Four Republican members of Congress wrote a letter to Attorney General William Barr demanding he prioritize the prosecution of “obscene” pornography producers.
Indiana Rep. Jim Banks, North Carolina Rep. Mark Meadows, Missouri Rep. Vicky Hartzler, and Texas Rep. Brian Babin urged Barr to enforce U.S. obscenity laws and prosecute those who produce hardcore pornography in the letter obtained by National Review.
They argued that increased accessibility to pornography via the internet was leading to violence against women and that it could harm children, as well.
“The internet and other evolving technologies are fueling the explosion of obscene pornography by making it more accessible and visceral. This explosion in pornography coincides with an increase in violence towards women and an increase in the volume of human trafficking as well as child pornography,” the members wrote.
They added, “Victims are not limited to those directly exploited, however, and include society writ large. This phenomenon is especially harmful to youth, who are being exposed to obscene pornography at exceptionally younger ages.”
The Republicans referenced Barr’s work to reduce child pornography while serving as attorney general under President George H.W. Bush. Barr had greatly increased prosecution of obscenity crimes, but most of that prosecution was halted under President Bill Clinton’s administration. The Obama administration scaled back obscenity prosecution even further after Attorney General Eric Holder dissolved the Criminal Division’s Obscenity Prosecution Task Force.
In 2016, President Trump pledged to crack down on obscene pornography and enforce obscenity prosecution laws. The Republicans demanded that Barr take action to fulfill Trump’s campaign promise.
“Given the pervasiveness of obscenity it’s our recommendation that you declare the prosecution of obscene pornography a criminal justice priority and urge your U.S. attorneys to bring prosecutions against the major producers and distributors of such material,” they wrote.
The Department of Justice has made several major busts related to child pornography producers under Barr’s leadership. In October, the department arrested more than 300 people in connection to an international child pornography bust.
