The Biden administration has been accused of targeting Christians by trying to “frighten and intimidate” them.
According to The Washington Times, the accusation was made by Stephen Crampton, Thomas More Society senior counsel, who is representing one of the 11 pro-life activists arrested by a FBI agent.
The outlet noted Paul Vaughn was arrested last week at his farmhouse in Centerville, Tennessee, and charged with violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances [FACE] Act.
The charges came after a March 2021 pro-life demonstration outside an abortion facility.
Crampton called the arrest “yet another attempt on the part of the Biden Department of Justice to frighten and intimidate Christians and committed pro-life advocates.”
On Tuesday, Crampton said in a statement, “We believe the evidence will show that Paul did not violate the FACE Act, and we look forward to a chance to prove that in court.”
Additionally, Crampton explained the FACE Act “was established to federalize and criminalize any interference with a person’s attempts to obtain an abortion. Abortion is no longer legal in Tennessee, and the peaceful pro-life witness at the Mount Juliet abortion facility resulted in no injury, destruction, or damage, yet 11 life advocates are facing Draconian penalties and federal prosecution.”
The Justice Department explained the indictment against the 11 individuals claims they “aided and abetted by one another, used force and physical obstruction to injure, intimidate and interfere with employees of the clinic and a patient who was seeking reproductive health services.”
Additionally, it argues “all 11 defendants violated the FACE Act by using physical obstruction to intimidate and interfere with the clinic’s employees and a patient, because the clinic was providing, and the patient sought reproductive health services.”
The Department said, if convicted, “The seven conspiracy defendants each face up to a maximum of 11 years in prison, three years of supervised release and fines of up to $350,000. The remaining five defendants face a year in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $10,000.”
Fox News host Tucker Carlson commented on the issue during his show this week.
He reacted to remarks made by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) about being “very Catholic” and pro-choice.
“First of all, you’re not a Catholic. I mean, this is ridiculous! Let’s stop pretending,” Carlson said.
He continued, “Second, you don’t believe at all in the right to choose. You applauded as nurses got fired because they didn’t want to take the mandatory vax because they didn’t want to hurt their own fertility. They wanted to have children maybe someday. And you thought that was great. So it wasn’t their body and their choice. You’re a liar and a fraud. You’re not a Christian. Be quiet!”
Pivoting back to Vaughn, Carlson explained, “But what’s really stunning is nobody the people who’ve lectured us for years, the criminal justice system is just too mean that MS-13 are children of God.”
He added, “They don’t have a problem with us at all. The people who claim to hate mass incarceration, it turns out, are strongly for the mass incarceration of anyone who disagrees with them, and they’re doing it.”
