Republicans sent a letter, reminding the AG of his confirmation hearing testimony.
QUICK FACTS:
- Republicans in the Senate have warned Attorney General Merrick Garland that he should not violate the constitutional rights of Americans who speak against transgender surgeries.
- Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) wrote a letter to the head of the justice department about the issue.
- The senators reminded Garland of what he “promised,” during his confirmation hearing, namely that the Department of Justice would not be politicized or weaponized.”
- “You have already broken that promise more than once, and we are concerned you are poised to do so once again,” the senators said, noting the frustration surrounding the treatment of minors.
- The group called on Garland to “reaffirm that you will faithfully protect the First Amendment rights of all Americans to peacefully debate this and all other policy questions, irrespective of viewpoint.”
THE SENATORS WERE RESPONDING TO A REQUEST FOR HELP FROM MEDICAL GROUPS:
- The senators took preemptive action against a possible investigation by the Department of Justice (DOJ) dated October 4 from three national medical organizations asking the justice department to “investigate and prosecute” those responsible for an alleged “campaign of disinformation” about controversial transgender medical interventions
- The health groups requested that the attorney general “investigate and prosecute” those responsible for an alleged “campaign of disinformation” about transgender medical interventions.
- “Our organizations have called on technology companies to do more to prevent this practice on digital platforms, and we now urge your office to take swift action to investigate and prosecute all organizations, individuals, and entities responsible,” the health organizations wrote.
- The senators did not support the bomb threats but noted that “violence and threats are not protected speech and should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” They went on to warn that “the issue of how best to treat minors struggling with their gender dysphoria is the subject of ongoing and emotional debate, which Americans have a protected First Amendment right to fully engage in.”
BACKGROUND:
- Republicans previously promised that they plan to investigate the DOJ if they take control of the House and Senate in the November midterms, as American Faith previously reported.
- House Republicans are considering a number of inquiries and legislative reforms for the DOJ after being horrified by FBI wrongdoing and political investigations that have been described by a torrent of whistleblowers.
- Rep. Dan Bishop (R-NC) told journalists that the DOJ’s “supervising of the FBI ought to be done out in the country by United States Attorney’s Offices, rather than having all key decisions focus where politics can Shanghai them here in Washington.”
