Republican Texas Rep. Chip Roy grilled the assistant attorney general for civil rights at the Department of Justice on Tuesday over the DOJ’s targeting of pro-life activists like Catholic father Mark Houck. …

Roy drew attention to the fact that Clarke’s division charged at least 26 individuals with FACE Act violations in 2022 and more in 2023.

“Even under your watch, its at least 35 to 1 or 2,” Roy emphasized. “That is not even-handed. It’s far from even handed. And importantly, Mark Houck, who was targeted, had a raid of his home, prosecuted under this, was acquitted by a jury! Have you apologized to him on behalf of the Department of Justice for that grave violation of his civil rights? Having his family have to watch him being raided at his home? And then he’s acquitted by a federal jury? Have you apologized to him?”

Chip Roy: "Have you apologized to [Mark Houck] on behalf of the DOJ for that grave violation of his civil rights? Having his family have to watch him being raided at his home?"

DOJ's Kristen Clarke: "We follow the facts and apply the law, that is our job…" pic.twitter.com/r8XhJWgJZH

— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) December 5, 2023

[The answer to that question is ‘no,’ clearly. Houck’s case should never have been taken up by the DoJ in the first place — and even if it was of interest, there was no reason whatsoever for that ridiculous raid that put the Houck family and even the FBI agents in danger needlessly. The process was the punishment, and that is the intent of both Clarke and Merrick Garland. — Ed]