Tucker Carlson posted an interview Tuesday of a Tennessee man who is facing 11 years in prison for praying outside an abortion clinic.
In October of 2022, agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) showed up at Paul Vaughn’s home with guns drawn and arrested him in front of his wife. Vaughn has 11 children.
Vaughn and five other pro-life defendants were convicted earlier this year of “conspiracy against rights” and violating the Freedom to Access Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act by blocking the entrance to an abortion clinic outside of Nashville, where they peacefully prayed. The incident happened in 2021.
The conspiracy charge leveled by the federal government turned Vaughn’s crime from a misdemeanor with a small penalty to a federal felony with the hefty 11 year prison sentence.
By all accounts, Vaughn was cooperative and helpful to police at the scene of the crime.
But he told Carlson that his real crime was talking to the police that day.
“My main crime of the day, I wasn’t arrested by the local police, wasn’t charged, and my main crime was I talked to the police and to the media,” said Vaughn. “That’s a crime in Biden’s America.”
Prompted by Carlson, Vaughn noted that he does not have a prior criminal record.
“So you never imagined that praying would be a federal crime with a penalty of 11 years in prison?” Carlson asked.
“No. You know, I always thought praying for our nation is what we were instructed to do,” Vaughn said. “I thought that was what was required for freedom and liberty, is to beseech the favors of God on our land and to Him. And of course, you know, we were praying because our nation has allowed this sinful, atrocious action of abortion and killing unborn children. That’s ultimately what the Biden DOJ doesn’t like.”
Carlson noted the irony in the fact that Americans often hear about the alleged authoritarianism of the political right and of other countries, while simultaneously persecuting people in America based on their political leanings. He also noted throughout the interview that the Biden DOJ has allowed serious crimes, like entering the United States illegally, to go unpunished.
Vaughn’s attorneys at the Thomas More Society said they were unhappy with the outcome of the trial, and that they plan to appeal the conviction.
“We are, of course, disappointed with the outcome,” said Steve Crampton, Thomas More Society Senior Counsel and attorney for Paul Vaughn. “This was a peaceful demonstration by entirely peaceable citizens—filled with prayer, hymn-singing, and worship—oriented toward persuading expecting mothers not to abort their babies. Unfortunately, the Biden Department of Justice decided to characterize Paul Vaughn’s peaceful actions as a felony ‘conspiracy against rights,’ to intimidate and punish Paul and other pro-life people and people of faith.”
State Rep. Jody Barrett (R-Dickson) weighed in on the interview.
“This is an important interview with one of my constituents [Paul Vaughn],” he said on X. “I hope everyone will take the time to listen and consider what if this were you or a member of your family.”
This is an important interview with one of my constituents @vaughnshire I hope everyone will take the time to listen and consider what if this were you or a member of your family. https://t.co/ONjL24N0nk
— Jody Barrett – State Representative (TN69) (@Jodyforstaterep) March 27, 2024
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Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter.
Image “Paul Vaughn and Attorney” by Tucker Carlson Uncensored.
