Rep. Bob Onder on DOJ Politicization and Pro-Life Prosecutions

Politicization of the DOJ

• 🎯 The hearing addresses concerns about the politicization of the Department of Justice under the Biden administration.
• 🏛️ Representative Bob Onder argues that the DOJ is using the FACE Act to send a political message regarding abortion.

The Mark Hou Case

• ⚖️ The case of Mark Hou is highlighted, where his home was raided by 25 SWAT officers following an indictment for FACE Act violations related to an alleged shoving incident near an abortion clinic.
• ❌ Charges against Hou were dropped at the state level because the complaining witness refused to appear in court, and federal prosecutors had previously stopped their grand jury proceedings.
• 💡 Onder asserts that the resurrection of the case after the Dobbs leak indicates it was politically motivated rather than based on actual criminal conduct.
• 🚨 The use of 25 SWAT officers for Hou's arrest is described as outrageous, especially since his lawyer had offered for him to present himself to authorities.

FACE Act Interpretation

• 📜 Representative Onder points to the legislative history of the FACE Act, stating that Senators Kennedy and Durenberger intended to avoid involvement in sidewalk disputes.
• 🗣️ He criticizes the DOJ for expanding the law beyond its original intent and urges Congress to assert its rights.

Pro-Life Advocates vs. Domestic Terrorists

• 👶 Eva Adel, an 89-year-old Soviet concentration camp survivor, faced up to 11 years in federal prison for singing and praying at an abortion facility entrance.
• 💥 In 2022, at least 26 pro-life advocates faced federal charges under the FACE Act, while Pregnancy Resource Centers experienced firebombings and attacks without federal prosecution.
• 🚫 Onder notes that federal resources were insufficient to investigate attacks on these centers, contrasting with the aggressive prosecution of pro-life individuals.
• 🚩 This disparity is presented as evidence of the politicization of the justice department.