The family of anti-abortion activist Mark Houck is suing the Justice Department for $3.25 million in damages for "substantial emotional distress" they faced when he was arrested at gunpoint by the FBI.
Houck, 49, is a practicing Catholic and father of seven who rose to national prominence in September 2022 after facing federal charges for allegedly violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances, or FACE Act, which prohibits anti-abortion advocates from intimidating women entering clinics to obtain the controversial procedure.
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The 26-page complaint filed this week against the Justice Department by his spouse, Ryan-Marie Houck, details the extent of the trauma each of their seven children faced when a team of at least 25 heavily armed FBI agents arrived at the Houcks' rural property in 15 vehicles before setting up firing positions and banging on their door.
"At the time of the raid, when she was only nine years old, she witnessed SWAT personnel staring her down at the back door," the complaint, obtained by the Washington Examiner, said of the family's daughter, Therese, citing her preexisting struggles with anxiety. "This memory continues to haunt her to this day."
The couple contends they were targets of President Joe Biden's DOJ in an effort to intimidate the family over their anti-abortion work, which includes praying outside abortion clinics.
Houck's charges stemmed from a 2021 incident outside a Philadelphia-based Planned Parenthood during which he pushed an abortion clinic volunteer who was repeatedly harassing his son, Mark Jr. Local law enforcement did not press charges in the case, but Biden's DOJ took action on it shortly after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, nearly a year after the altercation occurred.
Although Houck was acquitted by a jury in January 2023, his wife said the FBI's investigation and "invasion" of their home, as well as his subsequent arrest, has caused continued suffering to every member of the family.
"Based upon the foregoing allegations, Mrs. Houck now seeks to recover $1,500,000 in monetary damages due to the intentional infliction of emotional distress and assault committed by the DOJ and FBI," according to the complaint. Each child is seeking to recover $250,000 in damages.
The president of 40 Days to Life, an international anti-abortion association, is supporting the Houck's lawsuit against the federal government.
"This is more than just a lawsuit; it's a resounding declaration that the era of targeting individuals for their pro-life stance is over," Shawn Carney, the group's president, told the Washington Examiner.
"Mark Houck’s home was besieged at gunpoint — an appalling show of force that was completely unwarranted. The local authorities saw no crime, yet the DOJ sought to make an example of him," Carney said in a statement.
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Houck also announced in August he is running in the Republican primary for Congress in Pennsylvania to challenge centrist incumbent Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) in a Philadelphia-area swing district. He said his arrest had inspired him to run for Congress, to use his voice and experience to help protect people from government overreach.
The Washington Examiner contacted the DOJ and the FBI for response.