Ocean County Leader

In a recent statement, Representative Chris Smith expressed gratitude to former President Donald Trump for pardoning pro-life activists who were previously imprisoned under the Biden Administration. Smith, co-chair of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, accused the Biden Administration of using federal law enforcement to target these individuals due to their opposing views on abortion.

"At the behest of progressive activists, the Biden Administration blatantly weaponized the power of federal law enforcement against peaceful pro-life advocates because their beliefs conflicted with President Biden’s radical abortion agenda," stated Rep. Chris Smith. He further remarked, "I am grateful that President Trump has restored justice, ending an ugly era of discrimination against peaceful, often times prayerful pro-life dissenters."

The controversy follows the Supreme Court's Dobbs v. Jackson decision in June 2022. According to Smith, the Biden Administration imposed severe penalties on pro-life supporters to silence them. Under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, first-time offenders could face up to one year in jail. In some cases, additional charges under Conspiracy Against Rights were applied, potentially leading to an extra ten years in prison.

Smith has been a long-time opponent of the FACE Act since its consideration in 1993-1994 when it was signed into law by President Bill Clinton. At that time, he argued that "[T]he House is poised to stack the deck against peaceful pro-life activists so as to make them prey, an easy mark for ruinous prosecution and civil suits."

In May 2024, Smith and other lawmakers sought justice for those they claimed were persecuted by the Biden Administration. They addressed concerns about elderly pro-life advocates allegedly not receiving necessary medical care while detained.