Justice Department curtails prosecutions for blocking reproductive health care facilities
Source: AP
Updated 3:07 PM EST, January 24, 2025
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s new Justice Department leadership issued an order Friday to curtail prosecutions against people accused of blocking reproductive rights facilities, calling the cases an example of the “weaponization” of law enforcement.
Justice Department chief of staff Chad Mizelle said in a memo obtained by The Associated Press that prosecutions and civil actions under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act or “FACE Act” will now be permitted only in “extraordinary circumstances” or in cases presenting ”significant aggravating factors.”
Mizelle also ordered the immediate dismissal of three FACE Act cases related to 2021 blockades of clinics in Tennessee, Pennsylvania and Ohio. One man was accused of obtaining “illegal access to a secure patient space at a Planned Parenthood facility in Philadelphia without staff permission or knowledge” and barricading himself in a restroom, according to court papers.
The news comes after Trump pardoned several anti-abortion activists convicted of blockading abortion clinic entrances in violation of the FACE Act, which is designed to protect abortion clinics from obstruction and threats.
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/justice-department-reproductive-care-clinics-prosecutions-5f693b186d0dd62fc693474aab7b5f3f
Short article at post time.
= new reply since forum marked as read
Per ChatGPT:
California: Prohibits obstructing access to clinics, making threats toward clinic staff or patients, and damaging clinic property.
New York: Enforces laws against obstructing clinic entrances, making threats, and damaging property.
Washington: Bans obstructing access to clinics, making threats, and property damage.
Maine: Prohibits obstructing clinic entrances and harassment by telephone.
Maryland: Enforces laws against obstructing clinic access.
Minnesota: Prohibits obstructing clinic entrances.
Montana: Enforces laws against obstructing clinic access.
Nevada: Prohibits obstructing clinic entrances.
North Carolina: Bans obstructing clinic access, making threats, and weapon possession during demonstrations outside clinics.
Oregon: Prohibits obstructing clinic entrances and damaging clinic property.
Wisconsin: Enforces laws against making threats toward clinic staff or patients.
These state laws complement the federal FACE Act by addressing specific local issues and providing additional enforcement options to protect individuals seeking reproductive health services.
I don't know if it's exhaustive, but if so, it's awfully short, and I don't see my State on it. Also, I AM SOOOOO FUCKING PISSED RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(1994) In the U.S. Senate, the FACE Act was passed with a vote of 69 in favor and 30 against. In the House of Representatives, the Act was approved by a recorded vote of 237 to 169. While specific party-line breakdowns are not detailed in the available sources, the Act received bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress.
I wonder if it's ever going to dawn on the nut-swinging GOP congresscritters that Trump is actively setting about making Congress irrelevant, and making himself the final arbiter of which laws are worthy of enforcement. Because THAT is not 'weaponizing' or 'politicizing' the DoJ at all
Yeah that bit was from AI because I'm kinda lazy 
is Google's deployed mess of AI.
