DOJ Report Alleges Bias in Biden Administration's FACE Act Enforcement
A Justice Department report accuses the Biden administration of selectively prosecuting anti-abortion activists under the FACE Act, leading to the dismissal of several prosecutors.
The U.S. Department of Justice has released a report alleging that the Biden administration selectively enforced the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act to target anti-abortion activists. The report, produced by the DOJ's Weaponization Working Group, claims that prosecutors under the previous administration imposed harsher penalties on anti-abortion demonstrators compared to pro-abortion activists. Specifically, the report notes that the average sentence for anti-abortion defendants was 26.8 months, whereas pro-abortion defendants received an average of 12.3 months.
In response to the findings, the Justice Department has terminated at least four prosecutors involved in FACE Act cases during the Biden administration. Among those dismissed is Sanjay Patel, a longtime federal prosecutor in the Civil Rights Division's criminal section. A DOJ spokesperson stated that personnel responsible for "weaponizing the FACE Act" have been removed.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche emphasized the department's commitment to impartiality, stating,
The report also highlights instances where prosecutors allegedly engaged in inappropriate conduct, such as disparaging defendants' religious beliefs and seeking to exclude religious jurors. Additionally, it points to the case of Mark Houck, an anti-abortion activist arrested at his home by armed agents, despite his willingness to self-surrender.
The FACE Act, enacted in 1994, prohibits threats or obstruction at reproductive health clinics and places of religious worship. The recent report suggests that its enforcement under the Biden administration was uneven, prompting the current DOJ to take corrective actions.