The Biden DOJ and the DC court system set another new low Tuesday for political prosecutions as a jury found five pro-life activists guilty on all counts for violating the “FACE Act,” a federal law against obstructing entrance to abortion clinics. They were immediately incarcerated and could face up to 11 years in prison, $350,000 in fines and three years of supervised release.

https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/breaking-pro-life-rescuers-immediately-incarcerated-following-jurys-guilty-verdict-in-dc-face-act-trial/

Sarah Arnold at Townhall has more background information...

https://townhall.com/tipsheet/saraharnold/2023/08/12/biden-doj-threats-to-pro-lifers-and-catholics-continue-n2626936

Their attorney from the Thomas More Society law firm called the judge’s order to jail them immediately “due to the alleged violence” of the crime “an outrage” since “the one thing the defendants had really agreed upon was to remain non-violent.” They say they didn’t obstruct or assault anyone entering the abortion clinic. That’s probably why no local authority prosecuted them for anything until the radical pro-abortion activists in the Biden DOJ decided to make an example of them.

To give you an idea of how “dangerous” they are, defendant William Goodman urged his supporters “to forgive the jury, the judge, and all those who witnessed against us, and to pray that they would see how God loves the gift of every human life.”

When the jury asked Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly to define what the law meant by banning the “oppression” and “intimidation” of abortion seekers, she allowed them to broadly interpret the word “oppress” as any acts that “harm, frighten, punish, prevent, and obstruct.” So "frighten" could mean getting 11 years in the federal pen for saying “Boo” on a sidewalk, which is about as intimidating as what they allegedly did.

That was just one example of how the judge ran her courtroom in the tradition of Soviet show trials. She barred video of the event that reportedly shows the defendants were not violent from being shown to the jury. She also barred the attorneys from talking about their clients’ religious beliefs or motivations, effectively gagging their defense. She even admonished a nun in the gallery for praying in court.

And while I didn’t see the trial, I assume they weren’t allowed to point out that with the SCOTUS having overturned Roe v. Wade, there is no “federal right to an abortion,” which is what the FACE Act allegedly protects, so it should be scrapped as unconstitutional – which it should have been from day one anyway as a selective intrusion on First Amendment rights.

One hopeful note for the appeal is that an appellate court recently sided with pro-lifers in another case alleging selective enforcement of the law. That’s the biggest no-brainer of all. The Biden DOJ no longer even attempts to hide how it’s perverting the legal system to target political opponents. The only reply they even make is the occasional load of rancid mush from Merrick Garland about how dedicated he is to enforcing the laws equally. Which I assume means just as harshly and unjustly against any and all Biden political opponents.

I urge you to pray for their safety, their swift release, a quick reversal on appeal, and the restoration of civil liberties and respect for life in America. I would remind you again that this is the same DOJ that has ignored leftist protesters who responded to the overturn of Roe by holding threatening protests outside of Supreme Court Justices’ family homes in violation of both state and federal law, and that have firebombed pro-life pregnancy centers and threatened the lives of their staffers.

To this Administration, homes, churches, courts, police stations and businesses are fair game for leftist protesters to burn, loot and threaten. Meanwhile, the only sacred ground in America deserving of federal protection is abortion clinics.

A Chaser To That Last Story: To give you some hope that those who stand up for what’s right against leftist tyrants can eventually prevail, check out this story of the Colorado Springs boy named Jaiden who was sent home from school by his teacher for having a Gadsden Flag (“Don’t Tread On Me”) patch on his backpack.

https://redstate.com/bonchie/2023/08/29/the-gadsden-flag-kid-just-secured-total-victory-n2163216

The school spewed the usual woke nonsense for why this was “harmful” and might make other students feel “unsafe,” like that the flag had “origins in slavery and the slave trade” (no, it was designed in 1775 by Continental Army Brigadier General Christopher Gadsden during the American Revolution), and associations with white supremacy, “patriot groups” and “intolerance.” The only way that’s true is that it’s a historic symbol of Colonial Americans refusing to tolerate tyrannical autocrats taking away their rights, be it a British king or ignorant leftist school officials. This honor student was told he couldn’t return to class until he removed the flag patch (but I’ll bet they would’ve welcomed him with open arms if it were a rainbow Pride flag.)

Fortunately, Jaiden is being raised right. He did not back down, and the meeting between the teacher and his mom was caught on video and went viral. The mother pressed the teacher to explain what was wrong with the flag (she obviously didn’t know its real history) and what rule it allegedly violated (there is none.) Thanks to a swift public backlash, there was an “emergency meeting” of the school board, where they affirmed their respect for the Constitution and the Bill of Rights and said Jaiden is free to return to class with his Gadsden Flag patch if he wants. They should let him teach history.

And THAT is what the “Don’t Tread On Me” flag REALLY means! That’s why it’s such a great symbol for all Americans, and I hope people will think of it when they vote in 2024.