Garland set to testify at House hearing with DOJ mired in controversies
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Attorney General Merrick Garland will testify at a House committee hearing Thursday dedicated to oversight of the Justice Department at a time when the agency is in the middle of several high-profile cases and controversies.
House Judiciary Committee ranking member Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, gave a preview of what is to come, specifically questions over Garland's recent memo regarding federal intervention in matters of violence or intimidation targeting state and local school board members. The memo drew concerns that the federal government was overstepping by getting involved in local matters, and could be chilling free speech following incidents where parents vocally opposed policies regarding mask mandates and the teaching of critical race theory.
"Who cares more about a kid? The federal government - Joe Biden and Merrick Garland - or moms and dads?" Jordan asked in an appearance on Newsmax. "He will get a lot of questions on that issue tomorrow from Republican members of the Judiciary Committee."
Garland's prepared opening remarks, released just prior to the hearing, made no mention of the school board issue. He did make general comments about protecting Americans from threats, while also safeguarding people's freedoms.
"Every person living in this country expects and deserves that their government protect them against a wide range of threats - from international and domestic terrorism to cyber-attacks to violent crime and drug trafficking," Garland said. "As our country's chief law enforcement officer, I am committed to supporting law enforcement at all levels as they work to protect our country from these threats, while also zealously guarding civil liberties and ensuring our own accountability to the American people."
Another issue that Garland could face is the ongoing surge of migrants crossing the southern border. The attorney general was among administration leaders who traveled to Mexico earlier this month to discuss border security.
Merrick Garland, U.S. attorney general, speaks during a news conference at the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021. Photographer: Samuel Corum/Bloomberg via Getty Images (Samuel Corum/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Garland's Justice Department is also dealing with the issue of abortion, asking the Supreme Court to block enforcement of a Texas law that bans most abortions after doctors have detected a fetal heartbeat. This typically occurs around six weeks into a pregnancy - before some women are aware that they are pregnant and well before the established standard of fetal viability.
The attorney general could also face questions regarding the FBI's failures in investigating claims against convicted sex offender and former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar. Athletes including Olympic champions Simone Biles, Aly Raisman and McKayla Maroney testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee in September, discussing how officials failed to act upon their allegations. Nassar was ultimately convicted in multiple state trials, and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco revealed that the DOJ was reviewing their decision not to charge FBI agents for their conduct during their investigation.
Garland's testimony also comes the same day that the full House will be voting on whether to hold former Trump administration adviser Steve Bannon in contempt of Congress for ignoring a subpoena from a House panel investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. If the House passes the resolution, the matter will be referred to the DOJ to determine whether or not to prosecute Bannon.
President Biden had weighed in on the matter, stating that the DOJ should prosecute those who do not comply with subpoenas. A DOJ spokesperson responded by stating that the Department will make that determination for themselves.
"The Department of Justice will make its own independent decisions in all prosecutions based solely on the facts and the law," the spokesperson said. "Period. Full stop."
Tags
Who is online
407 visitors
Minutes away.......
Biden's weaponized AG faces the Judiciary Committee
AG Garland just agreed that, despite the letter from the National School Boards Association, he does not see any basis for using the Patriot Act against parents in school board meetings.
Did Garland just say he was going to terminate the Durham investigation?
We're still waiting on all those indictments on the Obama administration!
The Mueller investigation went on for half of Trump's term and Trump's AG didn't terminate it.
Biden is operating like a dictaor.
We are still waiting for the Democrats to finally get Trump. They have been at it for several years longer than the Durham investigation. What is taking them so damn long!
You mean the 1/6 investigation searching for a crime? They just voted to hold Bannon in contept. That should be tied up in the courts until 2022 when the Republicans take over congress.
It took Garland less than a year to put paid to the notion that he was a "moderate" and justify the Republicans blocking him from the Court. He's as politicized as Holder.
Correct!
"Garland repeatedly assured the members that he knows of no basis for alleging domestic terrorism in these school board meetings. He further pledged that he will not use such laws against parents objecting to critical race theory or other issues at these meetings. However, those answers only begged the question of why the Justice Department has pledged this broad effort to monitor and respond to threats at these meetings. If these are not matters of domestic terrorism, why is the Justice Department implementing this effort? The letter does not cite any pattern of criminal threats or their interstate or federal profile.".....Jonathan Turley