President Joe Biden’s Attorney General Merrick Garland has found himself in the crosshairs of Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) as he demands concrete answers regarding the insane arrest of pro-life activist and catholic father of seven kids, Mark Houck.
As reported by Houck’s family, a group of over 20 armed agents of the FBI decked in SWAT gear and in over 15 vehicles carried out a raid against Houck, who is the leader of a Philadelphia nonprofit organization that offers sidewalk counseling at abortion clinics, over an ordeal that took place last year involving his then-12-year-old son while at a Planned Parenthood abortion facility. Ashley Garecht, a Pennsylvania pro-life activist, stated that Houck had been protecting his child from an overly aggressive Planned Parenthood escort that was harassing the boy, notating that the case was thrown out by a federal court in Philadelphia when the aggressive escort attempted to press charges.
“If the shocking reports about the FBI arresting a man Friday in rural Pennsylvania are true, then you have a lot to answer for,” expressed Hawley via a letter addressed to Garland.
“These reports state that federal authorities obtained a warrant under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act to arrest Mark Houck for allegedly committing a single count of simple assault by pushing a man near an abortion clinic,” he went on. “Houck contends that he only did so to defend his child against the man, and local authorities have already dismissed a separate criminal complaint against Houck for the conduct.”
“Not only did your office turn a local dispute into a national case, but the FBI reportedly executed the search warrant in as extreme a manner as one can image,” explained the Republican Senator.
“As Houck’s wife said, when they saw 20 or more agents arrest their father at gunpoint, ‘the kids were all just screaming,’” pressed Hawley. “To say the least, using this kind of force to make an arrest for a single charge of simple assault is unprecedented.”
Hawley positioned the arrest against the DOJ seemingly ignoring the multiple dozens of attacks taking place against pro-life pregnancy centers and churches by extremist abortionists in the wake of Roe v. Wade being officially overturned.
“I want to know from Merrick Garland directly why Biden’s DOJ is arresting Catholic protestors like terrorists – complete with SWAT-style tactics – while letting actual terrorist acts like firebombings go unpunished,” he stated.
“The corruption & abuse of law is out of control,” expressed Hawley. “Come January, the new Republican Congress must launch a thorough, public investigation of DOJ & the FBI – from their targeting of parents to religious protestors to political opponents.”
“What Biden is doing is wrong,” exclaimed the senator. “And dangerous.”
“I believe you must testify, under oath, before the Senate Judiciary Committee about your selective use and apparent political weaponization of the FACE Act,” Hawley explained to Garland.
The senator also issued the demand for answers “within 10 days” to a group of three questions about Houck’s arrest, including just why it took a small army of 20-25 SWAT gear armed federal agents to carry out the arrest of a man for a case of alleged simple assault.
The corruption & abuse of law is out of control. Come January, the new Republican Congress must launch a thorough, public investigation of DOJ & the FBI – from their targeting of parents to religious protestors to political opponents. What Biden is doing is wrong. And dangerous
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) September 26, 2022