TRANSCRIPT
Loads of you are contacting us and asking us what's going on with the Baltimore situation and our protest rally scheduled for Nov. 16, 2021 while the bishops are meeting there.
We had a first hearing where we asked the court to issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) enjoining the city of Baltimore to butt out and let us have our rally. In that hearing, the city argued that we should be denied the TRO and the case tossed out.
After hearing some back and forth, the judge ruled against the city and partially for us. She did issue a partial TRO ordering the city to not interfere with us in resuming our plans to have the rally at the MECU pavilion, immediately next door to the Baltimore Waterfront Marriott where the bishops are having their fall meeting.
We were immediately back in touch with the pavilion people and are restarting our plans with them, which are now very far behind, thanks to the city ordering them to stop.
The judge said the city can no longer do that, so they definitively lost round one, and we had a partial victory.
Next, because of the urgency of all this (the rally date is now just weeks away), the judge said she had not had enough time to hear all the arguments from each side, so she has scheduled a hearing for that at the end of the month. In the meantime, the city must file its case against us by next Friday, and we get to respond by the following Monday.
Based on the initial arguments the city set forth on Tuesday, they have a very weak case. In fact, it's actually stupid and contradictory.
Right out of the gate they told the court that they "have credible threats of violence," meaning St. Michael's Media engages in violence or threats of it. City attorneys then kept insisting that there was no contract between us and the pavilion. Next, they said the pavilion posed "concerns" because of the number of people expected to attend (3,000). The attorney actually said there was a threat of bottlenecking, etc.
The attorney then concluded by telling the court the city was not opposed to us exercising our First Amendment right to free speech, free exercise of religion and the right to peaceable assembly at other locations in the city, just not there, next to the bishops meeting. They also tried to get us dismissed by appealing to some technical points that the judge swept away in short order.
So as we look down the road in anticipation of the upcoming hearing at the end of the month, let's examine the city's argument and then our position.
First, the city is obviously on record now that St. Michael's Media poses a threat of violence. Their attorney directly states, "We have credible threats of violence." It's important to remember that it is now entered into the official record.
Good. We are extremely excited about seeing exactly what "credible threats" they have because when Jim Shea, the city solicitor, said that to me over the phone and I asked him to clarify what the supposed threats were, he couldn't give me a direct answer, claiming there were reports widely available on the internet.
There are not any internet reports, for the record.
But here is a very interesting point that is wildly contradictory. At the beginning of the hearing, the city makes that "violence" claim. Then, at the end of the hearing, the attorney tells the court that the city has no problem with us having the rally at some other location in Baltimore, such as "the Sheraton or public parks." In other words, the city doesn't want this violent group at the MECU Pavilion, but is perfectly fine with this violent group going to the Sheraton?
That argument is flat-out stupid. Good luck in court trying to square that ridiculous circle. Strike one.
Next, regarding the claim that the MECU Pavilion poses some kind of danger because there will be 3,000 people there and "bottlenecking, etc." may occur, well, it's a concert venue! Of course bottlenecking will occur, just like it did at all the summer concerts and other events held there — just like every sports venue in the country, just like every other concert venue on the planet.
Likewise, when she said "bottlenecking, etc," precisely what is the "etc." part? That people might not throw away their candy wrappers? Oh, the horror! The event clearly needs to be shut down. Strike two. Neither the argument that we are violent nor the argument that the venue itself poses some kind of inherent danger is credible at all.
The third and final argument the city made is that there was no signed contract between us and the venue. That's true on its face. But the venue had sent us the contract to sign, meaning both they and we were operating on the legal understanding there had been a "meeting of the minds" and a mutually agreed-upon understanding that the rally was going to take place.
Sorry, but that does constitute a "contract." That is first-year law school material. Any law professor in America will tell you that a physical piece of paper does not need to be signed for there to be a contract in effect.
Second, the reason the contract was not signed was very simple. As the list of speakers kept expanding, we realized the original time we had booked for the gates to open was not enough time for the rally to conclude at 5 p.m. So while we were negotiating with the venue regarding price increases and new gate times, the city stepped in and shut down the process.
We couldn't sign the contract because the city prevented us from doing so, so to make the argument that there is no signed contract is specious. You stopped us from signing it. Besides, a physically signed contract isn't necessary in the first place. Strike three.
So the city's entire case boils down to this: There is no contract, we are violent, the venue is unsafe and we can go somewhere else.
That's stupid, erroneous, dumb and just bad lawyering.
As for our case, it's pretty basic. We had a contract. Our rally is religious, peaceable and well within our First Amendment rights. That is what the city has to argue against. Period.
So far, their "arguments" make zero sense. The government doesn't just get to make up stories that you are violent, offer no proof at all and yet claim they have credible threats.
Their case, if you can call it that, rests entirely on these claims. But remember, if we're so violent, then why are they OK with us moving to a different location? It's because they know they are lying, and they are trying to appear to the court as though they are somehow "accommodating," even telling the court during this past Tuesday's hearing that we could hold our rally "inside a Catholic Church."
In other words, you can exercise your First Amendment freedoms, but keep it inside a church. That doesn't fly. It is, in fact, the very definition of violating the First Amendment.
As we wrap up, it's noteworthy from a legal standpoint to note that last year the city ordered Baltimore strip clubs to close down because of COVID. The strip clubs sued the city for violation of First Amendment rights. The case was heard by the same judge hearing our case. As it became clear the court was not going to side with the city, they agreed to let the strip clubs reopen, and the case was dropped.
It was interesting that the judge brought that case up to the city once again and then suggested that they come to some kind of "arrangement" with us. And that's how the hearing ended.
We should know a final position near the end of the month or very early in October. So for those of you who have been waiting and/or have made reservations, keep your hotel reservations or rebook them. Hotels regularly allow you to cancel a day or two before, and we will know for certain long before then.
Regarding flights, if you have them, there's no need to cancel them because you can always just use the fare toward another flight, and airlines are being very generous during COVID madness at waiving their cancellation fees.
So pray and hope. It looks favorable that we are on our way and the city will be forced to allow us to hold this rally because of their violation of our First Amendment rights, not to mention the sheer idiocy of their arguments.
I am not a lawyer, but several things come to mind:
1. This rally happened 3 years ago. So CM has a good track record here.
2. Several thousand would be attendees signed up, so they relied upon this, present and past.
3. Without a doubt, some of these sleezy bishops have mob style connections with the city....the bishop of Baltimore comes to mind.
Good luck.
I would caution Church Militant that infiltration of your Baltimore peaceful protest of the bishops could occur. Hired thugs will cause mayhem the same way that they did on Jan 6 at the Capitol. The bishops are not going to take this protest graciously. They have the money and connections to conduct mafia BLM style violent acts making it look like CM is the culprit.
Good luck and God bless your in your endeavor to bring sanity to the Catholic Church.
We have our plan already in place.
Thank God and I pray that all goes well at this much needed rally.
I finished homeschooling my last children in 2016, but some history has stuck in my head. I looked it up to verify but Baltimore became the first Roman Catholic diocese in the country in 1789. In 1632, Lord Baltimore founded the colony to be a safe refuge for Catholics. How Baltimore has fallen from its noble beginnings!
They have changed the history on that or at least tried to. They also say that Maryland was not named after Mary the Mother of God. It was supposedly now named after some queen whose middle name was Marie. If that were the case why isn't it called Marieland? They are trying to erase anything about Jesus and Mary from the public eye. People used to be offended about PDA. Now they are offended about PDR. Public displays of religion.
"but keep it inside the church" This is exactly opposite of what the Lord commanded us to do.!
Thanks Michael and CM for sticking up for your rights. You guys are a great example of what we all should be doing during these troubling times.
It's a shame that it has to come to lawsuits and litigation. This is injustice and obvious partisan bias we are seeing in every major city as very liberal (Leftist) people gain political offices. I wonder if once there is a decision made, and if it is shown they had no evidence of violence as was their claim, they can be sued for slander, libel, and violations of religious freedom, abuse of power, or even a hate crime (against a religion), and putative damages be awarded.
I hope the judge will see through the pretense and understand what is actually happening (that someone from the USCCB tried to call in a favor from the city solicitor and have the prayer rally canceled), and rule in St. Michael's Media's favor.
Sure sounds like a slam dunk for C.M. to me!!
Don't get overly confident. The devil does not just give up that easily and go away. For instance, the rally may be allowed, but then stipulations due to COVID may be imposed..for instance, only 100 people will be allowed to attend. Or the rally can only be held for 1 hour. Or who knows what.
Pray. Ask God to intervene. It's not over until it's over.
Those restrictions should then apply to the bishops conference.
I am praying that you and CM will win big and they lose big.
The bishops are 'religious men' and they are not having their meeting 'inside a church'. Dumb.
Thanks for fighting it, Michael! Onward and upward. I just hope I can find somebody from this area to travel with, Resistance Indiana.
Let me add to my previous comment!
Be sure to wear a CM shirt or some other display of our true Catholic Faith!
And please squeeze in a prayer or 2 for those of us in South Louisiana. Thank you!!!
I'd be very surprised if Cupich didn't have something to do with this interference.
Indeed, I think most of us would be even more surprised if he didn’t have anything to do with this.
Well, remember, Baltimore is much closer to Washington D.C.
And that lovely Cardinal Gregory……Atlanta’s loss was a perfect match for D.C.
As is always the case you may think you are making good progress until the political strings are pulled and you get hammered. Your arguments are solid but these evil shepherds, the Catholic Bishops, are very powerful with the corrupt polls to ensure these corrupt clerics get their way. But my prayers will they lose. Rev J
I agree. That's why the prayers and petitions to St. Michael the Archangel and Our Lady (and of course, Our Lord) should continue until the rally is actually over.
In a way it is ironic, because often these rallies are just ignored and no one in the general public pays much attention to them. But trying to cancel it calls attention to the rally and stories getting published in the main stream media about the lawsuits garner public attention. The USCCB is kind of stupid for calling attention to this CM event, telegraphing their opposition to the dissent against them in the Church.
Ahhh but we miss is the fact that these evil, corrupt, bad shepherds, this corrupt cleric take over of the Catholic church, as handed down to us by Jesus himself, is so full of itself and so confident that they have the numbers to crush us, are openly giving the faithful believers their middle finger. They have no fear of us at all. They rule the Catholic church with impunity. They get their funds for free from the sheep who eat their feed and question not. William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, was quoted as saying in the late 1800 that the turn of the new century and the future of Christianity: “The chief danger that confronts the coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God, heaven without hell.” Is this not what we see today in our nation and our world? Rev J
The MECU pavilion has a capacity of 4600. If CM is only expecting 3000 people to show up then that's not even a sold-out venue. What's with this "bottlenecking" baloney?
And I'm sure the Sheraton is thrilled that the city would want to send a so-called "violent" event over there. LOL!
Bottom line: it's a CATHOLIC event.
A brief online search reveals Baltimore one of the top 10 most corrupt cities in America...
Yuck! But not surprising since WashingtonDC is down the road.
Such an incestuous bunch of cities on that Eastern seaboard though l am concerned about these weather events out there. Rosaries, praying for faithful Catholics who live out there, too! Blessings. 🇺🇸🙏🇺🇸
IDK about that, but they haven't had an intelligent mayor since Schaefer left office. If it wasn't for him the place would probably still look like a slum.
I hope and pray that CM will be able to hold the Bishops Enough is Enough rally! ✝️🙏🏻 Shea and company are obviously on the Left, and all they have are lies and silly arguments. Hopefully, CM will win the case!
CM WILL win the Case!
I am and have been praying to Our Lady since this whole thing began.
Have Faith!
I went to the previous rally! There was no violence. PERIOD!
All we did was joyfully listen to speakers who love our Lord and want to spread the good news! It was so uplifting that I plan to attend this year…🙏🏻
I pray that the city will realize that they are stifling the free speech, religion and assembly of United States citizens for no good or provable reason!
Hi V, I was there as well and it was WONDERFUL!
I took a picture of Bishop Strickland not even knowing he was the Bishop of
Texas!
Looking forward to seeing you in Baltimore! :-)
Thank you, Michael!
Cool. My best regards and rosaries are with you, luvs!!! ❤❤
Unfortunately, Bishop Strickland is not "the Bishop of Texas", he is the Bishop of the Diocese of Tyler, Texas, which encompasses 33 counties of Northeast Texas (East of Dallas and North of Houston). I wish he was the Archbishop of Texas, but we are stuck with a modernist lefty anti-traditional Catholic loony in that position.
Whenever I have something important scheduled and the time is noted at 3pm I do the same…. “3:00pm” 😉👍🏻
Yes, an arrangement should be made. Ten million in damages and the rally goes on.
Thank you Baltimore taxpayers.... 💰
SUE them for your expenses and for the inconvenience they have caused everyone.
They already are, that’s a different suit.
FIRST QUARTER: CHRISTIANS 1, LUCIFERIANS 0.
With God all things are possible.
Make sure you bring signs with arrows pointing to left or right, emblazoned with the words "Not with us" or "False Flag." They have been much needed over the past 13 years. Actually longer, ever since Saul Alinsky directed college students to dress as KKK members and cheer at a speech given by then-US Ambassador George HW Bush. And such signs were definitely needed this past January to draw attention to the costume changers/instigators.
WOW, an eye-opener. 😳
That makes my blood boil. Yet, Bush is a One-Worlder....
A down vote! You definitely hit a nerve for one of our lurking detractors.
Good to know we can irritate them so easily.
and how will you know someone isn't with you ?
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