(LifeSiteNews) — The early morning raid of Mark Houck’s house shocked the nation. While initially charged with violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, he was later acquitted and has now filed a civil suit against the Department of Justice (DOJ) after an unsuccessful congressional run.

Houck joins me on this episode of The John-Henry Westen Show to discuss his lawsuit, the “D.C. Nine,” and the persecution of pro-lifers.

Houck begins the show discussing what he did after his acquittal in January 2023, recounting that he went on a “gratitude tour” and was a keynote speaker at multiple pro-life events, raising money for the pro-life cause. Pushed to run for political office, he relented after initially being against it, but lost his primary for a congressional run.

Turning his attention to the lawsuit, Houck tells me that after his acquittal, he wanted to file a civil rights action against the government.

“I knew it had to be done for accountability’s sake, that I needed to do it, just like I needed to hold the line in the trial for the good of the pro-life movement and the First Amendment rights’ holders and all Americans,” he says, adding that he knew he had to file the suit despite what would happen to him and the chances of it not being successful.

READ: Pro-life father Mark Houck files $4.3 million lawsuit against Biden DOJ after FBI raid

A formal notice for a suit was filed in November 2023. After several months without a response from the government, Houck and his lawyers filed a formal lawsuit on May 20. As of now, the government has 60 days from the filing date to respond, a time frame that has yet to elapse.

After considering the conviction of Paul Vaughn, a pro-lifer who like Houck faced trial over FACE Act charges, we turn our attention to the “D.C. Nine” trials.

“My heart breaks for them,” Houck says about the D.C. Nine and Vaughn. “They didn’t do anything wrong.”

Maintaining that Vaughn and the D.C. Nine were exercising their constitutional rights, Houck says that from what he knows, Vaughn did not violate the FACE Act. “This FACE Act needs to be repealed, and I hope through my case that ultimately it will be a source for the repeal of those laws so that we don’t have to suffer under these unjust laws anymore,” Houck tells me.

Considering the prosecution and treatment of pro-lifers such as himself, Vaughn and Heather Idoni, one of the D.C. Nine, Houck says that what is going on is “brazen” and that “they don’t care.” What Houck sees is that pro-lifers are perceived as “enemies of the state.” From his perspective, what has happened with the persecution of pro-lifers is that they have lost much support.

For Houck, the government’s aim is to scare pro-lifers. The government, he says, is using people like Vaughn and Idoni as “examples.” He further maintains that the same people who prosecuted him are prosecuting the other pro-lifers. Houck also warns that if President Joe Biden gets a second term, the prosecution will continue.

“The ball is still coming down the hill, rolling, and its picking up steam,” he warns. “These little things that we’re doing, these little, small victories and lawsuits and stuff … hopefully it will stop that from happening. But right now, the government, the FBI, the DOJ … is continuing to wreak havoc on the family and the American citizens.”

For more from Mark Houck, tune in to this episode of The John-Henry Westen Show.

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