Jimmy Lai Sentencing, Pro-Lifers Under Attack, and Protecting Children: February 18, 2026

Welcome to the Napa Legal Podcast, where we discuss religious liberty from the perspective of faith-based nonprofits. In this week's episode, Frank DeVito and Joseph Clement explain the latest on Jimmy Lai's sentencing, lawsuits over sex-rejecting procedures at children's hospitals, and abortion law in Michigan.

In this episode, we discuss:

1:17 Jimmy Lai, the 78-year-old Catholic advocate for democracy and human rights in Hong Kong, was recently sentenced to 20 years in a Chinese prison. His family has asked for continued prayers and notes that he has been supported by his faith.

9:10 A lawsuit brought by Rob Bonta against a children's hospital that decided to stop performing sex-rejecting procedures on minors in order to continue receiving federal funding. Bonta is seeking to force the hospital to continue offering such procedures and drugs.

18:28 A lawsuit against Michigan's law that prevents pro-life organizations from hiring only pro-life staff.

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Topics: Catholic advocacy, political persecution, free speech, free association, transgenderism, abortion law, Michigan Right to Life.

The Napa Legal Podcast, February 18, 2026.

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