The Biden Justice Department’s aggressive targeting of pro-life leaders continues across the nation.
The FBI reportedly raided the home of Chet Gallagher, who organized a peaceful prayer and singing in the hallway of a building that houses multiple medical businesses, including the Carafem abortion facility.
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The Justice Department also charged 11 pro-lifers with violations of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act for a 2021 “blockade” of an abortion clinic in Mount, Juliet, Tennessee.
“This is reminiscent of the old Soviet Union and the KGB,” said nationally-syndicated radio host Todd Starnes. “The pre-dawn raids, heavily armed agents terrifying families. The FBI’s behavior is unAmerican and criminal.”
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According to LifeNews, “Gallagher was out of state when the FBI arrived with guns drawn and entered his home. FBI officers demanded his whereabouts from Gallagher’s family and reportedly have asked other pro-life advocates to face charges under for allegedly violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, which makes it a federal crime to use force with the intent to injure, intimidate and interfere with anyone trying to access either abortion at an abortion business or medical care at a pregnancy center.”
Video of the “rescue” from the anti-abortion protesters can be seen below:
Several participants were arrested by local police the day of the demonstration and later released after posting bail for misdemeanor trespass charges, Live Action reports.
Starnes noted that the FBI has yet to target the homes of the domestic terrorists who firebombed pregnancy centers and vandalized churches.
“Where are the pre-dawn raids,” Starnes asked.
Pro-life activist AJ Hurley condemned the FBI raid.
“The FBI isn’t even performing the investigations,” Hurley told Live Action. “The DOJ is doing their own investigations and using the FBI as their arm of that organization… Normally the FBI does an investigation, and if they find someone guilty of federal crimes, they issue warrants.”
Hurley added, “This is a new tactic the DOJ has been throwing at pro-lifers to see if the charges stick.”
Below is the full press release from the Department of Justice:
NASHVILLE – A federal indictment unsealed today charges eleven individuals with violations of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, announced U.S. Attorney Mark H. Wildasin, for the Middle District of Tennessee and Kristen M. Clarke, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.
The indictment, returned on Monday by a federal grand jury sitting in Nashville, charges the following seven individuals with conspiracy against rights secured by the FACE Act, and committing FACE Act violations:
Chester Gallagher, 73, of Lebanon, Tennessee; Heather Idoni, 58; Calvin Zastrow, 57; and Caroline Davis, 24; all of Michigan; Coleman Boyd, 51, of Bolton, Mississippi; Dennis Green, 56, of Cumberland, Virginia; and Paul Vaughn, 55, of Centerville, Tennessee.
The indictment also charges the following individuals with committing FACE Act violations: Eva Edl, 87, of Aiken South Carolina; Eva Zastro, 24, of Dover, Arkansas; James Zastro, 25, of Eldon, Missouri; and Paul Place, 24, of Centerville, Tennessee. All defendants will have appearances scheduled in U.S. District Court in Nashville at a later date.
The indictment alleges that, beginning in February 2021, Chester Gallagher utilized social media to promote a series of anti-abortion events scheduled for March 4-7, 2021, in the Nashville area. Other co-conspirators then utilized Facebook to coordinate travel and logistics and to identify other participants for the blockade. On March 4, 2021, Coleman Boyd and Chester Gallager advertised the blockade of the Carafem Health Center Clinic, in Mount Juliet, Tennessee, which was planned for the following day. In his social media post, Gallagher referred to the blockade as a “rescue.” Boyd also began a Facebook livestream broadcast of the clinic blockade at 7:45 a.m. on March 5, 2021. This livestream broadcast was titled, in part, “Mt. Juliet, TN Rescue March 5, 2021,” and livestreamed the blockade event as his coconspirators and others blocked the clinic’s entry doors and prevented a patient and an employee from entering. The livestream also broadcast members of the group attempting to engage a patient and her companion as Boyd told his livestream audience that the patient was a “mom coming to kill her baby.”
The indictment further alleges that on March 5, 2021, the 11 individuals, aided and abetted by one another, used force and physical obstruction to injure, intimidate, and interfere with employees of the clinic and a patient who was seeking reproductive health services.
If convicted, those charged with conspiracy face up to 11 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000. Others face up to one year in prison for the misdemeanor offense and fines of up to $10,000.
This case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by the Civil Rights Coordinator of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and trial Attorneys of the Department’s Civil Rights Division.
An indictment is merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.