Lisa Miller and Janet Jenkins had one of the first “divorces” involving a Vermont civil union. Lisa had become a Christian and left the LGBTQ lifestyle. But her former partner, Janet, demanded custody of Lisa’s biological daughter, Isabella.

The court granted Janet visitation rights, and Liberty Counsel urged Lisa to comply with those court orders to the letter of the law. The record shows that Liberty Counsel staff members took every opportunity to counsel Lisa to follow court orders. But, while the case was pending in Vermont and Virginia, and without warning, Lisa disappeared in September 2009. We advised the courts that we lost contact and sought to withdraw from the case.

Janet Jenkins kept battling in the courts. In 2016, she added Liberty Counsel to the long list of defendants she was suing. The SPLC was more than happy to take her case, using their nearly 1-billion-dollar endowment to keep us and our attorneys tied up in court. 

+ + The SPLC has friends in high places ... 

The Obama administration made Lisa’s disappearance a top priority. The administration scoured three continents and seven countries searching for Lisa and her daughter. Four people were later criminally charged with helping Lisa flee: Lisa Miller, two Mennonite ministers, and Philip Zodhiates. 

Throughout their criminal trials and convictions, as well as in sworn testimony in Janet Jenkins’ civil lawsuit against us, all have repeatedly testified that Liberty Counsel did not know about their plan and had nothing to do with it before, during, or after Lisa and Isabella disappeared. 

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The Court filings lay the facts bare: 

“Lisa Miller’s undisputed sworn testimony is that in June 2008, Liberty Counsel attorneys were continuing to advise her that she was required to comply with court orders and that serious consequences would result if she failed to permit the court-ordered visitation, but that Lisa Miller was chose to not comply on her own, despite the advice she was receiving from Liberty Counsel.” 

“Lisa Miller likewise testified under oath that she did not inform Liberty Counsel or [Rena] Lindevaldsen of her alleged plans to flee the country with Isabella Miller.” 

“Zodhiates confirmed that Liberty Counsel did not know or approve of Lisa Miller’s intent to kidnap Isabella Miller and flee the country, did not know of or approve her plans, and did not assist any person or entity with regards to Lisa Miller’s actions.” 

“Kenneth Miller’s undisputed sworn testimony is that he has no direct, personal knowledge that Liberty Counsel, Mathew Staver, or Rena Lindevaldsen ever assisted Lisa Miller with disappearing from the United States, in planning Lisa Miller’s fleeing from the United States, or in helping Lisa Miller remain hidden from the United States.” 

After 12 years of litigation, 186,000 documents reviewed, 25 depositions that included over 11,000 pages of exhibits, and 6,800 pages of transcripts, there is not a shred of evidence to support Jenkins’ claim that Liberty Counsel had anything to do with the disappearance of Lisa and Isabella. The evidence proves the opposite. 

The SPLC knows that Liberty Counsel did nothing wrong. But the SPLC continues its attack after all these years because they want to destroy us.

Since 1989, Liberty Counsel has won more than 37 cases we have argued or briefed before the U.S. Supreme Court. Our work helped overturn Roe v. Wade, restore the Ten Commandments, end government censorship of Christian speech, and overturn the “Lemon Test,” among other things. 

No wonder these haters of life and liberty want to destroy us — we are effective! 

Liberty Counsel is in an elite class when it comes to use of donor funds. Our non-donor income covers all administrative and fundraising expenses. Most of the non-donor income derives from attorney’s fees and costs that are recoverable from a government defendant. This means 100% of every dollar goes directly to Liberty Counsel programs. And Liberty Counsel operates on a debt-free basis. 

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“The LORD will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before you. They shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways” (Deut. 28:7).