During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, the Attorney General of the United States, Merrick Garland insisted that more pro-life protestors are arrested compared to abortion vandals because they act during the day.
“You are quite right, there are many more prosecutions with respect to the blocking of the abortion centers, but that is generally because those actions are taken with photography at the time, during the daylight, and seeing the person who did it is quite easy.”
Attorney General Merrick Garland — Fox News
Since the draft of the Dobbs decision was leaked from the Supreme Court last May, which insinuated that the U.S. Supreme Court was set to overturn Roe V. Wade, abortion activists around the country protested for months. Since this time, there have been 81 reported attacks on crisis pregnancy centers, which have only resulted in two arrests. The attacks have consisted of mainly arson, vandalism, and graffiti.
“Ever since the leak of the Dobbs opinion and then the issuance of the Dobbs opinion by the Supreme Court last summer, we’ve had protestors who’ve been showing up at the homes of Supreme Court Justices – carrying signs, picketing, shouting, it’s very clear that they’re trying to influence in one way or another those serving on the United States Supreme Court. . . and yet not one person to my knowledge has been prosecuted under 18USC Section 1507.”
Senator Mike Lee — Senate Hearing
During the hearing, the Attorney General was asked whether or not any charges had been brought under Section 1507, and he explained that he did not know. He simply ordered U.S. Marshalls to protect the homes of the Justices.
“In 2022 and in the first couple months of 2023, DOJ has announced charges against 34 individuals for blocking access to or vandalizing abortion clinics and there have been over 81 reported attacks on pregnancy centers, 130 on Catholic churches since the leak of the Dobbs decision, and only two individuals have been charged.”
Senator Mike Lee — Fox News
Just last month, a jury acquitted pro-life activist, Mark Houck, after he was threatened with 12 years in prison for defending his son from a crazed Planned Parenthood volunteer. Prior to regaining his freedom, Houck was marched out of his home by 20-30 SWAT members, who had taken a battering ram to the front door of his home. Dressed in full ballistic gear, with long-barreled rifles in hand, the SWAT team arrested Houck for an incident that had occurred more than a year prior.
The Attorney General’s response to questioning shows either a politicization of the DOJ, the incompetence of federal police agencies to arrest vandals simply because it’s dark, or potentially a little bit of both.
