Anti-Choice Leader Arrested for Solicitation of a Minor

Texas Right to Life is scrubbing their website in response

Luke Bowen speaking at the Texas Youth Summit

UPDATE: Texas Right to Life says that Bowen’s employment was terminated on August 3. (The same day he was charged)

The political director of Texas Right to Life, the state’s largest and oldest anti-abortion organization, has been been arrested for solicitation of a minor. Luke Bowen has deleted his Twitter, removed his picture from LinkedIn—presumably because it matches the released mugshot—and taken down any mention of Texas Right to life on his LinkedIn work history.

In response, the group has been scrubbing Bowen’s name from their website. Texas Right to Life has removed his name from press releases and are deleting entire webpages that featured Bowen—including one where he ran a training for college students. 

In addition to running political strategy for Texas Right to Life, Bowen has been the public face of the organization, representing them in the media and at events—in 2020, he was a featured speaker at the Texas Youth Summit. (Here’s a video of the panel.) Texas Right to Life also runs a weekend camp for teenagers, Team Life Camp; I’m waiting for comment from the organization on whether or not Bowen was involved in the camp or had access to teens in any way. (UPDATE: A spokesperson from Texas Right to Life says Bowen “was never involved” in Team Life Camp.)

Texas Right to Life is arguably the most influential anti-abortion group in the state; in addition to lobbying (and spending millions doing so), the organization also endorses extremist candidates and raises money for them. The organization’s biggest donor is billionaire Farris Wilks, responsible for bankrolling the state’s far-right shift.

Thanks to Amanda Marcotte for the tip!

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