Republicans demand repeal of ‘weaponized’ FACE Act following conviction of peaceful pro-life activists
Republicans Call for Repeal of FACE Act as Pro-Lifers Face Prison Time
Republicans in Congress have continued to call for the repeal of the FACE Act after six pro-lifers face over a decade in prison after being convicted of FACE Act-related charges in federal court in Nashville.
The lawmakers have said in recent days that the FACE Act, a Clinton-era law that criminalizes the use of force or threats of force that prevent someone from accessing an abortion facility, has been weaponized against pro-life activists. The six pro-lifers convicted on Tuesday face hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines and up to 10.5 years in prison after the Biden administration accused them of conspiring against rights secured by the FACE Act.
On Friday, Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) urged his colleagues in the House to take up a bill he introduced last year that would repeal the FACE Act.
“The TN case is part of a disturbing pattern of overcharging and using absurd amounts of law-enforcement resources to intimidate pro-lifers.”
💯%—we must end this weaponized law NOW@HouseGOP should take up Rep. Roy’s FACE Act Repeal(HR577) immediately https://t.co/GCx0JKqKGq
— Rep. Chip Roy Press Office (@RepChipRoy) February 2, 2024
The legislation, which was sponsored by Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) in the Senate, was referred to as the “Restoring the First Amendment and Right to Peaceful Civil Disobedience Act.”
“Free Americans should never live in fear of their government targeting them because of their beliefs. Yet, Biden’s Department of Justice has brazenly weaponized the FACE Act against normal, everyday Americans across the political spectrum, simply because they are pro-life. Our Constitution separates power between the federal government and the states for a reason, and we ignore that safeguard at our own peril,” Roy said last year when introducing the measure. “The FACE Act is an unconstitutional federal takeover of state police powers; it must be repealed.”
Other Republicans in the House have echoed support for taking up Roy’s legislation after the Nashville verdict, including Freedom Caucus Chair Bob Good (R-VA).
Being jailed for singing hymns and trying to protect innocent babies? I strongly support @RepRoy‘s FACE Act Repeal Act to protect these individuals from injustice. https://t.co/cSY5F5650t
— Congressman Bob Good (@RepBobGood) January 31, 2024
“Proud to cosponsor @RepChipRoy’s FACE Act Repeal Act. This law has been abused by the Biden administration to target peaceful pro-life activists,” Rep. Mark Green (R-TN) posted on X.
Proud to cosponsor @RepChipRoy’s FACE Act Repeal Act. This law has been abused by the Biden administration to target peaceful pro-life activists. https://t.co/IbkihOp8CQ
— Rep. Mark Green (@RepMarkGreen) February 1, 2024
Lee noted on X that the FACE Act, which is also supposed to be used to protect churches and pregnancy centers, appears to only be used to target pro-life activists and not pro-abortion activists.
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“Bottom line: the Biden administration incarcerates people for praying at abortion clinics while ignoring violent acts at churches and pregnancy centers. So many camels. So much obsessive attention paid to harmless things mistaken for gnats,” Lee said on Tuesday.
The push comes after pro-lifers Chet Gallagher of Tennessee, Coleman Boyd of Mississippi, Heather Idoni of Michigan, Cal Zastrow of Michigan, Paul Vaughn of Tennessee, and Dennis Green of Virginia were convicted of conspiracy against rights and violating the FACE Act.
The six were indicted by the Department of Justice after a protest that took place in a hallway outside of a Mount Juliet abortion provider on March 5, 2021. On that day, a group of demonstrators gathered on the second floor of an office building in the hallway outside the Carafem Health Center Clinic. The group prayed, sang hymns, and urged women showing up to the clinic not to get abortions.
In what ways do conservatives view the recent convictions of pro-lifers in Nashville as an infringement on their constitutional rights, and how does this shape their perspective on the need to repeal the FACE Act?
Rted by prominent pro-choice organizations, was originally intended to protect access to abortion facilities and ensure the safety of individuals seeking reproductive healthcare. However, he argued that it has been wielded against pro-life activists to stifle their freedom of speech and assembly.
“The FACE Act was meant to protect women seeking abortions from violence and intimidation, not to criminalize peaceful protest and the exercise of First Amendment rights. We must restore the original intent of this law and ensure that it is not weaponized against those with differing beliefs,” Senator Lee stated.
The conviction of the six pro-lifers in Nashville has sparked outrage among conservatives, who view it as an infringement on their constitutional rights. They argue that these individuals were simply exercising their right to peaceful protest and were unfairly targeted by the Biden administration.
In response, Republicans are pushing for the repeal of the FACE Act, believing it to be an unconstitutional overreach of federal power. They argue that the regulation of activities around abortion clinics should be left to the states, as outlined in the Constitution.
Proponents of the repeal, such as Rep. Chip Roy, argue that the FACE Act has been used as a tool of intimidation by the government, stating, “The TN case is part of a disturbing pattern of overcharging and using absurd amounts of law-enforcement resources to intimidate pro-lifers.”
These Republicans are championing the “Restoring the First Amendment and Right to Peaceful Civil Disobedience Act,” introduced by Sen. Mike Lee, which seeks to repeal the FACE Act and uphold freedom of speech and assembly.
In light of the recent conviction and the strong support from Republicans in Congress, it remains to be seen whether the repeal of the FACE Act will gain traction or face opposition from pro-choice advocates who argue that the law is necessary to protect individuals seeking reproductive healthcare.
As the debate continues, the fate of the six pro-lifers, facing substantial fines and lengthy prison sentences, hangs in the balance. Their cases have sparked a renewed discussion about the limits of protest rights and the role of the federal government in regulating access to abortion facilities.
Regardless of one’s stance on the issue of abortion, it is crucial to uphold the principles of free speech and peaceful assembly that are fundamental to the American democratic system. The repeal of the FACE Act could provide an opportunity to reassess the balance between protecting reproductive rights and safeguarding the rights of individuals to express their beliefs.
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