AUSTIN (KXAN) — Oscar Stilley says Texas abortion physician Dr. Alan Braid “has got guts” — and that’s exactly why he is suing him.
Stilley, a former attorney, spoke a day after he filed a lawsuit in Bexar County against the San Antonio doctor, setting up the first test of the mechanism behind Senate Bill 8, the new Texas abortion law.
Braid published a column in The Washington Post on Saturday, titled, “Why I violated Texas’ extreme abortion ban.”
Stilley, a Libertarian from Arkansas, opposes SB 8, which allows private citizens to sue anyone who performs or helps with an abortion after about six weeks of pregnancy.
“I can see what the proponents of SB 8 were after,” he said. “They wanted to insulate a legislative enactment from judicial review, and I think that’s just wrong. I think it’s totally wrong.”
Stilley said he got to work on his lawsuit after reading Braid’s opinion piece Monday morning.
“[Braid has] got some principle,” Stilley said. “I like that. And I respect that. I see what he’s doing. He wants somebody filing a lawsuit.”
The phone number listed for Braid’s office appeared to be disconnected as of Tuesday afternoon.
Stilley told KXAN he was disbarred after being convicted on tax charges and sentenced to 15 years of home confinement. He is currently an administrative assistant for an engineering firm and works from home.
According to the Texas Tribune, a second lawsuit was filed against Braid in Bexar County on Monday by an Illinois man. The Tribune identified the man as Felipe Gomez, who lists himself as a “pro-choice plaintiff” in his suit. KXAN was unable to reach Gomez for comment.
The Tribune also reported Texas Right to Life, the state’s largest anti-abortion group, is exploring its own options to defend SB 8.
“This is obviously a stunt to move forward with other legal attacks on the law,” said John Seago, the group’s legislative director.
