Six individuals advocating pro-life views through song and prayer were convicted of federal felonies on Tuesday. They were charged with breaching the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act during a peaceful protest in 2021 at an abortion facility located just outside Nashville, Tennessee, reported Lifesite News.
The convictions, which could result in sentences exceeding 10 years in federal prison and fines totaling up to $260,000, were delivered by a jury late Tuesday.
The verdict prompted a statement from Thomas More Society senior counsel Steve Crampton, who expressed frustration over the outcome.
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, weighed in, accusing the Biden administration of applying a double standard concerning the FACE Act. The senator and Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, have been working to repeal the "unconstitutional and easily weaponized Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act or FACE Act."
Of the bill, Lee said: "Our Constitution reserved general police power to the states. Congress infringed on the states' police power when they passed the FACE Act. The Biden DOJ has weaponized this constitutionally suspect law against pro-life sidewalk counselors while failing to protect pregnancy centers and churches from violent attacks. It's time to repeal the FACE Act."
Roy added: "Free Americans should never live in fear of their government targeting them because of their beliefs. Yet, [President Joe] 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."
"The FACE Act is an unconstitutional federal takeover of state police powers; it must be repealed," Roy said.
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee criticized the severity of the potential sentences Wednesday during an appearance on Newsmax's "Rob Schmitt Tonight."
Huckabee emphasized that the accused individuals were facing 11 years in federal prison for engaging in peaceful activities, such as praying and singing outside the abortion clinic. He juxtaposed this with the relatively lenient repercussions for participants in the summer of 2020 protests, where cities including Minneapolis; Portland, Oregon; and New York City erupted in flames amid the George Floyd riots.
The convictions followed a grand jury indictment in October 2022, which included 11 pro-life advocates, with the six convicted on Tuesday accused of using "force and physical obstruction to intimidate and interfere with clinic employees and a patient seeking reproductive health [abortion] services."
The facility in question, Carafem Health Center Clinic in Mt. Juliet, no longer offers abortion services following the enactment of Tennessee's pro-life legislation following the overturning of Roe v. Wade in June 2022.
Sentencing for the convicted pro-lifers is scheduled for July 2.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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