Power

Rives Grogan, Professional Anti-Choice Protester, Disrupts Another Event

Is the Los Angeles "minister" going from campaign gig to gig trying to get arrested?

Pastor Rives Grogan protesting "abortion language" in the health reform bill in 2009. Photo: Luke Sharrett.

Some may know him as the “idiot on the field,” after a highly publicized jaunt on the field during the World Series, complete with an anti-abortion poster with “vote Romney/Ryan” on one side. But Rives Grogan is more than just a one-time protester, he’s an anti-choice minister determined to use public events to get President Barack Obama to allegedly answer for his support for a woman’s right to choose.

Grogan’s latest disturbance is a dramatic heckling of the president at a rally in Lima, Ohio, where he was dragged out of the balcony for yelling during the President’s speech, and displaying graphic images on a poster from the balcony.

“Stop Obama,” he shouted as he was removed from the venue by security, according to the Lima local news. “Make Obama answer the questions. All the lies of Benghazi. Four Americans are dead because of the lies of Benghazi. Abortion, 3,000 babies die every day because of abortion.”

That’s just the more recent escapade, however. In June, Grogan was arrested for disrupting the Senate when he broke in to shout anti-choice rhetoric, as well as praise for Senator John McCain. Twice in the previous six years he has been arrested for yelling during Supreme Court hearings. In October, he even heckled Pat Robertson at a values voters conference.

According to Philly.com:

Robertson was in the middle of his presentation when a loud and unexpected dose of partisanship came from the audience.

“Obama is bringing sin on the nation. Support Mitt Romney,” yelled Rives Grogan of Los Angeles. “Don’t be a hypocrite. Who are you going to vote for?”

Grogan, who described himself as an antiabortion protester and pastor of the New Beginnings Christian Church in Los Angeles, held up a plaque with several photos of bloodied images.

Robertson continued his speech, followed by a prayer, but eventually told Grogan to “shut your mouth” because “this is not political.” Robertson also told Grogan he was disrespecting the prayer.

Luckily for Grogan, the leaders of the religious right are a forgiving bunch. Just a few weeks later, a representative from Focus on the Family joined Grogan at an event for anti-choice advocates in Danville, Kentucky, just days after Grogan was arrested for refusing to leave a tree prior to the vice presidential debate.

In fact, Grogan has an extensive arrest record, most of which involves breaking into restricted access areas in the Capitol, according to Roll Call, especially during the ramp up to the Congressional battle over reproductive care funding. Instead, it seems that he has put that zeal into protesting at campaign functions leading up to election day.