In response to an increase in pro-abortion attacks on churches and pro-life pregnancy centers, a coalition of conservative organizations has decided to pursue legal action to obtain documents related to the matter from the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Investigation for Pro-abortion Attacks on Churches and Pregnancy Centers
According to the Catholic News Agency, since the May 2022 leak of the United States Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health, which overturned the abortion protections guaranteed in Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, there have been more than 100 attacks on churches and pro-life pregnancy centers, according to data compiled by CNA. Those attacks have resulted in the loss of more than 100 lives. The DOJ has not successfully prosecuted the individuals responsible for almost all of the attacks.
The lawsuit accuses the DOJ of failing to "promptly evaluate agency records to discover and collect those records" and failing "to undertake searches for responsive records" required by the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and DOJ regulations. Also, it claims that the coalition has "exhausted their administrative remedies" in attempting to access the papers. In addition, it argues that the DOJ improperly turned down its request for a waiver of the FOIA request fees.
As reported, the Heritage Foundation and Advancing American Freedom spearheaded the complaint, which accuses the DOJ of neglecting to give them documents requested through the FOIA. The organizations have suffered "irreparable loss" due to "the information to which they are statutorily entitled" being withheld. The lawsuit requests that the court issue an order to the DOJ requiring them to conduct searches and deliver documents within twenty days or by any other date that the court considers acceptable.
Moreover, the DOJ has asserted that it has fulfilled all of its legal requirements with the FOIA requests it has received, notwithstanding the charges in the case. According to the lawsuit, the Federal Bureau of Investigation responded to the request. Still, it ultimately declined to fulfill it because it "did not contain sufficient descriptive information to conduct a search of our records."
In addition, the Attorney General of the United States serves as the department's head and is responsible for the DOJ's overall direction. The justice department is responsible for ensuring that the rule of law is followed, ensuring the safety of the United States of America, and protecting civil rights.
Also Read: Pro-Abortion Protesters, Almost Naked, Disrupt Catholic Mass In Michigan
Demand to Investigate
In a letter, over twenty-five Catholic organizations, anti-abortion centers, and other conservative groups have demanded that the Department of Justice investigate and punish attacks against churches, pregnancy resource centers, and justices of the Supreme Court, Axios reported.
According to the trackers developed by the conservative advocacy group CatholicVote, there have been 24 attacks on pregnancy centers and anti-abortion groups since the opinion was leaked. There have been 140 attacks on Catholic Churches since 2020. Historically, anti-abortion fanatics have been the driving force behind acts of violence related to abortion. Still, the decision of the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade, which was leaked, has sparked a wave of attacks by supporters of abortion rights.
Related Article: Pope Francis' Words on Abortion Misrepresented by Biden, Critics Label it 'Fake Catholicism'
