DOJ Report Alleges Bias in FACE Act Enforcement Under Biden Administration
A Justice Department report accuses the Biden administration of selectively prosecuting anti-abortion activists under the FACE Act, citing coordination with abortion-rights groups and uneven sentencing.
The U.S. Department of Justice released a report on Tuesday alleging that the Biden administration selectively prosecuted anti-abortion activists under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act. The report, based on a review of over 700,000 internal records, claims that prosecutors coordinated with abortion-rights groups to monitor and track pro-life activists, leading to biased enforcement of the law.
The FACE Act, enacted in 1994, is designed to protect access to reproductive health services by prohibiting threats or obstruction at clinics. The report indicates that during the Biden administration, the Department of Justice collaborated with organizations such as Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Feminist Majority Foundation, and the National Abortion Federation to initiate investigations into pro-life activists.
The report also highlights disparities in sentencing, noting that prosecutors sought an average of 26.8 months in prison for pro-life defendants, compared to 12.3 months for pro-abortion defendants. Additionally, it alleges that evidence was withheld in certain cases and that aggressive arrest tactics were employed against pro-life activists.
In response to the findings, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated,
"This Department will not tolerate a two-tiered system of justice. No Department should conduct selective prosecution based on beliefs. The weaponization that happened under the Biden Administration will not happen again, as we restore integrity to our prosecutorial system."
As a result of the review, at least four prosecutors involved in FACE Act cases during the Biden administration have been dismissed, including Sanjay Patel, who led the National Task Force on Violence Against Reproductive Health Care Providers.
The Department of Justice has indicated that internal referrals have been made for potential criminal prosecution or disciplinary action against employees implicated in the report.