Lawyers for the Thomas More Society this week petitioned the incoming Trump administration for clemency on behalf of 21 pro-life activists who say they were “wrongfully convicted” by President Joe Biden's Justice Department. was officially submitted.
“With this request for presidential pardons for 21 peaceful pro-life activists, we urge President Trump to right the grave wrong of the Biden administration’s weaponization of the Department of Justice,” said Thomas More, Senior Counsel for the Institute. Ta. Steve Crampton said in a statement, adding:
These 21 peaceful protesters, many of whom are currently incarcerated for bravely standing up for unborn children, are conscientious citizens and pillars of their communities. Through a full and unconditional pardon for these pro-life advocates, President Trump has the opportunity to redress the harm done to them and their families, fulfill his campaign promise, and repair faith in the constitutional order. .
The Thomas More Society, a conservative national public interest law firm, predicted that during the campaign, President-elect Donald Trump would “revise the sentences of all political prisoners who have been unfairly persecuted by Biden and, in some cases, issue clemency or After making several promises that his sentence would be commuted, he filed a clemency petition. 'regime' includes pro-life activists.
read more: Federal judge suspends FACE Act lawsuit against pro-life advocates until President Trump returns to White House
“We are thrilled that the second Trump administration has brought new challenges to pro-life advocates who have faced FBI raids, federal prosecutions, and harsh penalties for peacefully and courageously testifying for life. We look forward to seeing it in its time,” said Thomas More Society Executive Vice President and Litigation Director. Peter Breen added.
Biden's Justice Department has been accused of using the Freedom of Admissions to Clinics (FACE) Act to go after pro-life activists. The 1994 law was signed by then-President Bill Clinton. Forbidden “Violent, threatening, damaging, and obstructive conduct intended to harm, threaten, or interfere with the right to seek, obtain, or provide reproductive health services.” Written to protect clinics, pro-life pregnancy resource centers, and churches alike. However, since the law was enacted, 97 percent of lawsuits related to the FACE Act have been against pro-life advocates.
In less than four years, Biden's Justice Department accounted for more than a quarter of all 211 FACE prosecutions, according to data obtained by Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas). shown. At least 55 FACE Act lawsuits have been filed under the Biden administration, but only five of them were for pro-abortion attacks on pregnancy centers. increase Under attack against In response to the Supreme Court ruling, pro-life pregnancy centers and churches were established. dobbs decision.
Roy and other Republicans have proposed a bill to repeal the FACE Act, calling it an “unconstitutional federal takeover of state police powers.”
Biden's Justice Department has openly supported abortion; establish The government will launch a “Reproductive Rights Task Force” in 2022 to “protect access to reproductive health care” with a view to reversing reproductive rights. Roe vs. Wade. Department of Justice too strategic before it's over egg Combining FACE Act charges with complicity against rights to increase sentencing, especially for pro-life activists.
In some cases, the FBI is suspected of conducting early morning raids on pro-life activists and holding them at gunpoint in front of their families.
Related – Explainer: Justice Department uses KKK-era accusations to extend pro-life activist’s prison term
The 21 supporters included in the amnesty application are as follows:
Joan Bell, Coleman Boyd, Joel Curry, Jonathan Darnell, Eva Eddle, Chester Gallagher, William Goodman, Dennis Green, Lauren Handy, Paulette Harlow, John Hinshaw, Heather Idoni, Gene Father Marshall. Fidelis Moshinski, Justin Phillips, Paul Place, Paul Vaughn, Beverine Beatty Williams, Calvin Zastrow, Eva Zastrow, James Zastrow.
The activists named span five different incidents, including one in Washington, DC. Nashville, Tennessee. Detroit, Michigan; Long Island, New York;and manhattan, new york.
The Thomas More Society could not share individual pardon applications for privacy reasons, but attorneys released Cover letter for pardon request package. In it, the lawyers reveal how the Biden administration has used the FACE Act to unfairly target pro-life activists, often in conjunction with KKK-era conspiracies against rights violations.
The lawyer wrote:
We represent peaceful pro-life Americans who were wrongly imprisoned and wrongly convicted by the Biden Justice Department for demonstrating at abortion facilities. They have been encouraged by the messages you repeatedly addressed to them during the campaign during their imprisonment and wrongful prosecution, urging them to persevere until you can take office, consider their cases, and free them. .
They also want to make sure that you are aware of their “We especially thank you for highlighting our plight to the public,” the letter continues. “The peaceful pro-life Americans being abused by Biden include grandparents, pastors, Holocaust survivors, and Catholic priests, all of whom are selfless and sincere patriots. Their respective plights and personal information are provided as attachments to this letter. We respectfully appeal that all 21 persons detailed herein are deserving of full and unconditional pardon.”
“Biden prosecutors almost completely ignored the incendiary bombing and vandalism of hundreds of pro-life churches and pregnancy centers, yet they aggressively pursued pro-life Americans and enacted the federal FACE Act,” the letter said. ” and obtained a conviction based on the Ku Klux Klan. The statute's felony provision of “conspiracy against rights.” ”
“But these people were simply participating in peaceful civil disobedience, in the tradition of American civil rights activists. Such peaceful actions are usually treated lightly at worst. and if they If they had opposed anything other than abortion, Joe Biden would have given them medals – instead he branded them 'convicted felons' and sentenced them to years in federal prison. wanted to be imprisoned,” the letter said. “Therefore, we respectfully ask the Biden Justice Department to correct its mistakes and grant a full and unconditional pardon. [these activists]”
Katherine Hamilton is a political reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her at @thekat_Hamilton
