Republican North Carolina Rep. Ted Budd and a group of House Republicans sent a letter Tuesday to Attorney General Merrick Garland demanding action from the Department of Justice (DOJ) after several pro-life pregnancy centers have been vandalized and threatened in the U.S.
In the letter, first obtained by the Daily Caller, Budd and 19 Republicans mention vandals have attacked pro-life pregnancy centers and groups as the Supreme Court decided to overturn Roe v. Wade. The vandalism and protests began even before the final opinion was delivered after a leaked draft opinion was published saying the court would overturn Roe v. Wade. (RELATED: Protesters Vandalize, Firebomb Pro-Life Centers In Weekend Of Violence Following Dobbs Decision)
The lawmakers mention a specific pregnancy center, Mountain Area Pregnancy Services in Asheville, North Carolina, that was threatened and vandalized, and ask the DOJ a number of questions about what they are doing to prevent attacks and more.
Here Are The Questions The Lawmakers Ask In The Letter:
- What steps has DOJ taken to investigate and prosecute individuals threatening and defacing Pro-Life pregnancy centers?
- Since May 2022, how many prosecutions has DOJ initiated that include charges under 18 U.S.C. § 248? If none, please explain your failure to act thus far.
- What resources are you providing to facilities that provide reproductive health services to deter attacks perpetrated by anti-life organizations?
- Since 1994, how many cases has the DOJ prosecuted under 18 U.S.C. § 248 involving facilities that provide resources and counseling on alternatives to abortion?
- For each case described in question 4, provide the name of each defendant, the outcome of the case, and any of the defendant’s prior or subsequent criminal records in the DOJ’s possession.
READ THE LETTER HERE:
(DAILY CALLER OBTAINED) — … by Henry Rodgers
“The incredible work of crisis pregnancy centers and pro-life organizations has never been more important. The DOJ must take this violence and intimidation seriously and act to put a stop to it,” Budd told the Daily Caller before sending the letter.
A group of House Republicans sent a letter Friday to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the DOJ calling on them to answer questions regarding attacks on churches and congregations across the U.S. In the letter to DHS Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas and Garland, the lawmakers mention the DHS notifying Catholic bishops that there were credible threats to the security of churches and bishops before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and ask what specifically the two agencies are doing to ensure the safety of churches, clergy, bishops and congregations. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: House Republicans Call On DHS, DOJ To Provide Them With Information About Threats On Churches)
Marilyn Musgrave, Susan B. Anthony List Pro-Life America’s vice president of government affairs, commented on the letter, saying: “Pro-life organizations including pregnancy centers and maternity homes lovingly provide hope, encouragement, care and vital services for women and their children across the nation. Since 2016, over 800,000 unborn lives have been saved thanks to the invaluable work they do each day.”
“The continued attacks on these organizations are unconscionable, and we thank Rep. Budd and his colleagues for calling on the Biden administration to prosecute these crimes to the fullest extent of the law,” Musgrave added.
The Daily Caller contacted the DOJ about the letter to which they did not immediately respond.