Staff Reports
The Department of Justice under President Biden has filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio against two pro-life groups, Citizens for a Pro-Life Society and Red Rose Rescue, along with seven individuals. The complaint alleges that they violated the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, a law passed by Congress in 1994 to protect those seeking reproductive health services.
The complaint details two incidents in June 2021, one at the Northeast Ohio Women’s Center in Cuyahoga Falls and the other at the Bedford Heights Surgery Center in Bedford Heights, Ohio. In the first incident, four individuals were arrested for trespassing and allegedly disrupting the clinic’s operations, leading to the rescheduling of some planned abortions. The second incident involved three individuals approaching patients in the center’s parking lot and attempting to dissuade them from having abortions.
Biden's Weaponized DOJ Targets Pro-Life Activists with New Lawsuit https://t.co/X4MGvoIKQo
— Jt Clem (@clem_jt) May 25, 2024
The Department of Justice is seeking civil penalties of over $20,000 for the alleged FACE Act violations. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke emphasized the DOJ’s commitment to enforcing laws that protect access to reproductive health services and condemned obstructing people from accessing care. This is not the first time Clarke has used the FACE Act to prosecute pro-life advocates, and she has previously criticized crisis pregnancy centers.
Some members of Congress, including Republican Sen. Mike Lee and Republican Rep. Chip Roy, are calling for the repeal of the FACE Act, arguing that pro-life activists are being disproportionately targeted while other offenders go unpunished. They believe that pro-life advocates should be able to peacefully protest outside abortion clinics and speak to women about abortion without fear of prosecution.
In light of the ongoing legal action against pro-life advocates, they are seeking support and donations to continue their fight for conservative values.
