President Donald Trump issued pardons on Thursday to anti-abortion activists convicted of obstructing access to an abortion clinic.
Trump described signing the pardons as a “great honor.”
He stated that the individuals should not have faced prosecution, referring to them as “peaceful pro-life protesters.”
These individuals were involved in a protest and blockade of a Washington, D.C. clinic in October 2020.
Lauren Handy received a nearly five-year prison sentence for leading the blockade, employing tactics such as chaining participants to obstruct clinic entrances. Prosecutors noted that a nurse suffered a sprained ankle during the incident, and a woman experiencing labor pains was harassed by a protester. Following Handy’s indictment, police discovered five fetuses in her home.
Trump pardoned Handy along with nine co-defendants: Jonathan Darnel of Virginia; Jay Smith, John Hinshaw, and William Goodman, all of New York; Joan Bell of New Jersey; Paulette Harlow and Jean Marshall, both of Massachusetts; Heather Idoni of Michigan; and Herb Geraghty of Pennsylvania.
Since the start of Trump’s presidency, anti-abortion advocates have intensified their calls for pardons for protesters charged under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, a law intended to safeguard abortion clinics from obstruction and threats. The 1994 law was enacted amidst a surge in clinic protests, blockades, and violence against abortion providers, including the 1993 murder of Dr. David Gunn.
Trump specifically mentioned Harlow in a June address, criticizing the Biden administration’s Justice Department for prosecuting protesters involved in blockades.
He stated in June that many people were imprisoned due to these actions, promising to address the situation promptly.
Advocates for abortion rights condemned Trump’s pardons, viewing them as evidence of his opposition to abortion access, despite his ambiguous and inconsistent statements on the issue during his campaigns as he attempted to balance the views of anti-abortion supporters with the broader public support for abortion rights.
Ryan Stitzlein, vice president of political and government relations for Reproductive Freedom for All, stated that Trump’s campaign efforts to appear supportive of both sides on abortion were disingenuous, and these pardons confirm this.
Marjorie Dannenfelser, President of SBA Pro-Life America, expressed gratitude to Trump for fulfilling his promise to pardon the protesters, characterizing their prosecutions as politically motivated.
The Thomas More Society, a legal group representing the FACE Act defendants, argued in a January letter to Trump that their clients had been unjustly imprisoned. The letter indicated the group had assured the defendants that Trump would review their cases and grant pardons upon assuming office.
Steve Crampton, senior counsel for the Thomas More Society, stated that while the events could not be undone, the pardons represented a significant step towards justice.
Republican Senator Josh Hawley, a staunch Trump supporter, denounced the prosecution of anti-abortion protesters as a grave violation of American principles. He urged Trump to issue pardons, highlighting the stories of several protesters, including Eva Edl, who participated in a 2021 Tennessee clinic blockade and whose case has received significant attention from major anti-abortion groups. Hawley mentioned a discussion with Trump earlier that morning regarding these protesters.
The pardons were announced ahead of Friday’s annual March for Life anti-abortion protest in Washington, where Trump is expected to deliver a video message.