Texas judge who decided fate of abortion pill has ties to far-right activist Leonard Leo

WASHINGTON, DC — Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, the Leo-linked extremist who ruled to force the abortion pill off the market nationwide, has now become the go-to for anti-abortion activists. After his decision in the abortion pill case was so poorly reasoned that even the current, conservative Supreme Court quickly blocked it, a team of right-wing litigants caught onto Kacsmaryk’s radical reputation and sought him out for a new extreme anti-abortion case.

Judge Kacsmaryk has made a national reputation for himself as a key actor in Leonard Leo’s decades-long plan to ban abortion at every level. He’s now a known player in Leo’s game to use the court to force an extreme, unpopular agenda on Americans.”

Accountable.US spokesperson Kayla Hancock.

Kacsmaryk’s ties to Leo run deep:

  • Kacsmaryk has deep connections to the conservative Federalist Society, where Leo is the current Board co-chair. 
  • Leo has financial ties to the firm, First Liberty Institute, where Kacsmaryk worked immediately before becoming a judge. After Trump first nominated Kacsmaryk in 2017, First Liberty Institute began paying the Leo-aligned firm CRC Advisors over $100,000 a year.
  • Kacsmaryk’s friend Roger Severino is married to Carrie Severino, a close associate of Leo and the president of the Concord Fund, which has gotten the vast majority of its funding from groups aligned with Leo.

Accountable.US recently launched the “Mr. MAGA” campaign to expose Leo’s extremism, corrupt personal dealings, and his influence through judges like Kacsmaryk. Learn more about Leo’s extremist agenda and the campaign at LeonardLeo.org.

 

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