California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued the following statement in response to President Trump pardoning 23 individuals convicted under the federal Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, his U.S. Department of Justice limiting enforcement of that law, and the President issuing new Executive Orders targeting abortion rights:
“President Trump may say that he cares about law and order, but his recent pardons tell a very different story. He has pardoned over 1,500 individuals who stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Not only did those individuals try to stop the peaceful transfer of power, many of them violently assaulted law enforcement officers. Now, he has pardoned people whose actions threatened, harassed, and harmed abortion patients, providers, and clinics. California has been and will continue to be a safe haven for reproductive rights. With the news that the Trump Administration will also be limiting enforcement of the federal FACE Act and that the President has signed Executive Orders targeting abortion rights, we will not hesitate to take up the mantle of safety and access that they are abandoning. State law — specifically, the California FACE Act — requires that people have access to abortion care safely, confidentially, and in a timely manner. If any person infringes on that right, they can and will be held accountable by my office or local prosecutors.”
BACKGROUND AND RESOURCES
The California Attorney General’s Office has also put together a training video on the California FACE Act, which can be viewed here. A copy of the training video materials can be accessed here and here.
The following resources also provide relevant information:
- California Department of Justice’s Law Information Bulletin on the FACE Act and the Reproductive Rights Law Enforcement Act
- California Department of Justice’s Law Enforcement Bulletin on Anti‐Reproductive Rights Crimes
- California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training’s Anti-Reproductive-Rights Crimes Guidelines