AG Garland Besieged By Requests To Defend Pro-Life Clinics, Organizations

Mary Margaret OlohanJune 21, 2022

Nineteen state attorneys general joined the ranks of those calling on U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland on Tuesday to stop the “domestic terrorist acts” on pro-life clinics and organizations.

“Intentional or not, budding domestic terrorists have apparently received the message: the Department of Justice is going easy on those who use violence in furtherance of favored viewpoints,” the letter, signed by 19 attorneys general from across the country, warned.

The attorneys general pointed out that since the leak of the draft Supreme Court opinion indicating that the court would overturn Roe v. Wade, “charities that support pregnant mothers in need have been firebombed and pro-life organizations have been attacked almost daily and terrorized.” They specifically mention the pro-abortion group Jane’s Revenge, which has claimed responsibility for many of these attacks.

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“The Department of Justice must investigate and prosecute these terroristic threats and acts,” the letter said. “It should start with Jane’s Revenge — the FBI has more than enough resources to determine the organization’s members and to track down those carrying out these acts of violence, which qualify as terrorism under federal law. And while Jane’s Revenge offers an obvious starting point, the supply of entities deserving to be investigated hardly stops there.”

In a Tuesday statement accompanying the letter, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares condemned the federal government’s “lack of action” on this “pattern of terrorism” as “unacceptable.”

“Radical progressive organizations like Jane’s Revenge have been actively encouraging their supporters to harass and harm Pregnancy Centers and the people who work there,” he said. “It is the U.S. Attorney General’s legal duty to investigate these criminal attacks on pro-life charities.”

The attorneys general also offered state assistance to the DOJ for both investigations and prosecutions of those involved in these crimes.

“Inaction is intolerable in our nation of laws, and it violates your oath of office,” the letter said. “Yet, in recent weeks, you have continued to allow illegal actions seemingly because they advance (in the minds of some) the pro-abortion cause. In particular, you have done nothing to break up picketing outside the homes of Supreme Court justices rumored to have voted to overrule Roe v. Wade — this despite the fact that a federal law plainly prohibits such conduct.”

“And over the past year, the federal government has repeatedly sought leniency for violent criminals motivated by what this Administration perceives as progress,” the letter added. “All the while, it has taken bizarrely aggressive positions toward its ideological opponents—for example, parents who speak out at school-board meetings. Intentional or not, budding domestic terrorists have apparently received the message: the Department of Justice is going easy on those who use violence in furtherance of favored viewpoints.”

The letter comes the same day that Republicans in the House called on the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security to designate members of the pro-abortion organization, Jane’s Revenge, as domestic terrorists.

“We write with grave concern regarding the group ‘Jane’s Revenge’ and its documented attacks on pregnancy centers across the country over the past two months,” the lawmakers said in a letter first obtained by The Daily Wire. “This group is a threat to expectant mothers across America, many of whom are in desperate need of assistance.”

“We are calling on the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to officially classify those committing crimes through Jane’s Revenge as domestic terrorists in response to their clear involvement in acts dangerous to human life,” the letter continued. “These violent acts violate U.S. and State law, and the group itself has claimed intent to intimidate civilians and government officials. You must use the full extent of your powers under the law to fully prosecute these criminals and prevent further crime.”

And on Thursday, CatholicVote led pro-life leaders in sending a joint letter Garland demanding the DOJ take action against the attacks on pro-life organizations and centers. Signatories included CatholicVote President Brian Burch, Susan B. Anthony List President Marjorie Dannenfelser, Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts, and Students for Life Action President Kristan Hawkins.

“We call on you to publicly condemn these unlawful attacks; to commit to vigorous efforts to prevent them, and to investigate and prosecute them; and to proactively engage with the affected faith communities to ensure their concerns and security needs are being met,” the groups wrote to Garland. “We would request a meeting with your office as well as the Civil Rights Division to discuss what plans are in the likelihood these attacks will intensify.”