Overview
- DOJ’s Weaponization Working Group released a nearly 900-page review Tuesday alleging biased use of the 1994 FACE Act, which protects access to abortion clinics, pregnancy centers, and houses of worship.
- Following Monday’s personnel moves, officials confirmed at least four prosecutors were fired, including Sanjay Patel, the Biden-era coordinator for FACE Act enforcement.
- Emails and internal records say DOJ and FBI leaned on abortion-rights groups, including the National Abortion Federation and Planned Parenthood, to flag activists, share dossiers, and track protests across states.
- The review describes prosecutors withholding evidence, drafting juror questions to infer religious beliefs, using derogatory language about faith, and pursuing aggressive arrests such as the 16-agent raid on Mark Houck, who was later acquitted.
- The report highlights sentencing gaps that favored abortion-rights defendants, notes internal referrals for possible misconduct, and says DOJ has already tightened when new FACE Act cases can be brought with more findings still to come.