FBI's investigation into hundreds of attacks by pro-abortion terror group yields zero arrests so far
The pro-abortion terror group "Jane's Revenge" began targeting pro-life institutions ahead of the Supreme Court's June 24 ruling, which overturned Roe v. Wade. A post attributed to the group and published by so-called Abolition Media on June 14 stated "Through attacking, we find joy." To date, the violent collective has taken credit for at least 18 of 100 attacks, some of which involved firebombings and resulted in injuries.
In June, the FBI launched a domestic violent extremism investigation into these leftist attacks committed not only against pro-life organizations and crisis pregnancy centers across the nation, but against pro-life individuals and churches as well.
Despite the group's ISIS-style assumption of credit, there have reportedly been no arrests made so far.
Fox News Digital reported that, according to police, there have been no arrests made in connection with the attacks perpetrated against:
- the Wisconsin Family Action building in Madison, Wisconsin, on May 8;
- Saint Michael's Parish in Olympia Washington, on May 22;
- Next Step Pregnancy Services in Lynnwood, Washington, on May 25;
- the Dove Medical Center in Eugene, Oregon, on May 30;
- the Agape Pregnancy Resource Center in Des Moines, Iowa, on June 2;
- the Capitol Hill Pregnancy Center in Washington, D.C., on June 2;
- the pro-life Christian pregnancy center CompassCare in Amherst, New York, on June 7;
- Mountain Area Pregnancy Services in Asheville, North Carolina, on June 7;
- the Options360 Women's Clinic in Vancouver, Washington, on June 8;
- the Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life's office, on June 14;
- the Redford Pregnancy Care Center in Redford, Michigan, on June 20; and
- the Life Choices Pregnancy Center in Longmont, Colorado, on June 25.
Numerous other pro-life centers, churches, memorials, and persons were targeted by the terror group, yet those contacted by Fox News Digital indicated they too have not been informed of any arrests.
The FBI wrote to CBN News earlier this month stating that it was still "investigating a series of attacks and threats targeting pregnancy resource centers, faith-based organizations, and reproductive health clinics across the country, as well as to judicial buildings, including the US Supreme Court."
"The incidents are being investigated as potential acts of domestic violent extremism, FACE Act violations, or violent crime matters," the letter continued, "depending on the facts of each case."
While no member of "Jane's Revenge" has reportedly been arrested, the U.S. Attorney' Office for the Western District of Michigan announced on August 4 that 25-year-old Joshua Brereton had been charged with setting a fire to the bushes outside a Planned Parenthood in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Jim Harden, the CEO of CompassCare, whose center was attacked by "Jane's Revenge" on June 7, suggested to the National Review that swift arrests of those antipathetic to the pro-abortion movement, like Brereton's, demonstrate a double standard on the part of law enforcement. "Compare that with what happened to us," he said. "We had an arson attack, which in criminal code is just below murder, and nobody has been arrested."
Pressure and promises
On Jun 15, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) wrote to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, criticizing the Department of Justice for not having been "faithful to its promise of ensuring the public's safety against these violent, radical activists." Then, just as is the case now, Rubio noted that "To date, there has not been a single charge brought against any individual or group despite the countless pro-life centers in America that have been firebombed and vandalized in recent months."
The following day, Republican Sen. Tom Cotton (Ark.) similarly wrote to Garland demanding that the DOJ take action — to "bring charges against the perpetrators ... and investigate 'Jane's Revenge' as a domestic terrorist organization." Failing to do so, wrote Cotton, Garland should resign.
120 House Republicans also urged the DOJ to investigate and prosecute the attacks.
On June 17, the FBI told Fox News that it was "investigating a series of attacks and threats targeting pregnancy resource centers and faith-based organizations across the country." It noted further that "The FBI takes all threats seriously and we continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners and will remain vigilant to protect our communities."
In an August 4 judiciary committee meeting, FBI Director Christopher Wray told Republican Sen. Mike Lee (Utah) that those investigations were well underway.
Notwithstanding the suggestion that those responsible might be brought to justice, over a month later, there is at present only an indication from a Blue Ridge spokesperson that "The FBI is continuing to follow leads."
Counter-terrorism
Republican Rep. Jody Hice (Ga.) tweeted on Wednesday that "Jane's Revenge" was a far-left domestic terror group, and highlighted the pro-abortion group's original threats, which read: "The leash is off ... We promised to take increasingly drastic measures against oppressive infrastructures. Rest assured that we will, and those measures may not come in the form of something so easily cleaned up as fire and graffiti."
\u201cDOZENS of women\u2019s resource centers have been attacked since the Dobbs leak in late May.\n\nFirebombed. Vandalized. Targeted by far-Left domestic terrorist groups.\n\nNobody has been held accountable\u2014not even Jane\u2019s Revenge, who called for this \u201copen season.\u201d\u201d— Rep. Jody Hice (@Rep. Jody Hice) 1663169440
On June 23, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) introduced the "Protecting Mothers and Babies from Terrorism Act" to designate "Jane's Revenge" as a terrorist organization, which Reps. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) and Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) cosponsored. An additional seven Republican congressmen have since cosponsored the bill.
Se. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) introduced the "Pregnancy Resource Center Defense Act" on July 14 to "provide adequate penalties and remedies for attacks on facilities providing counseling about abortion alternatives and attacks on places of religious worship." The bill, if enacted, would increase penalties on those carrying out attacks as the proponents of "Jane's Revenge" have claimed to, such that misdemeanors would be treated as felonies.
Facebook, too, internally designated "Jane's Revenge" as a terrorist organization. An internal memo circulated to moderators within the organization described the pro-abortion group as "a far-left extremist group ... responsible for multiple arson and vandalism attacks on pro-life institutions."
Cross purposes
While some Republicans are seeking to bring the violent pro-abortion forces responsible for these attacks to justice, the Justice Department has created a pro-abortion task force to go around the nation achieving what "Jane's Revenge's" could only hint at in its graffiti.
The DOJ announced on July 12 that Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta would lead a task force to take action against state and local governments that implement or enforce pro-life laws that affect federal employees' efforts to procure abortions.
Garland issued a statement on August 2 indicating that the DOJ would "use every tool at our disposal" to ensure that women could procure abortions.
Not only is the DOJ openly antagonistic to the cause of the pro-life movement, a number of Democrats have employed violent rhetoric and voiced their support for pro-abortion street action.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) called the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision "illegitimate" and called for people to get "into the streets."
\u201cBREAKING: Congresswoman @AOC has arrived in front of the Supreme Court and is chanting that the Supreme Court\u2019s decision to overturn Roe v Wade is \u201cillegitimate\u201d and calls for people to get \u201cinto the streets\u201d | @TPUSA\u201d— Drew Hernandez (@Drew Hernandez) 1656085406
Cortez also tweeted that "People will die because of this decision. And we will never stop until abortion rights are restored in the United States of America."
Democrat Rep. Jackie Speier (Ca.) stated in June that "There is a war out there. And we need to recognize that we've got to armor up."
\u201cRep. Jackie Speier on MSNBC: "There is a war out there. And we need to recognize that we've got to armor up."\u201d— Washington Free Beacon (@Washington Free Beacon) 1656099707
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) suggested that the pro-life centers targeted by "Jane's Revenge" need to be shut down "all around the country." She tweeted on June 27, "it's more important than ever to crack down on so-called 'crisis pregnancy centers'."
When asked whether Democratic rhetoric was prompting or exacerbating violence against pro-life institutions, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi responded by saying "politicizing all of this is uniquely American" and that she wouldn't "be talking about that anymore."
\u201cPelosi is pressed on whether Democrat rhetoric is fueling attacks on crisis pregnancy centers.\n\nShe refuses to condemn attacks - and says "politicizing all of this is uniquely American."\n\n(That's because the rest of the civilized world has more sensible abortion laws than ours.)\u201d— Matt Whitlock (@Matt Whitlock) 1655393658