into signing its petitions.

On the same day that ballot question committee Dakotans for Health plans to turn in more than 55,000 signatures to the Secretary of State to proposed a constitutional amendment to voters repealing South Dakota’s near-total abortion ban, its primary political opposition— Life Defense Fund (LDF) — announced it will file a lawsuit in Hughes County challenging the validity of the petitions.

“Despite clear warnings from the Attorney General, thousands of signatures were collected by Rick Weiland’s organization in violation of South Dakota law,” according to a statement provided to The Dakota Scout by LDF. “In response to unlawful and misleading actions of Rick Weiland and his paid petition circulators, we will challenge the legitimacy of the abortion amendment in court.”

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