WASHINGTON— On Wednesday, Rep. Chip Roy (TX-21) led 13 of his House Republican colleagues in expressing their “eminently justified” concern about yet another example of the Biden administration weaponizing federal law enforcement against parents — this time to target those who dare question or criticize performing sex change procedures on minors.
The Members’ letter follows a letter to DOJ from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American Medical Association (AMA), and Children’s Hospital Association (CHA), which implies that merely sharing information questioning gender transition procedures for minors online constitutes “provoking” violent threats.
“DOJ has no reason to investigate and prosecute so called ‘disinformation’ on social media, nor to collude with the AAP, AMA, and CHA to silence law-abiding Americans,” the Members wrote to Attorney General Merrick Garland.
This comes after DOJ’s infamous memo targeting parents at school board meetings, and DOJ’s continued abuse of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act to arrest pro-life Americans for state-level incidents.
“Given your department’s recent, numerous, politically motivated abuses of power against Americans, our concern is eminently justified,” the Members wrote. “If the DOJ steps beyond its authority to comply with the AAP, AMA, and CHA’s request, DOJ would do incredible harm to Americans’ freedom of speech and expression, the medical profession, and children and families.”
Rep Roy had the following to say about the effort:
This all comes down to four simple facts. Men can’t become women; women can’t become men; performing sex changes on kids is child abuse, and the radical left is still waging total war against parental rights and reality itself.
This time, powerful medical interests — who profit off the lucrative pseudo-science of “gender-affirming care” and the permanent mutilation of American children — are demanding that President Biden’s Department of Justice silence dissent about so-called “medical care” that can only adequately be described as barbaric.
Under no circumstance should this administration further weaponize federal law enforcement against well-meaning parents rightly concerned with their children’s wellbeing at the behest of a bunch of leftists in white coats. If they do, Republicans in Congress must be ready for a fight to defund it, full stop.
Full text of the letter can be found here and below.
Dear Attorney General Garland,
We write to you with deep concern about the prospect of the Department of Justice (DOJ) weaponizing its federal law enforcement power against law-abiding American citizens — this time to target those daring to question gender transition procedures for minors.
On October 3, 2022, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American Medical Association (AMA), and Children’s Hospital Association (CHA) sent a letter urging the DOJ to take “swift action to investigate and prosecute all organizations, individuals, and entities responsible” for attacks “rooted in an intentional campaign of disinformation.” Alarmingly, their request strongly implies that sharing information questioning gender transition procedures for minors online constitutes “provoking” violent threats.
The AAP, AMA, and CHA allege that providers of gender transition procedures for minors have experienced “increased stress and fear,” and are “working with local and federal law enforcement” after receiving “harassing emails, phone calls, and protestors” and “threats via social media” following individuals and organizations posting information critical of these procedures. Any such investigation and prosecution surrounding these cases should be handled on a state and local level. The DOJ has no reason to investigate and prosecute so called “disinformation” on social media, nor to collude with the AAP, AMA, and CHA to silence law-abiding Americans who simply oppose gender transition procedures for minors.
Gender transition surgeries are medically controversial and a matter of policy debate. Indeed, these procedures have led countries including England, France, Sweden, and Finland to drastically restrict access to or even institute a complete prohibition on the use of hormone blockers in minor children, as well as gender transition surgeries. For thousands of years, children have overcome acute gender dysphoria without permanently mutilating their own bodies through irreversible surgeries or hormone blockers. Only recently have activists, under the cloak of science, advocated for widespread radical medical intervention to treat what England’s National Health Service refers to as a “transient phase.”
If the DOJ steps beyond its authority to comply with the AAP, AMA, and CHA’s request, DOJ would do incredible harm to Americans’ freedom of speech and expression, the medical profession, and children and families. Additionally, if the DOJ opts to comply, Americans’ overall trust in the DOJ will continue to break down. The AAP, AMA, and CHA’s letter comes as the DOJ continues to exploit the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act to arrest pro-life Americans for state-level incidents, and less than a year after DOJ’s infamous memo targeting parents at school board meetings. Given your department’s recent, numerous, politically motivated abuses of power against Americans, our concern is eminently justified.
We request written responses to each question below by November 8, 2022.
1. Please provide copies of any internal or external DOJ communications regarding the letter from the AAP, AMA, and CHA, including but not limited to DOJ’s response.
2. Does the DOJ agree with the AAP, AMA, and CHA’s assertion that questioning or criticizing “gender-affirming health care” warrants federal investigation and prosecution?
3. Does the DOJ intend to investigate individuals, organizations, and entities that express their opposition to performing “gender-affirming health care” on minors?
4. To date, what action, if any, has DOJ taken to investigate and/or prosecute individuals, organizations, and entities for their opposition to “gender-affirming health care”?
5. Does DOJ intend to collaborate with technology companies to identify and obtain information on individuals, organizations, and entities that expressed their opposition to “gender-affirming health care” on social media platforms, or has DOJ previously done so?
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Chip Roy
Member of Congress
Michael Cloud
Member of Congress
Doug Lamborn
Member of Congress
Diana Harshbarger
Member of Congress
Mary E. Miller
Member of Congress
Lauren Boebert
Member of Congress
Louie Gohmert
Member of Congress
W. Gregory Steube
Member of Congress
Bob Good
Member of Congress
Jeff Duncan
Member of Congress
Debbie Lesko
Member of Congress
Andy Biggs
Member of Congress
Andy Harris, M.D.
Member of Congress
Nancy Mace
Member of Congress