{"id":2039284,"date":"2023-09-20T18:50:01","date_gmt":"2023-09-20T22:50:01","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2023-09-20T18:53:52","modified_gmt":"2023-09-20T22:53:52","slug":"as-pro-life-activists-face-stiff-federal-sentences-bill-to-repeal-weaponized-face-act-introduced","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/as-pro-life-activists-face-stiff-federal-sentences-bill-to-repeal-weaponized-face-act-introduced\/","title":{"rendered":"Bill introduced to repeal &#8216;weaponized&#8217; FACE Act as pro-life activists face harsh federal sentences."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fas-pro-life-activists-face-stiff-federal-sentences-bill-to-repeal-weaponized-face-act-introduced%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2039284&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><blockquote>\n<div data-post-content=\"true\" class=\"post_content\" id=\"post_content\">\n<p>Rep. Chip Roy\u2063 (R-Tex.) has introduced legislation to repeal the Freedom of Access to \u2062Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, a federal law that was seldom \u2063used \u2062prior to June 2022, when Roe V. Wade was \u2062overturned by the\u200b U.S. Supreme Court. Sen. Mike Lee, a Utah Republican, \u200bplans \u200cto lead \u2063companion legislation in the Senate.<\/p>\n<p>Since then, the landscape on the frontline of abortion has changed \u2063and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/as-pro-life-activists-face-stiff-federal-sentences-bill-to-repeal-weaponized-face-act-introduced\/\" title=\"Bill introduced to repeal 'weaponized' FACE Act as pro-life activists face harsh federal sentences.\">numerous pro-life sidewalk\u200c counselors<\/a> and so-called rescuers have been charged \u2064under the act.<\/p>\n<p>Most \u200drecently, three pro-life activists were convicted Sept. 15\u2064 under the law, \u2062with additional federal felony\u200d charges of conspiracy, joining five other pro-lifers who were\u2063 convicted Aug. 29.  They face \u200das many as 11 years in federal prison.<\/p>\n<div class=\"shortcode\">\n<div class=\"border-comp-divider mb-4 mr-4 w-full max-w-[500px] border px-5 py-4 text-[16px] leading-[20px] text-[#262626] md:float-left\" id=\"in_article_related_stories\">\n<h2 class=\"mb-3 font-sans text-[16px] font-semibold uppercase leading-[19px] text-[#2F2F2F]\">Related Stories<\/h2>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/5-pro-life-activists-found-guilty-over-protest-in-washington-abortion-clinic-5482821?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/p>\n<h3>5 Pro-Life Activists\u2064 Found Guilty Over Protest in Washington Abortion Clinic<\/h3>\n<p><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">8\/29\/2023<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[120px]\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/5-pro-life-activists-found-guilty-over-protest-in-washington-abortion-clinic-5482821?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/fate-of-dc-pro-life-rescuers-now-before-federal-jury-5480954?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/p>\n<h3>Fate of 5 DC Pro-Life Activists Now Before Federal Jury<\/h3>\n<p><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">8\/27\/2023<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[120px]\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/fate-of-dc-pro-life-rescuers-now-before-federal-jury-5480954?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>Shortly after\u2064 the\u200b Supreme \u2063Court overturned Roe v. \u200cWade\u2062 in June 2022, President Joe\u2063 Biden issued \u200can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.federalregister.gov\/documents\/2022\/07\/13\/2022-15138\/protecting-access-to-reproductive-healthcare-services\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">executive order<\/a> directing his administration \u2063to address \u201cpotential \u200bheightened safety \u2063and security risks related \u2064to \u200dthe\u2062 provision of reproductive healthcare\u2064 services.\u201d\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>On July 12, 2022, the Justice Department announced the formation\u2062 of the\u200c Reproductive Rights\u200b Task \u2064Force. In a \u200cJune 2023 press release, the Justice Department listed enforcement of the \u2062FACE Act as one\u2064 of the goals of the task force.<\/p>\n<h2>Pro-Life Activism<\/h2>\n<p>By the late 1980s, thousands of pro-life activists willing to face \u2063low-level trespassing \u2062charges were participating in sit-ins,\u2062 praying, and carrying signs at \u200cabortion \u200cfacilities around the country.\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>Signed into\u200d law by then-president Bill Clinton in \u200c1994, the FACE Act (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/103\/statute\/STATUTE-108\/STATUTE-108-Pg694.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">pdf<\/a>) chilled some pro-life activity at abortion facilities.<\/p>\n<div class=\"page\" title=\"Page 1\">\n<div class=\"layoutArea\">\n<div class=\"column\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"shortcode post-related-videos\">\n<div class=\"lazyload-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"lazyload-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The FACE \u2062Act established\u2064 &#8220;federal criminal penalties \u2064and civil\u2064 remedies for certain violent, threatening, obstructive and\u2063 destructive conduct that is intended\u2063 to injure, intimidate or interfere with persons\u200d seeking to obtain \u2064or provide reproductive health\u2064 services.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>After the act \u2062was\u2064 passed, fewer people were willing to \u200crisk federal charges, but some pro-life activists continue to go to abortion facilities trying to convince women not to abort their\u2064 babies. They may carry \u200csigns or offer resources for alternatives to abortion. Sometimes they use bullhorns or\u2062 sit in front of clinic\u2064 doors. Many simply pray. Some are occasionally arrested for\u2062 trespassing.\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Pro-life activists\u2064 report\u200b that they are sometimes able \u200dto\u2064 convince women to change\u200b their minds and allow their babies to live.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>A sidewalk counselor in the Midwest, who asked to remain anonymous, told\u2062 The Epoch Times: &#8220;Nationally, more than 21,000 babies have been saved via sidewalk advocacy since 2000.&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.40daysforlife.com\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">40 Days for Life,<\/a> an international organization that \u200dcoordinates twice-yearly prayer vigils outside \u200bof abortion clinics, reports that it has seen more than 23,000\u2062 babies saved\u2064 since 2007.<\/p>\n<h2>&#8216;Weaponizing&#8217; the FACE Act<\/h2>\n<p>Through the Reproductive Rights Task Force, however, the\u200b Biden administration cracked down aggressively on pro-life activists. \u2062In the 10 years between 2011 and\u2064 2021, the Department of Justice had criminally charged 17 people with FACE Act violations, according to the DOJ website.\u2063 By\u2062 comparison, in a single year, 2022, the DOJ charged 26\u200c people \u200dunder \u200dthe law.\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u201cFree Americans should never live in fear of \u200btheir government targeting\u200b them because\u2062 of \u200dtheir beliefs. Yet, \u200cBiden&#8217;s Department of Justice has brazenly weaponized the FACE \u200bAct against normal, everyday Americans across \u2062the political spectrum, simply because they are pro-life,\u201d Mr. Roy said \u200bin a statement. \u201cOur Constitution separates power between the federal government and the states for a reason, and we ignore \u200cthat safeguard at \u200dour own peril. The FACE Act is an\u2062 unconstitutional federal takeover\u2064 of\u2064 state police powers; \u200cit must be repealed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The\u200b FACE Act Repeal Act of 2023 would repeal the act\u2064 and\u200b erase any \u2063pending prosecution of a \u2064FACE Act charge that happens \u2063on or after\u2062 the repeal is enacted. There are 24 co-signers\u2063 on the bill.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>\u201cThe Constitution\u2064 reserves general police power to the\u200b states, which Congress infringed upon when it passed the\u2062 FACE \u2062Act,\u201d \u200bMr. Lee said. \u201cJoe Biden\u2019s DOJ has weaponized this constitutionally dubious law against\u2064 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/seattle-suburb-backs-down-from-ban-on-abortion-clinic-protesters\/\" title=\"Seattle Suburb Backs Down From Ban on Abortion Clinic Protesters\">pro-life sidewalk counselors<\/a> while failing \u200dto protect pregnancy centers and churches from arson, vandalism, and violence. \u200cIt\u2019s time\u2062 to repeal the FACE Act once and for all.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Intimidating Arrests<\/h2>\n<p>On Oct. 5, 2022, Paul\u200c Vaughn,\u2063 a father of 11 \u2064from\u2062 Centerville, Tennessee,\u2064 was preparing to \u200dtake his \u2062children to school when the FBI pounded on his door\u200c with \u200dtheir guns \u2062drawn. FBI agents put\u2064 him \u200bin handcuffs,\u2064 drove him to Nashville, put him in \u2064a holding cell, and charged him with violating the \u2063FACE Act and with\u2062 conspiracy to violate civil\u2064 rights for his participation\u2063 in a pro-life rescue in March 2021. He \u2063faces 11 years\u200d in prison and missing key years\u2062 of his\u2063 children\u2019s youth.\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Shortly \u2064after, the FBI visited \u2063communist concentration camp survivor Eva Edl, 87,\u200c and \u200ccharged her with \u200ca FACE Act violation in connection with the 2021 rescue. \u200bHer federal trial is not until January 2024. If she gets prison time, she will go to jail when \u2064she is 88 or 89 years old.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>Ms. Edl\u200c has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/these-pro-life-activists-face-prison-time-as-doj-increases-face-act-prosecutions-5005944\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">said<\/a> \u200dthat she sits in front of\u200b the\u200c doors of\u200c abortion centers the way she wishes people would have joined together\u200c and stood on the train\u2063 tracks when she \u200dwas a child in Yugoslavia, to block the cattle car that took her family to the death camp.\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>At 58, Heather Idoni \u200dof Livingstone, Michigan has been charged with multiple FACE \u200bAct violations.\u2064 She has made her living as a bookstore owner and \u200dis \u200da mother of 16, including 10 orphaned boys she and her husband adopted from\u2064 Ukraine. Today\u200d Ms. Idoni and\u2064 seven other pro-life\u200c activists\u2062 are \u2062in a Washington D.C. prison after they \u200dwere \u200drecently found guilty\u2064 of violating \u2063the FACE Act.<\/p>\n<h2>Conspiracy Charges<\/h2>\n<p>The Justice Department has added a conspiracy charge \u2063to \u2062many FACE Act charges. There are two federal conspiracy statutes for these kinds of cases, Stephen Crampton, Mr. Vaughn\u2019s \u200battorney and \u2062senior counsel at \u2062the Thomas More Society, previously\u200b told <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/these-pro-life-activists-face-prison-time-as-doj-increases-face-act-prosecutions-5005944\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Epoch Times<\/a>. One requires that, for a conspiracy violation, the\u2064 penalty cannot be greater than the penalty\u2062 for the underlying crime, he said.\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cIn\u2063 this\u2063 case, a first offense, nonviolent FACE violation, you only\u200c have a \u200cmisdemeanor \u200dcharge, up to one year in prison. So\u200c if they were to use that particular generic conspiracy statute,\u200b all they could get for the conspiracy part is another one year,\u201d\u2063 Crampton \u200bsaid.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;They\u200b dug deep in their little bag of tricks and found the\u200d conspiracy\u200d to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/no-whites-allowed-pfizer-fellowship-flagrantly-violates-the-law-lawyers-say\/\" title=\"No Whites Allowed: Pfizer Fellowship Flagrantly Violates the Law, Lawyers Say\">violate civil rights statute<\/a> and charged us with that one, \u200cwhich carries \u2064a sentence \u200dup to 10 years,&#8221; Crampton said.<\/p>\n<p>He says the conspiracy charge is unrelated to the FACE\u200d Act and does not represent what\u2063 the activists were doing.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat was the civil right \u2062we\u2062 were talking about with \u2064FACE?\u200d It was abortion. \u200dSo now they&#8217;re going to pretend that the civil rights they&#8217;re dealing with, is \u200bthe right \u200cto access to \u200cso<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pro-abortion-states-seek-to-become-safe-havens-for-women-seeking-abortions\/\" title=\"Pro-Abortion States Seek To Become \u2018Safe Havens\u2019 For Women Seeking Abortions\">-called reproductive health care<\/a>.&#8221;  The \u200cterm &#8216;civil rights&#8217; as used\u2063 in FACE alluded to \u2064abortion, &#8220;not the right to go in and get\u2062 a pregnancy \u2063test, he added, which &#8220;nobody in\u2063 the pro-life \u2064movement is going to \u200dengage in\u2062 concerted activities to prohibit.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>The conspiracy charge that some defendants face \u2063stems from using Facebook to \u2063communicate or live-stream\u2062 their \u200cevents.\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\u201cThe FACE Act prescribes\u2063 harsh, \u2064mean-spirited punishments when pro-life individuals engage in acts of nonviolent civil disobedience\u2014the staple of the human \u200brights and civil rights\u200b movements,\u201d Rep. Chris\u2062 Smith (R-NJ), co-chair of \u2064the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus,\u2064 said in a statement. \u201cUnder \u200cthe FACE\u200b Act, peaceful actions like holding a \u200csign, \u2063singing a\u2062 hymn, or praying \u200dthe Rosary, if\u200b conducted near an abortion \u200bmill, can result\u200d in jail sentences, massive\u2063 fines, and \u200cpunitive damages by the party that \u2064feels it \u2064has been offended.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What are\u2064 the potential \u200dcharges \u2063that \u200dpro-life activists may face under the FACE Act?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Ral charges and potential imprisonment to engage\u200d in pro-life activism at abortion clinics. \u2062The law created a \u200ddeterrent effect, as individuals became more wary of \u2064the\u2062 legal consequences \u200cassociated with their actions.<\/p>\n<p>However, with the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade,\u2062 the pro-life movement has experienced a resurgence in \u2063activism. Many pro-life advocates see this as an opportunity\u200b to challenge the \u200dlegality\u2062 of\u200d abortion and to support women who may \u200cbe considering alternatives.<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, the enforcement of\u2064 the FACE Act has been weaponized against\u200c pro-life activists. Under the guise of protecting the safety and security of reproductive healthcare services, the Biden administration has directed the Justice\u2064 Department to prioritize the enforcement of this law.<\/p>\n<p>In recent months, several pro-life activists have \u2062been charged and convicted under the FACE Act. Three activists were convicted on September \u200b15, joining \u200cfive others who \u200bwere \u2063convicted on August 29. These\u2062 individuals \u200cface the possibility of\u2062 up to 11 \u200byears in federal prison.<\/p>\n<p>The implications of these convictions are significant. It sends a chilling message to the pro-life \u2063community that their advocacy may come at a heavy cost. The use of federal felony\u200d charges and conspiracy allegations further demonstrate\u200c the severity with which the\u200c government is approaching \u2062these cases.<\/p>\n<p>Rep. Chip \u2064Roy\u2062 has taken action to address \u2062this issue by introducing legislation \u2064to repeal the \u2063FACE Act. This legislation aims to\u2062 restore \u2064the rights of pro-life activists and protect their First Amendment rights to free speech\u2063 and \u2064peaceful assembly. Sen. Mike Lee plans to lead \u200ccompanion legislation in the Senate, highlighting the bipartisan recognition of the importance of \u200dthis issue.<\/p>\n<p>It is crucial to \u200drecognize that pro-life activism \u2063has a long-standing history in this country. Since the late 1980s, activists have \u200cbeen engaging in peaceful demonstrations, sit-ins, and prayer vigils at\u2063 abortion facilities. Their goal is\u2064 to \u200braise awareness about the sanctity of human life\u200c and provide support and alternatives to women facing \u2064unplanned pregnancies.<\/p>\n<p>The\u2063 FACE Act was initially \u200cintended to address violent \u200dand threatening behavior, which indeed has no place in any activism. However, its broad interpretation and enforcement have been used\u2064 to \u2063silence \u200dand punish peaceful pro-life advocates. This\u2064 not only infringes on their constitutional\u2063 rights\u200d but \u200dalso\u2063 stifles \u200cimportant \u200dconversations and support for women\u2062 in difficult situations.<\/p>\n<p>Repealing the FACE Act would not remove legal protections for \u200bindividuals seeking reproductive\u200c healthcare services. Existing laws, \u2064such \u200bas trespassing and harassment statutes, \u2062adequately address any \u200binstances of violent or threatening behavior. Repealing the FACE Act would simply restore the\u200b balance between protecting individual rights and allowing for peaceful activism.<\/p>\n<p>The battle over abortion will undoubtedly continue to \u2064be contentious. However, it is essential \u2062to \u2064approach this issue \u2062with respect \u2062for differing \u2062opinions and a commitment to upholding constitutional rights.\u2063 Repealing the FACE Act is a step \u2063towards reaffirming \u200bthese \u200cvalues and restoring the \u2062freedom of expression for pro-life activists. It is a necessary course of \u200caction in a post-Roe<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rep. Chip Roy (R-Tex.) seeks to revoke the FACE Act, a rarely utilized federal law. Its significance surged after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe V. Wade in June 2022. Sen. Mike Lee, a Utah Republican, intends to introduce corresponding legislation in the Senate.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":104,"featured_media":2039285,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2039284","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2039284","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/104"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2039284"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2039284\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2039285"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2039284"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2039284"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2039284"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}