ST. PAUL, Minn. – The judge who struck down state restrictions on abortion as unconstitutional has headed off an appeal of his decision. Ramsey County District Judge Thomas Gilligan rejected an appeal of his July decision from a county attorney in rural western Minnesota. The judge said Matthew Franzese of Wheaton, in Traverse County, had no basis for an appeal. The judge’s reasoning:

> Franzese waited too long to intervene.

> Franzese failed to demonstrate that he had sufficient legal interest in the case.

> Nobody in Franzese’s county has had an abortion in the last four years.

> The county, the least populous in the state with only 3,400 citizens, has no abortion providers.

Earlier:Ellison to let pro-abortion ruling stand

Catholic activism

The  conservtive Catholic activist  Thomas More Society, based in Chicago, backed Franzese’ appeal. Franzese claimed he was entitled to intervene because as county attorney he was responsible for enforcing abortion laws in Traverse County and that he needed clarity from an appellate on whether he should follow Gilligan’s ruling.