Garland testifies at House hearing with DOJ mired in controversies

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/mer...-doj-testimony


Attorney General Merrick Garland testifies before the House Judiciary Committee on oversight of the Department of Justice





Attorney General Merrick Garland is testifying at a House Judiciary 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.
Republicans have seized on Garland's recent memo to Justice Department employees about intervening in incidents of violence or intimidation targeting state and local school board officials. GOP lawmakers have criticized Garland for overstepping by getting involved in matters that should be handled by state and local law enforcement, and for issuing the memo days after the National School Boards Association asked the Biden administration to utilize tools including the terrorism-related PATRIOT Act to deal with these situations. The NSBA cited incidents of non-violent disruption of school board meetings where parents voiced their concerns about issues such as the teaching of critical race theory, prompting Republicans to voice fears that federal involvement will influence conservatives to keep quiet instead of continuing to engage with officials.
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Committee ranking member Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, attempted to show a video of parents at school board meetings during his opening remarks, but Chairman Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., refused, claiming that Jordan did not provide 48 hours' notice. Jordan stated that there is no official rule requiring such notice, but Nadler did not allow the video to be shown.
Garland did not directly address the school board issue at all in his opening statement. He did make general comments about protecting Americans from threats, while also safeguarding people's freedoms.

Attorney General Merrick Garland testifies before a House Judiciary Committee oversight hearing of the Department of Justice on Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (Greg Nash/Pool via AP) (Greg Nash/Pool via AP)


"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 in prepared remarks submitted to the committee. "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."
Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Ohio, was quick to bring up the school board issue early in the hearing, telling Garland that he "found it deeply disturbing that the National School Boards Association convinced the Biden administration to sick you and your Justice Department, the FBI … on involved parents as if they were domestic terrorists."
Chabot noted that he and Nadler were both on the committee when Congress passed the PATRIOT Act, and that at the time they both had concerns about how the law could be used or abused.
"I can tell you, not in a million years did we dream that one day we would see the Justice Department treat American parents as domestic terrorists," Chabot said.
"No one has the right to be violent or threaten violence" he added. He stated that violent actors can be dealt with by security or other officials, "but we don’t need the vast power of the federal government throwing its weight around."
In response, Garland noted that his memo did not mention domestic terrorism or the PATRIOT Act, and did not envision such issues coming into play regarding school board incidents.
"Like you, I can’t imagine any circumstance in which the PATRIOT Act would be used in the circumstances of parents complaining about their children nor can I imagine a circumstance where they would be labeled as domestic terrorists," he said.
Another issue that Garland could face as the hearing progresses 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.
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.
PSAKI, DOJ IN DAMAGE CONTROL MODE AFTER BIDEN SAYS SUBPOENA DEFIERS SHOULD BE PROSECUTED
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.
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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."




Comment - garland Lies

he is part of teh party march to Communist domination over America and destruction of our Constitution.

Denial and lies is all theys got

Thank you Mitch McConnell for keeping this guy off the Supreme Court

HF - Amen good Sir!!!

That was a chickenshit shit move by Mitch for the country but brilliant politically to start the assent into one Party rule.

The Democrats will never again win the WH. The SC has shown in this election cycle that States will rule the day as far as how Electoral College votes are awarded and Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan will just send those who vote for the Republican candidate no matter the state vote totals. Hell Arizona is the example of what the GOP is wanting to do. This is not rocket science.

Those that control the SC, control the country.

it boils down to one thing

dimocrats hate the constitution

it boils down to one thing

dimocrats hate the constitution Originally Posted by nevergaveitathought

Are you constipated?

What goes around, well we all know the rest

DPST party hates the Constitution

Loves teh Communist Manifesto and che"!

Leave the poor guy alone, he’s terribly overworked. Going after middle aged PTA moms is exhausting.

Every dictator needs a Himmler.

TRBC - Well written - Good Sir!
Unfortunately - the 'Democrats - who reject history as racist - will never comprehend.

Are you constipated? Originally Posted by WTF

your intrusive medical question might be in opposition to the forums rules, but i'll leave that to another to determine

and I do certainly hope you aren't asking me that from some untoward urge or passion on your part

sorry but I have never been in my life

Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches exist for checks and balances
what difference does it make if they are all equally corrupt and incompetent?
Dismantle the entire operation, remove all in service starting from the top down. No one in the Beltway adheres to party affiliation. Its just one big incestuous clique

That was a chickenshit shit move by Mitch for the country but brilliant politically to start the assent into one Party rule.

The Democrats will never again win the WH. The SC has shown in this election cycle that States will rule the day as far as how Electoral College votes are awarded and Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan will just send those who vote for the Republican candidate no matter the state vote totals. Hell Arizona is the example of what the GOP is wanting to do. This is not rocket science.

Those that control the SC, control the country. Originally Posted by WTF

Can you honesty say that you would be comfortable with Garland on the Court.?