U.S. District Judge Michael R. Barrett is right to avoid the mistakes made by politicians such as Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, as he denies a group of anti-abortion advocates the ability to advise on litigation over abortion clinic transfer agreements.

Barrett is working on how the abortion rights amendment Buckeye State residents approved last month will be affected by the case. The anti-abortion groups and individuals who banded together made it easy for Barrett to dismiss them when they told the court they have “direct and vital interests in objecting to any implementation of Issue 1 by the Court.”

In other words, they’re not interested in seeing Ohio carry out the will of the voters. They would like the courts to help them work against that will.

Barrett did not mince words. He said the groups “will not be of assistance in resolving or clarifying a question of law.”

Further, he said the groups “notably fail to make even the most cursory references” to any of the laws and provisions central to the suit.

“Instead, they condemn ‘how manipulated the initiative process has become,'” he wrote.

Plenty of politicians and out-of-state special interest groups have thrived by shilling a curated, partisan version of their facts. Fortunately, Barrett let them know it isn’t going to happen this time.

Whatever his final assessment, Ohioans will be confident it has been reached without the influence of those desperately seeking to reverse a decision made by voters. That is as it should be. Here’s hoping other Ohio officials take note.