Using a 1994 law knows as the FACE Act (Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act), the Justice Department has stepped up bringing lawsuits against abortion protesters at Planned Parenthood offices over the last few years, attacking the 1st amendment right of these groups who stand against the evils of abortion. The problem is that these FACE Act cases are being thrown out by judges because they lack any merit.
In one case in Florida the judge even alleged collusion between the Justice Department and the Presidential Women’s group, noting the effort to bring this lawsuit began before the supposed incident occurred. The DOJ ended up paying the protestor $120K in damages after dropping the case. Pro-life attorney Rebecca Messall told CBN News this:
What we learned later on was that there was a pre-commitment by the Justice Department in Washington in the Civil Rights Division to bring these cases even before they knew of the cases
Even though the DOJ isn’t winning these cases, she says these lawsuits are being used to intimidate and punish abortion protesters:
“It’s dangerous in so many ways,” Messall said. “And it’s been used here and across the country to try to intimidate and punish people for exercising their First Amendment rights.”
Watch: