In another alarming move by the Biden administration, a 73-year-old pro-life woman, Paulette Harlow, has been convicted for participating in a pro-life protest at an abortion center in Washington D.C. She faces up to 11 years in prison; this harsh penalty comes as part of Biden’s increased efforts to prosecute pro-life activists under the federal FACE law.
Despite ongoing trials and convictions of pro-life advocates, the judge, Colleen Kollar-Kotelly, allowed Harlow to remain under house arrest until her sentencing hearing on March 19, 2024 due to her ill health. Judge Kollar-Kotelly was appointed by Bill Clinton.
The penalties for Harlow’s conviction include a maximum of 11 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Harlow’s defense attorney, Allen Orenberg, expressed optimism that the judge might opt for home detention given Harlow’s health challenges.
Biden’s Department of Justice (DOJ) has aggressively pursued prosecutions under the FACE (Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances) Act, designed to protect abortion centers and pro-life pregnancy centers. The law prohibits interference with anyone obtaining or performing an abortion; pro-life activists argue they are exercising their First Amendment rights to protest.
Harlow criticized the biased nature of the trials, labeling them as political persecution. She accused the Biden administration of selectively enforcing the FACE law, focusing on pro-life Americans while neglecting attacks on pregnancy centers.
The pro-life activists involved in the trials engaged in a rescue at the Washington Surgi-Clinic, operated by late-term abortionist Cesare Santangelo. The protestors aimed to draw attention to Santangelo’s admission, captured in undercover videos, that he wouldn’t provide life-saving efforts to a child surviving a late-term abortion.
The Thomas More Society, a pro-life legal group defending one of the activists, Lauren Handy, plans to appeal the decision. The group accused the judge and the Biden administration of attempting to suppress pro-life speech and activism, emphasizing the defendants’ peaceful intentions.
Despite the challenges faced by the pro-life advocates in court, their legal team is preparing an appeal, intending to defend those fighting for life against what they perceive as a DOJ intent on prosecuting those opposing abortion.
This case sheds light on the broader issue of the Biden administration’s aggressive stance against pro-life activism, raising concerns about the infringement on First Amendment rights and the potential chilling effect on free speech. As the legal battles continue, the pro-life movement remains resilient in its commitment to protect the lives of the unborn.
