Bill and Hillary aren’t going anywhere. They may even be making a come back.
Now the Clintons were thrust back into the spotlight for one despicable reason.
Pence’s Coalition Takes Aim at FACE Act
A bold push from former Vice President Mike Pence’s nonprofit, Americans Advancing Freedom (AAF), is calling on House Republicans to dismantle a decades-old law they argue has been twisted into a weapon against pro-life activists. The group’s latest memo zeroes in on the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, a Clinton-era statute now under fresh scrutiny.
Signed into law by President Bill Clinton in May 1994, the FACE Act made it a federal offense to use force, threats, or obstruction to disrupt abortion services—covering everything from blocking clinic doors to attacking staff or damaging property. While its intent was clear, AAF contends it’s been hijacked to unfairly target those standing for life.
Trump’s Pardons Spark Momentum
The debate gained steam early in President Donald Trump’s current term when he pardoned nearly two dozen pro-life activists jailed for their roles in 2020 clinic demonstrations. Among them were three elderly advocates, all charged by the Biden administration’s Department of Justice (DOJ) with violating the FACE Act.
Trump didn’t mince words during the pardons: “They should not have been prosecuted.” His move signaled a sharp break from the previous administration’s approach and set the stage for a broader fight.
AAF’s memo, fired off to the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday afternoon, doubles down. “Congress must do its part to support President Trump’s effort to end the weaponization of government by repealing the FACE Act in its entirety,” it declares.
“There’s no question that the Biden Administration weaponized the FACE Act against pro-life Americans.” The group paints a grim picture of “early morning SWAT team raids, unjust prison sentences, and alleged mistreatment while in custody” under Biden’s watch.
Voices from the Frontlines
Last month, the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Oversight dug into the issue during a hearing titled “Entering the Golden Age: Ending the Weaponization of the Justice Department.”
Peter Breen of the Thomas More Society didn’t hold back, testifying that one of his clients endured a SWAT raid and a harsh prison term.
“The Biden DOJ engaged in a systematic campaign to abuse the power of the federal government against pro-life advocates,” he said, “while that same DOJ ignored hundreds of acts of vandalism and violence against pro-life churches, pregnancy help centers, and other advocates.”
The contrast couldn’t be starker. While Biden’s team leaned hard into abortion rights, Trump’s administration is flipping the script.
In January, he axed two Biden-era executive orders expanding abortion services, reinforcing the Hyde Amendment’s ban on federal funding for elective abortions. Now, conservatives see the FACE Act as the next domino to topple in the pro-life push.
A Legislative Fight Brews
Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) is leading the charge, reintroducing a bill in January to repeal the law outright. Armed with data showing 97% of FACE Act prosecutions from 1994 to 2024 targeted pro-life individuals, Roy’s got 32 House co-sponsors in his corner and Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) mirroring the effort in the Senate.
The numbers tell a story of lopsided enforcement—under Biden alone, the DOJ launched at least 15 cases involving 46 pro-life defendants since 2021, per 2023 media reports, with abortion-rights supporters as the victims in nearly every instance.
For Pence’s AAF and its allies, this isn’t just about policy—it’s about justice. The FACE Act, they argue, has morphed from a shield into a sword, and dismantling it could level the playing field for those fighting for the unborn.
As the legislative wheels turn, the clash over this 30-year-old law is shaping up as a defining moment in the pro-life movement’s next chapter.
