A pro-life activist acquitted by a Philadelphia jury on charges of allegedly obstructing an abortion center says he plans to sue the Biden administration for prosecutorial abuse.
Mark Houck was arrested in an early morning paramilitary raid and faced 11 years in federal prison after he shoved a pro-abortion activist who assaulted his son.
The Biden Justice Department charged Houck with two counts of violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, stemming from an incident in which an abortion center volunteer confronted, and allegedly began screaming homophobic slurs directly into the face of, Houck’s young son.
Houck pushed the man away to protect his son – leading to two federal “obstruction” charges against Houck after a Waco-style raid on his home.
“As I opened the door, I could not believe the circus scene that I saw: at least 10-15 marked and unmarked units right in front of me surrounding the side of my house,” said Houck in an appearance on Steve Bannon’s radio program. “I have 100 yards to the street; cars lined all the way up to the street, long guns pointed at me, heavily armored vests, ballistic helmets, ballistic shields, [and a] battering ram.”
“I had at least five federal agents on my porch with M-16s pointed at me,” Houck added.
Houck’s attorneys, from the Thomas More Society, argued the Biden administration singled out Houck for an excessively militarized arrest and prosecution because he was a pro-life Catholic. No one was obstructed from the clinic, which was 100 yards away and across the street.
The jury in liberal Philadelphia agreed – acquitting Houck on both counts, a rare loss for federal prosecutors.
“We took on Goliath—the full might of the United States government—and won,” Peter Breen, Thomas More Society executive vice president and head of litigation, said in a statement.
“The jury saw through and rejected the prosecution’s discriminatory case, which was harassment from Day One. This is a win for Mark and the entire pro-life movement. The Biden Department of Justice’s intimidation against pro-life people and people of faith has been put in its place,” said Breen.
Mark Houck’s first public statement after being acquitted in federal court of FACE Act charges: pic.twitter.com/Ds0F25h1BM
— Joe Bukuras (@JoeBukuras) January 30, 2023
Donny Ferguson is a professional fundraiser and organizational manager. Born and raised in Texas, he has lived in Washington, D.C. for 16 years. Ferguson also served as Senior Communications and Policy Adviser in the United States House of Representatives, operating one of Capitol Hill’s most effective media operations.
