Mark Houck Wins Seven-Figure Settlement After Joe Biden Targeted Him

In a major legal victory against blatant targeting and discrimination from former President Joe Biden’s administration, pro-life volunteer Mark Houck has secured a seven-figure settlement in his lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice.

The settlement follows the Biden administration’s widely criticized prosecution and bogus arrest of the Pennsylvania father under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act.

In 2022, heavily armed federal agents raided Houck’s home after he intervened to protect his young son from an aggressive abortion escort outside a Planned Parenthood facility. Despite offering to cooperate with authorities, Houck was arrested at gunpoint in front of his wife and children – causing them significant trauma and embarrassment.

Federal agents pointed automatic weapons at his family, detained him, and chained him to a table for six hours.

The Biden DOJ charged Houck under the FACE Act, exposing him to up to 11 years in federal prison.

However, in January 2023, a federal jury acquitted him on all counts after just one hour of deliberation.

Following his acquittal, Houck — represented by the 40 Days for Life Institute of Law & Justice — filed a lawsuit against the DOJ, citing wrongful prosecution, excessive force, and violations of his constitutional rights. That case has now resulted in a seven-figure settlement.

Shawn Carney, CEO and president of 40 Days for Life, hailed the outcome.

“This is the biggest example of Biden’s DOJ being held accountable for targeting and persecuting pro-life Americans. We were honored to represent Mark, along with many other great people, to secure justice and restore confidence that pro-life Americans can go out and pray without fear of their government,” Carney said.

The settlement marks a significant rebuke of the DOJ’s conduct under the Biden administration and underscores growing concerns about the weaponization of federal law enforcement against peaceful pro-life Americans.

Houck’s ordeal began when he stepped in to shield his son from harassment by an abortion escort. Local authorities initially viewed the matter as non-criminal, yet federal prosecutors pursued the high-profile charges that threatened the father of seven with more than a decade behind bars.