Attorney General Merrick Garland is set to appear before the House Judiciary Committee to address former President Donald Trump’s claims that FBI agents were prepared to harm him and his family during a search of Mar-a-Lago. Garland will deny any suggestion that the Justice Department controlled the case against Trump involving hush money in New York. He will also address the committee’s efforts to hold him in contempt, emphasizing the importance of protecting sensitive law enforcement information that could affect future investigations. Garland will highlight the DOJ’s work under his tenure, including reducing homicide rates and prosecuting hate crimes, while refuting false narratives about the department’s employees and their work.
Trump has alleged that the DOJ authorized the FBI to use lethal force during the search at Mar-a-Lago, but this claim has been refuted by legal experts who pointed out that the authorization for the use of force is standard language used by the DOJ for years. Despite Trump’s accusations, Garland will emphasize in his testimony that the efforts to hold him in contempt are based on baseless and dangerous falsehoods about the FBI’s law enforcement operations. Special Counsel Jack Smith has highlighted how Trump’s legal team omitted crucial language in a court filing, leading to misinterpretations and unfounded claims about the FBI’s intentions.
U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon denied a request to restrict Trump’s speech about law enforcement involved in the case, citing it as unconstitutional censorship. Both Smith and Garland raised concerns about the potential danger that Trump’s statements could pose to law enforcement officers. Garland will also address claims by Republicans that the DOJ was involved in the New York hush money case against Trump, clarifying that it was brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and not the DOJ. He will denounce conspiracy theories that suggest the DOJ influenced the verdict in the state trial, highlighting the attacks on the judicial process.
Garland will emphasize the unprecedented and unfounded nature of the attacks on the DOJ and its career public servants, stating that the department’s decision-making will not be influenced by these attacks. He will assert that contempt is a serious matter, but it will not compromise the department’s ability to carry out future investigations effectively. Garland remains committed to defending democracy and ensuring that the Justice Department operates free from political influence. He is determined not to be intimidated by the attacks on the department and will continue to uphold the rule of law and protect the integrity of the justice system.
