Anti-abortion groups press DOJ to investigate threats against pregnancy centers
More than 25 anti-abortion and conservative groups have sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland saying the Department of Justice (DOJ) needs to investigate threats against anti-abortion pregnancy centers.
The letter, led by Catholic Vote, detailed threats and attacks against pregnancy centers and churches since the leaked draft opinion showing the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade.
Two anti-abortion centers and a pregnancy care center have been firebombed since the leak, according to the letter, along with vandalism at churches.
“The relative silence from the Administration endangers Americans even more. One extremist group is advocating for violence in response to the final Supreme Court decision on Dobbs, while another group has published home addresses, and encouraged people to show up at Supreme Court Justices’ homes, churches, and their children’s schools in an attempt to coerce the Justices and influence their final decision,” the letter reads.
A statement posted on Abolition Media saying it is from Jane’s Revenge, a pro-abortion access group, claims they will take extreme actions against anti-abortion organizations and centers.
“We have demonstrated in the past month how easy and fun it is to attack. We are versatile, we are mercurial, and we answer to no one but ourselves. We promised to take increasingly drastic measures against oppressive infrastructures,” the group wrote.
“Rest assured that we will, and those measures may not come in the form of something so easily cleaned up as fire and graffiti. Sometimes you will see what we do, and you will know that it is us,” they added.
The organization has previously taken credit for acts of vandalism and arson against anti-abortion pregnancy centers.
The Biden administration condemned the threats from Jane’s Revenge.
“Violence and destruction of property have no place in our country under any circumstances, and the President denounces this,” White House Assistant Press Secretary Alexandra LaManna said in a statement. “We should all agree that actions like this are completely unacceptable regardless of our politics.”
The letter from anti-abortion groups requests a meeting with Garland’s office and the Civil Rights Division.
“We call on you to publicly condemn these unlawful attacks; to commit to vigorous efforts to prevent them, and to investigate and prosecute them; and to proactively engage with the affected faith communities to ensure their concerns and security needs are being met,” the letter reads.
The letter comes the same day more than 100 Republican lawmakers told the DOJ they needed to investigate these types of attacks as domestic terrorism.
“Americans should not have to live in fear because their own government is failing to aggressively enforce the law and prosecute domestic terrorism. I fear this Department of Justice has become so politicized that many have lost trust in their willingness to protect them,” Catholic Vote President Brian Burch said in a statement to The Hill.
The Hill has reached out to the DOJ for comment.
Source: TEST FEED1
