After the arrest of an anti-abortion activist from Pennsylvania, Senator Josh Hawley charged the Department of Justice with spying on Catholics. This sparked a controversy among conservatives who thought the DOJ was treating conservative Catholics like extremists.

The Missouri Republican quizzed Attorney General Merrick Galrland about the DOJ’s handling in a case involving Mark Houck (a Catholic anti-abortion activist) during a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee. It lasted more than seven minutes. Houck, 72, was accused of assaulting a man who was accompanying a patient to a Philadelphia Planned Parenthood clinic before the 2022 midterm elections.

Hawley stated Wednesday that Houck denied the allegations and offered to surrender when he found out he was being charged. Instead, FBI agents invaded Houck’s house in full riot gear in the early hours of September 24, in front of his children and wife. This was an incident that Doug Mastriano, a Pennsylvania gubernatorial nominee, described as an example of “continued weaponization by the FBI”.

After the arrest, Ted Cruz of Texas stated that they handcuffed him and treated him as if he were Osama Bin Laden. He had offered to surrender. This wasn’t law enforcement. This was theatre. This was Biden DOJ telling political opponents that if they are our political enemies, they will send stormtroopers after them. This is absolutely disgusting.

Houck was later acquitted by the jury after less than an hour of deliberations. Local prosecutors declined to press charges. The damage was done. Hawley and other conservatives claimed that the arrest was a DOJ plot to target political opponents, including pro-abortion activists and Donald Trump. The former president is currently being investigated for several alleged offences, including refusing to turn over classified documents while he was at the White House in an alleged attempt of overturning the outcome of the 2020 election.

Hawley said to Garland that Hawley used “an unbelievable amount of force with guns” on Wednesday. You’re supposed hate long guns and assault-style weapon but you are happy to use them against Catholics or innocent children. Then you bring them to court and ask a jury to convict them within an hour. I am merely suggesting that you consider this a disgraceful display by your justice department, and a shameful use of resources.

Newsweek reached out for comment to Hawley’s Office and the Department of Justice.

Garland refuted the allegations and said that the DOJ doesn’t target groups based on political or religious views. He also claimed that the FBI agents who made Garland’s arrest disagree with Houck’s description of the day’s events.

Garland stated, “We have a rule against investigating activities based on First Amendment activity and Catholic church are obviously First Amendment.”

However, some conservatives claim that the DOJ displayed political bias in the areas it hasn’t investigated. This includes a lack of attention to a spike in attacks on churches and “crisis-pregnancy centers” following the upturn of Roe V. Wade.

Hawley referenced a January 23 memo from Richmond, Virginia’s FBI field office. This memo was obtained earlier this winter by Uncover D.C., a conservative outlet. This memo linked a conservative catholic movement that wanted to return to Latin Mass. This has highlighted a wider philosophic divide among practicing Catholics in recent years.

According to the memo, a subset of people who have adopted the movement includes conservative activists and white nationalists. Groups like the Southern Poverty Law Center claim that these groups have been making up a growing portion of the conservative Catholic movement.

Garland’s Justice Department has also been focusing on religious extremist and white nationist groups in light of a rise in violence against communities of color and attacks on U.S. infrastructure.

The memo suggested that “the exploration of new avenues to tripwire and source development împotriva traditionalist Catholics” be explored. This includes those who prefer the Latin Mass, which critics call an excessive assault on religious freedom.

Garland, who decried Wednesday’s “appalling memo”, said that the agency “doesn’t do investigations based upon religion” and noted that the agency was currently investigating the publication.

Garland claimed that he did not have informants in the Catholic Church. However, Hawley seemed to be unconvinced.

Hawley stated, “Apparently, on your watch. This Justice Department is targeting Catholics. Targeting people of faith specifically for their faith views.” “And Mr. AttorneyGeneral, I’ll just tell you, it’s disgraceful.”