CHICAGO – On Thursday, former President Donald Trump declared that he would be granting pardons to anti-abortion activists who were convicted for blocking the entrances of abortion clinics.
He described the act of signing the pardons as “a great honor.”
Trump expressed that “they should not have been prosecuted,” as he formalized pardons for what he referred to as “peaceful pro-life protesters.”
The individuals receiving pardons were implicated in an incident from October 2020, which involved a blockade of a clinic in Washington, D.C.
Lauren Handy, who led this blockade by instructing participants to interlink themselves with chains and locks at the clinic’s doors, was handed a nearly five-year prison sentence.
During the blockade, a nurse sustained an ankle injury after being pushed by a protester attempting to enter the clinic, and another woman was confronted by a protester while she was in labor, according to prosecutors.
Following her indictment, five fetuses were discovered in Handy’s residence.
In addition to Handy, Trump also pardoned nine others involved: Jonathan Darnel from Virginia; New Yorkers Jay Smith, John Hinshaw, and William Goodman; Joan Bell from New Jersey; Paulette Harlow and Jean Marshall from Massachusetts; Heather Idoni from Michigan; and Herb Geraghty from Pennsylvania.
In the early days of Trump’s presidency, anti-abortion advocates had increased their calls for clemency for protesters arrested under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, a 1994 law that aims to ensure abortion clinics are shielded from disruption and threats.
This law was implemented during a time when protests and acts of violence against abortion providers were escalating, including the tragic murder of Dr. David Gunn in 1993.
Trump specifically referenced Harlow during a speech in June where he criticized the Department of Justice under former President Joe Biden for pursuing charges against blockade participants.
“Many people are in jail over this,” he stated, promising to address the matter promptly.
Abortion rights advocates have condemned Trump’s pardons, viewing them as a demonstration of his stance against abortion access, despite his ambiguous and sometimes conflicting statements on the issue as he tried to navigate between anti-abortion supporters and the wider public, who largely favor abortion rights.
“Donald Trump sought to maintain a balanced approach during his campaign—boasting about his contribution to the overturning of Roe v. Wade while indicating he wouldn’t take further steps on abortion,” commented Ryan Stitzlein, vice president of political and government relations for Reproductive Freedom for All, a national abortion rights organization.
“We always suspected this was not the truth, and this reinforces that belief.”
Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of SBA Pro-Life America, expressed gratitude to Trump for “immediately delivering on his promise” to pardon the activists, claiming their prosecutions were politically motivated.
Furthermore, the legal organization Thomas More Society contended that the defendants they represent had been “unjustly imprisoned,” as outlined in a letter sent to Trump in January.
The group assured the defendants that Trump would examine their cases and grant pardons upon taking office.
“Today, freedom rings in our great nation,” said Steve Crampton, senior counsel for the Thomas More Society, on Thursday.
He added, “What happened to them can never be erased, but today’s pardons mark a significant stride towards restoring justice.”
Republican Senator Josh Hawley, a staunch supporter of Trump, labeled the prosecution of anti-abortion protesters as “a grotesque assault on the principles of this country.”
He requested Trump to pardon them while recounting the experiences of these individuals during a speech on the Senate floor.
Notably, he highlighted the case of Eva Edl, who took part in a 2021 Tennessee clinic blockade, a case that has received significant attention from major national anti-abortion organizations.
Hawley mentioned he had a “great conversation” with Trump about the protesters on Thursday morning.
This announcement of pardons arrives just ahead of Friday’s annual March for Life anti-abortion protest in Washington, where Trump is anticipated to address attendees via video.
