Activist raided by FBI says government aims ‘to instill fear in pro-life America’
Pro-life advocate Mark Houck, whose home was raided and whom the FBI arrested last year for his activism, testified to Congress Tuesday that the Biden administration is trying to frighten pro-life advocates into silence.
Houck, a father of seven, was praying in 2021 with his 12-year-old son in front of a Planned Parenthood branch when a Planned Parenthood “escort” — someone who walks people to the clinic doors to protect them from “harassment” — allegedly began harassing Houck’s son. The two moved away from the building entrance, but the escort followed them and continued yelling at the child. At that point, Houck allegedly pushed him away.
The escort pressed charges against Houck in 2021, which were ultimately dismissed by a federal court — but Biden’s Justice Department picked up the case anyway.
Around 7:00 AM on a Friday in September 2021 the Houcks were visited by over fifteen FBI agents who had their guns drawn and were pounding on the door. They shouted for Houck to come out of the house. Houck tried telling the agents that they were scaring the children, but the officers continued shouting.
The DoJ charged Houck with violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, which makes it a felony “to use force with the intent to injure, intimidate and interfere with anyone because that person produces reproductive health care.”
If convicted, Houck could have been sentenced to 11 years in prison and a $350,000 fine. He was ultimately acquitted.
In his testimony before the House Judiciary Committee Tuesday, the activist father said the FBI raided his home to “humiliate me, to scare my children, and to instill fear in pro-life America.”
“My children were downrange of many guns, and they screamed through the whole process,” Houck said. “The committee should know that they were traumatized.”
Houck criticized the FACE Act which protects those who are pro-feticide while pro-life advocates face violence, harassment and militant rhetoric from US officials.
House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) agreed with Houck that the federal government targets Americans with certain political views.
“So if you’re pro-family, pro-life, and you want a border, you’re a target — and your family fit all of them,” Jordan told Houck. “You’re a pro-life, pro-family Catholic, for goodness’ sake — they’re going to come after you. You’ve got seven kids. You’re not allowed to have seven kids today, you know, we’re trying to save the planet. You can’t do that in America today.”
After his arrest, a GiveSendGo fundraiser for Houck was created by Joe and Ashley Garecht, whose two young daughters were harassed in 2019 by then-Rep. Brian Sims (D-PA) as they prayed outside an abortion center. After harassing the girls for several minutes, Sims videoed them and offered $100 to anyone who could provide their identities. The girls were 13 and 15-years-old at the time.
