The Biden administration repeatedly weaponized the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act against pro-life organizations and individuals, tracked pro-lifers’ activity, and targeted them with severe penalties, according to a report the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) released Tuesday morning.
Supported by more than 150 exhibits of internal emails, case files, and other documents, the 882-page report is the result of a review of the Biden-era DOJ’s response to complaints of violence from both pro-life and pro-abortion organizations and facilities. The DOJ found that under the Biden administration, the DOJ gave “extensive support” to abortion facilities, but “often ignored and downplayed” violence against pregnancy resource centers and religious spaces.
The discriminatory application of the FACE Act occurred under the National Task Force on Violence Against Reproductive Health Care Providers, a group of officials reestablished by former Attorney General Merrick Garland, according to the report. The task force was responsible for overseeing the FACE Act and related outreach.
The report states the task force had a pro-abortion bias as its director was on texting terms with the National Abortion Federation’s security team and often communicated with Planned Parenthood and the Feminist Majority Foundation. Pro-life organizations and groups, however, were “disregarded,” according to the DOJ.
The task force also collaborated with pro-abortion organizations to track pro-lifers’ travel and First Amendment activity, the DOJ found. Despite the FBI flagging the DOJ’s monitoring of pro-life First Amendment activity, the task force continued with its tracking, which included monitoring planned pro-life protests and receiving tips of possible FACE Act violations from abortion NGOs.
The Biden-era DOJ’s misconduct was apparently present in prosecution as well, according to the report, which states prosecutors “knowingly withheld evidence that defense counsel requested to prepare an affirmative defense” and “tried to screen out jurors based on religion.” The report also cites the case of Mark Houck, a Catholic father who was arrested at his home by 16 FBI agents after he protected his 12-year-old son from a Planned Parenthood escort.
The report states that the DOJ discriminated against pro-lifers when requesting sentences, asking courts to mete out an average 26.8 month sentence for pro-life defendants and an average 12.3 month sentence for pro-abortion defendants. According to the report, pro-lifers were ultimately sentenced to an average of 14 months, compared with the average 3 month sentence pro-abortion advocates received.
The final key finding in the report details how the task force director took interest in the finances of the National Abortion Federation, serving as a reference on the organization’s application for a substantial private grant.
The report condemned the Biden DOJ’s actions and highlighted the Trump administration’s steps to “right prior wrongs,” pointing to President Donald Trump’s pardoning of several pro-lifers last year.