FACE Act: Friend or Foe?

Is the FACE Act being enforced as Congress originally intended or has its selected application raised serious concerns about fairness, constitutional limits, and the protection of pro-life Americans?The FACE Act has returned to the national spotlight following charges against former CNN anchor Don Lemon for interfering with the religious exercise of worshippers at a Minnesota church last month. Enacted in 1994, the law was intended to protect access to both reproductive health facilities and houses of worship by imposing criminal and civil penalties on those who intimidate, injure, or obstruct individuals seeking to enter them.In recent years, however, questions have been raised about whether the statute has been enforced evenhandedly. The law has been used repeatedly to prosecute pro-life activists, while many pro-life pregnancy resource centers and churches that have faced vandalism, threats, and even firebombings have seen comparatively limited federal response. These concerns have fueled growing calls in Congress to repeal or reform the statute.Join us for a timely discussion as a panel of experts examines the FACE Act’s statutory framework, its recent enforcement, and the constitutional and policy questions surrounding its future.Featuring:Matthew Cavedon, Director, Project on Criminal Justice, Cato InstituteJeremy Dys, Senior Counsel, First LibertyErin Hawley, Supreme Court & Appellate Litigation Chair, Lex Politica; Of Counsel, Alliance Defending Freedom(Moderator) Casey Mattox, Vice President, Legal Strategy, Stand Together; Vice President, Legal and Judicial Strategy, Americans for Prosperity