Texas doctor who defied abortion ban gets sued for two wildly different reasons

San Antonio, Texas - A San Antonio doctor has become the first to face a lawsuit over Texas' new abortion ban – and, in fact, he's facing two!

Texans gather in front of the state Capitol to protest the new abortion ban, which took effect September 1.
Texans gather in front of the state Capitol to protest the new abortion ban, which took effect September 1.  © IMAGO / ZUMA Wire

Dr. Alan Braid, an OB/GYN, published an op-ed in the Washington Post on Saturday saying he had provided an abortion on September 6 in defiance of the Texas' new ban, which took effect September 1.

"I understand that by providing an abortion beyond the new legal limit, I am taking a personal risk, but it’s something I believe in strongly," he wrote.

"I have daughters, granddaughters and nieces. I believe abortion is an essential part of health care. . . . I can’t just sit back and watch us return to 1972."

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As could be expected, Braid was hit with two lawsuits just a short time after the article was published, the Texas Tribune reported. The Texas law allows private citizens to sue anyone they suspect of being involved in helping provide an abortion, with the possibility of winning at least $10,000 per case.

But as it turns out, Felipe N. Gomez, calling himself a "Pro Choice Plaintiff" in Illinois, said he is not seeking any money but rather wants to help bring the case to the Supreme Court in an effort to overturn the law.

The second plaintiff, Oscar Stilley, described himself as a "disbarred and disgraced former Arkansas lawyer" who was previously convicted on charges of tax fraud. He said he is also not anti-abortion, but he is suing Braid for $100,000 because he wants the money.

The Texas law is currently facing two legal challenges, one filed by abortion providers and one by the Department of Justice (DOJ).

The first hearing in the DOJ lawsuit is set to take place on October 1.

Cover photo: IMAGO / ZUMA Wire

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