Pro-Life Activist Mark Houck Wins $1.1 Million Settlement From DOJ

Pro-life activist Mark Houck was awarded a seven-figure settlement from the Department of Justice for his 2022 arrest related to an incident involving a Planned Parenthood escort.

According to an April 9 announcement from 40 Days for Life, Houck was awarded $1.1 million. He was a long-time volunteer with the pro-life group.

The settlement came after the Pennsylvania dad was cleared of federal charges that led to his home being raided by armed federal agents in 2022 and his arrest at gunpoint in front of his wife and children.

Houck, a father of seven, faced 11 years in prison for the charges but was acquitted by a federal jury after one hour of deliberation in January 2023. He subsequently sued the Department of Justice, with the help of the 40 Days for Life Institute of Law & Justice.

Houck and his wife, Ryan-Marie, said the raid caused emotional trauma to their children, who suffered from anxiety and sleep problems following the event. Some also developed deep-seated fears of police, unannounced visitors, and losing their parents, according to the couple.

Ryan-Marie Houck said in the suit that the ordeal manifested in mental and emotional distress as well as three miscarriages.

“Doctors attribute the loss of the babies to the stress of these events and have told the Houcks that they are now infertile as a result. Mr. and Mrs. Houck suffer immense grief and pain from these losses of life and this diagnosis,” the complaint stated.

Other injuries included the loss of income and business opportunities following Houck’s high-profile arrest.

The Department of Justice did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the settlement.

The Allegations

Houck’s arrest came almost a year after an altercation with 72-year old abortion clinic escort Bruce Love, near a Philadelphia Planned Parenthood where Houck was sidewalk counseling.

Houck, who has volunteered with 40 Days for Life since 2007, was engaged in prayer on the sidewalk on Oct. 13, 2021, along with his then 12-year-old son, when Love confronted him and made what Houck said were inappropriate comments directed at his son.  

Houck said his son indicated that he was uncomfortable with the interaction, which was described as being in the child’s personal space.

According to his own statement and video of the interaction, Houck escorted Love away, but the escort came back a second time, after he was asked not to interact with the child. Love continued the behavior, at which point Houck pushed him and the clinic escort fell to the ground.

Houck said that after the physical altercation, he “defused the situation” and left the scene with his son. 

Although Houck said he volunteered to turn himself in should charges be filed, his home was raided by the FBI on Sept. 23, 2022. He was arrested and indicted under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act.

“Assault is always a serious offense, and under the FACE Act, if the victim is targeted because of their association with a reproductive healthcare clinic, it is a federal crime,” said U.S. Attorney Jacqueline Romero said at the time of Houck’s arrest.

“Our Office and the Department of Justice are committed to prosecuting crimes which threaten the safety and rights of all individuals,” Romero said.

Religious Liberty

Shawn Carney, president of 40 Days for Life, told The Epoch Times in an email that the organization “timed our announcement to coincide with the eighth and final meeting of the Religious Liberty Commission.”

The commission, which was established by the Trump administration last year, held its final hearing to discuss the future of religious liberty in America on April 13.

The commission is slated to deliver recommendations to President Donald Trump next month on what actions could help ensure Americans’ religious liberty is safeguarded in the future.

Concern for the future of the freedom of religious expression was high surrounding Houck’s charges.

The FACE Act

The FACE Act prohibits the use of force to injure, intimidate or interfere with someone seeking “to obtain or provide” care at an abortion clinic, among other actions. 

The National Abortion Federation says the law was enacted in response to violence, blockades, and killings targeting abortion providers. In a statement on its website, the group underscores the Act’s role in protecting access to clinics.

In an announcement to its supporters about the settlement of Houck’s lawsuit, 40 Days for Life called the settlement a “major legal victory [that] will protect your right to free speech.”

Meanwhile, the Justice Department on Tuesday released a nearly 900-page report concluding that the FACE Act had been enforced in a way that “violated the rights of Americans” under the Biden administration. It cited “aggressive arrest tactics” used in the Houck case as one example.