Senate Judiciary Republicans sent a letter to the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and Justice Department demanding answers to why Catholic pro-life activist Mark Houck was not allowed to self-report for his arrest and arraignment and whether political considerations were made to approve and execute the search warrant.
The letter sent to FBI Director Christopher Wray and Attorney General Merrick Garland from the Senate Judiciary Republicans demands answers concerning the search warrant and arrest of the pro-life speaker, which happened while his “screaming” children watched in horror.
“Based on reports and allegations, the actions taken by the FBI reasonably call into question whether they complied with DOJ’s use of force policy. The FBI must explain their justification for their actions on September 23, 2022,” wrote the senators.
Houck, the founder and president of The King’s Men — a group dedicated to helping men become better husbands, fathers, and leaders — was arrested at his rural Pennsylvania home last week for allegedly violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act.
He allegedly violated the FACE Act during his regular sidewalk counseling outside of an abortion clinic in 2021 when he shoved a 72-year-old abortion activist escorting women into a Planned Parenthood clinic, who was harassing his 12-year-old son, according to the Houcks.
As Breitbart News previously reported:
Though media reports that the escort required “medical attention” after Houck shoved him, Brian Middleton, a spokesman for the Houck family, told Catholic News Agency (CNA) that the escort needed little more than a band-aid and sustained no serious injury. The spokesman also said that the Houck family is now seeking to obtain video evidence of the incident. Both Philadelphia police and the district attorney declined to file charges against Houck, and though the escort filed a private criminal complaint in Philadelphia municipal court, the case was allegedly dismissed in July.
According to Houck’s attorneys, he was cooperating with the government. The letter from the senators explained that the Assistant U.S. Attorney recommended a “return on own recognizance” bond.
This meant Houck would have been free to leave without having to post bail and that the government did not see him as a threat, which is why there are questions about why the heavily armed FBI agents were needed to arrest him in the first place.
The group of senators acknowledged that they obtained pictures of the aftermath of the raid on Houck’s home:
The photograph shows an agent with a ballistic shield and an assault rifle. Based on allegations, other FBI agents had a battering ram and ballistic shields. The photo and the allegations received by the committee appear to contradict the FBI’s statement that they employed ‘standard practices’ against Mr. Houck.
The senators want an explanation from the Justice Department and the FBI as to “whether political considerations were made to approve and execute the search warrant” and why he could not have just self-reported.
Jacob Bliss is a reporter for Breitbart News. Write to him at jbliss@breitbart.com or follow him on Twitter @JacobMBliss.
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