Despite a likely resurgence of attacks on pro-life pregnancy centers in the wake of a federal judge’s ruling that could overturn the FDA’s approval of the chemical abortion pill, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has issued no warning to, nor allocated any resources for, the protection of pro-life people and organizations. Rather, on February 15, a Federal Grand Jury released indictments against eight peaceful, pro-life Christians for non-violent protests. The DOJ is indicting on FACE Act violations and conspiracy to deprive rights (a felony). Six of the eight had been previously indicted by the DOJ for similar charges. CompassCare is hopeful that the House Judiciary Committee will subpoena the DOJ and FBI regarding these and other frivolous prosecutions to ascertain their true motive and cost to the taxpayer.
Q&A:
- The DOJ recently indicted eight more peaceful pro-life people. What can you tell us about that situation?
Answer: The DOJ is indicting on FACE Act violations and conspiracy to deprive rights (a felony). Six of the eight had been previously indicted by the DOJ for similar charges. CompassCare is hopeful that the House Judiciary Committee will subpoena the DOJ and FBI regarding these and other frivolous prosecutions to ascertain their true motive and cost to the taxpayer.
- Why is the DOJ pursuing these indictments?
Answer: The DOJ’s National Task Force on Violence Against Reproductive Health Care Providers, by their own admission, targets pro-life activity stating, “The Attorney General charged the Task Force with several wide-ranging functions: Coordinate national investigation and prosecution of incidents of abortion violence, with a focus on…anti-abortion activities.”
- Mark Houck, the pro-life leader from PA who was arrested in a dawn, SWAT-like raid by the FBI was found not guilty of the FACE Act charges brought against him by the DOJ. How is this affecting the DOJ’s attacks?
Answer: The DOJ seems to disagree with the twice-ruled verdict of innocent in Mark Houck’s case. The DOJ’s webpagestill lists his case as an incident of violent assault while listing none of the over 80 attacks on pro-life pregnancy centers.
- Can you share with us the nature of the cases that the DOJ’s task force is listing regarding FACE Act violations?
Answer: Listing many cases that were dismissed, non-violent, or otherwise not warranting the vast taxpayer-funded resources of the DOJ, the inherent bias of the FACE Act is on full display through these actions. The FACE Act is unconstitutional on its face, and the DOJ knows it. The FACE Act was instituted by the Clinton Administration to put a halt to all public pro-life activity. Today, it is being used exclusively (with only two exceptions, unmentioned on the DOJ’s list) to do just that, assassinating the character of pro-life leaders who have done nothing wrong.
- You say the FACE Act is unconstitutional. Does it have any legal standing at all?
Answer: Given that the Supreme Court through Dobbs recognized that there is not a federally protected right to abortion in the U.S., the FACE Act has now lost its legal underpinnings.”
- Why do you believe the DOJ has renewed its attacks on pro-life people?
Answer: This revamping of the DOJ’s character assassination could be the start of a new wave of attacks on pro-life people and organizations. “In 4th Generation Warfare—the process by which organizations such as al-Qaeda and Antifa seek to destabilize nation-states—the aggressor play their cards so as not to garner sympathy for their victim in the general public. Pro-life people were beginning to be seen as victims by the nation, irrespective of political leaning. Curiously, the physical attacks nearly stopped overnight in coordination with the DOJ and FBI slowing their own attacks.
- What do you have to say about the DOJ’s actions?
Answer: Far from protecting the victims of violent crime, the DOJ seems to be joining Antifa in attacking pro-life Christians while actively enabling and encouraging others to break laws regarding the trafficking of illicit chemical abortion drugs, putting the lives of women in danger. And with the potential for chemical abortion to lose its federal protection, pro-life people will again be painted as the enemy.
Rev. Jim Harden, CompassCare CEO:
Rev. James R. Harden, M.Div. is the CEO of CompassCare Pregnancy Services and lives outside of Rochester, NY with his wife and ten children. Rev. Harden pioneered the first measurable and repeatable medical model in the pregnancy center movement, helping hundreds of centers nationwide become more effective at reaching more women and saving more babies from abortion. He has written extensively on medical ethics, executive leadership, and pro-life strategy. Recently CompassCare’s pro-life medical office in Buffalo, NY was firebombed.
Daniel Tomlinson, CompassCare Director of Community Relations:
Daniel Tomlinson is the Director of Community Relations at CompassCare, a Pregnancy Center based in Buffalo, New York. CompassCare’s pro-life medical office in Buffalo that was firebombed on June 7th and reopened a miraculous 52 days later. Having served at CompassCare for 12 years, Daniel is passionate about resourcing the mission of CompassCare and educating the community on the equal value of every person. He and his wife have four children and live outside of Rochester, NY.
CONTACT: Jerry McGlothlin at 919-437-0001, or geraldmcg@outlook.com
