It's hard to find a sweeter and more appropriate verdict than one that was handed down from Philadelphia of all places, in the wanton federal prosecution of pro-life activist Mark Houck.

If you haven't heard, here is the news from the Washington Examiner:

A jury has reportedly acquitted Pennsylvania pro-life activist who was accused of allegedly pushing a Planned Parenthood escort during a clash outside an abortion clinic, Life News reported.

Mark Houck, 48, faced charges that he violated the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, which makes it a federal crime to use force with the intent to injure, intimidate and interfere with anyone because that person produces reproductive health care. He pleaded not guilty. 

The charge stems from an Oct. 13, 2021 incident in which the Biden Administration alleged Houck assaulted and "forcefully shoved" Bruce Love, a 72-year-old volunteer at a Philadelphia Planned Parenthood.

The circumstances of this prosecution, which I wrote about here, were outrageous -- full FBI SWAT team to make the arrest and cart off Houck, holding him for six hours, case itself deemed so garbagey even the Pennsylvania state proscutors threw the whole thing out years ago, and charges entirely scurrilous, given that the shoving incident came about when the so-called clinic escort came over to a pro-life prayer table located more than 100 feet from a clinic entrance, blocking no one, and began threatening Houck's 12-year old son, who moved behind the table out of fear. The clinic itself had admitted it had spoken to the escort about interfering with others and the guy ignored them. Houck shoved the menace away and the rest became the basis for the prosecution. 

The jury was unanimous, taking a mere hour to throw this crap case out, and the judge, Gerald J. Pappert of the U.S. Eastern District of Pennsylvania, gave the stinkeye to the entire prosecutory circus:

Even U.S. District Judge Gerald Pappert noted the holes in the DOJ’s case when he asked the federal prosecutor whether the government’s interpretation of the FACE Act in this case “seemed to be stretched a little thin.”

The whole prosecution was utter garbage, with many pro-life advocates noting that the act was done to intimidate.

Who's doing the intimidating? Joe Biden's White House, of course, which would be the same Joe Biden who hails himself as a "devout Catholic." The same Joe Biden on whose watch churches and crisis pregnancy centers are being firebombed and vandalized with no consequences to the thugs.

His hypocrisy is pretty big in this one, given the damage done with a vindictive prosecution so flawed even a Philly jury wouldn't go along. They must have thought they had it in the bag, and they didn't.

Meanwhile, President Devout Catholic, as if to take the public's mind off this outrageous abuse of government power on his watch, was last seen claiming the pope was on his side in his federal funding for abortions.

A bishop called bee ess on that one. Here's the headline from Steven Ertelt at LifeNews:

Catholic Bishop Calls Joe Biden a “Fake Catholic” After He Claims Church is Pro-Abortion

Well done all around. Let's see more of this as some kind of balance to the insane abuses of power around the pro-life and abortion issue.

Image: LBJ Library photo, by Jay Godwin // public domain