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EXCLUSIVE - First Liberty Institute sent a letter to Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., for her rhetoric against pregnancy centers, after several centers have been targeted with violent attacks.
The letter, which was obtained by Fox News Digital, was sent to Warren’s office officially on Saturday, followed a previous letter sent by Warren and signed by 7 other Democratic senators requesting answers and potential disclosures from the national crisis pregnancy center organization Heartbeat International on Sept. 19.
The First Liberty Institute represents Heartbeat International, responded to the letter prior to their deadline of Oct. 3 with a condemnation of the request as an "inappropriate" use of the Senate’s power.
"While we appreciate your interest in the important work of Heartbeat International, we are aware of no law or legal instrument that would authorize you to conduct an investigation of this private, religious nonprofit, much less compel them to answer your questions. Rather, your letter appears to be an unwarranted effort to investigate a private organization which holds to a religious and ideological opinion with which you disagree. The United States Supreme Court firmly rebuked such actions over 60 years ago. United States Senators should not use the power of their office to harass private citizens in hopes of creating conflict for legislative solutions otherwise wanting for a problem to solve. Your questions are neither appropriate, nor germane," the letter read.
Special counsel for litigation and communications for First Liberty Jeremy Dys spoke with Fox News Digital and criticized Warren for her comments attacking pregnancy centers.
"Senators aren’t allowed to use the power of their office to wage an investigation against a political rival or enemies, certainly not those that have a religious perspective that they may or may not share. They very much have the feel of a bit of an inquisition by Sen. Warren. We know how she feels about the life-affirming reproductive health facilities that Heartbeat runs, and it seems that she’s trying to use every intimidating tool at her disposal to go after them, to, in her words, ‘shut them down across the country,’" Dys said.
Graffiti and red paint found at Washington, DC’s Capitol Hill Pregnancy Center. (Capitol Hill Pregnancy Center) (Capitol Hill Pregnancy Center)
Since the original leak of the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, Dys said pregnancy centers have faced violent threats and attacks, which he claims have been aggravated by Warren’s comments that the centers "torture pregnant people."
"She’s, in other words, put people in harm’s way by putting a target on the backs of predominantly little old ladies who use their volunteer hours to make sure that moms facing their pregnancies that they didn’t expect have diapers and baby wipes and baby formula and blankets that they have hand-knit, so they can keep their babies warm. These are the people that she believes are torturing pregnant women and believes that the federal government ought to use their entire power to shut them down across the country. That’s wrong," Dys said.
Included in the letter were ten questions requesting information regarding whether Warren and her fellow senators have spoken out against attacks against pro-life organizations.
"Pro-life reproductive health facilities affiliated with Heartbeat International are protected by federal law… yet they, and many others, have suffered broken windows, property damage, and even fire-bombings—all physical threats and acts of intimidation singularly designed, as you said of your hopes for the federal government, to ‘shut them down all around the country,’" the letter stated.
The Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center in Virginia was vandalized following Supreme Court overturning Roe. V. Wade. (Lynchburg Police Department )
Dys hopes the letter could encourage Warren and others to "stop from the political rhetoric and turning it up to 11 every single time they turn around" or provide information regarding how Democratic senators plan to respond to attacks on pro-life pregnancy centers.
The letter outlined to Warren and her fellow senators 20 days to respond to First Liberty Institute’s questions from Monday’s date. If Warren and the other Democratic senators do not respond, Dys told Fox News Digital that his organization will use the Freedom of Information Act to demand answers.
"Either they’re going to give us the information we request, answers to our questions, or they’re going to have to answer under the Freedom of Information Act for why they haven’t done so," he said.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., speaks during a protest outside of the U.S. Supreme Court Tuesday, May 3, 2022 in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
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According to a study issued by Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America in June, there were more than 40 reports of "incidents of violence, vandalism and intimidation" following the Supreme Court draft leak with at least five attacks within the first week. The FBI announced an investigation into these attacks in June, however as of September 17, the FBI have yet to make any arrests despite a group called Jane's Revenge claiming responsibility for some attacks.
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