Washington, D.C. — A new Center for American Progress analysis explains how Project 2025, the extreme, far-right playbook, would use the U.S. Department of Justice to pressure local prosecutors into enforcing far-right extremist policy priorities—including abortion bans—or face federal lawsuits, removal from office, or potentially even criminal prosecution. Specifically, this policy would serve as an under-the-radar attempt to ensure abortion bans are enforced to the fullest extent, exacerbating an unfolding crisis of reproductive care as medical providers who provide abortion care—within the already strict guidelines of abortion bans—increasingly fear criminalization.
These draconian strategies are already playing out in states with right-wing governors and state legislatures. In 2022, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) carried out an unconstitutional removal of the Tampa Bay area’s district attorney after he pledged not to prosecute those seeking or providing abortion care under Florida’s six-week abortion ban. Both Georgia and Texas have adopted measures that allow the removal of local prosecutors based on the discretion of conservative legislators and other conservative elected officials.
“Project 2025’s proposal emboldens right-wing state officials to attempt removal of political opponents at the local level and will likely have a chilling effect on how prosecutors do their jobs,” said Lindsey McLendon, senior fellow for Criminal Justice Reform and author of the article. “This agenda will make it easier for a far-right administration to impose its vision of the law without safeguards and will target individuals seeking to protect their reproductive rights and access to care they deserve.”
Read the article: “Project 2025 Compels Local Prosecutors To Enforce Extreme Right-Wing Laws” by Lindsey McLendon
For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Jasmine Razeghi at [email protected].