US Attorney General Merrick Garland will take aim at Donald Trump’s Republican allies in the House of Representatives on Tuesday.
He will accuse them of peddling false narratives that endanger law enforcement and undermine the Justice Department’s integrity.
US Attorney General says Justice Department will not be intimidated
Garland plans to tell lawmakers before the House Judiciary Committee that he will not be intimidated. According to excerpts of his prepared testimony he has said.
“And the Justice Department will not be intimidated. We will continue to do our jobs free from political influence. And we will not back down from defending our democracy.”
This will mark the first time Garland has appeared before Congress since Trump was convicted by a jury on New York City. Trump was accused on 34 counts of falsifying documents to cover up a payment to silence an adult film star ahead of the 2016 election.
Trump still faces three other looming criminal cases – two brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election and his mishandling of classified documents. He also faces a state case in Georgia which is tied to his actions in the 2020 election.
Republicans accuse Attorney General of working with Biden
Republicans have claimed all four cases are politically motivated. They say he represents an effort by President Biden to interfere in the 2024 election on Nov. 5.
They have threatened to defund Smith’s two investigations into the former Republican president.
The House Judiciary Committee and the House Oversight Committee have also sought to advance contempt proceedings against Garland.
This is after he refused to provide audio recordings of Biden’s interview with a second Special Counsel. The Counsel investigated Biden’s retention of classified records and declined to press charges.
Garland will blast Republicans’ demands for the audio. He will say their request serves “no legitimate purpose” and represents the latest in a string of baseless attacks.
US Attorney General will defence Justice Department from Trump’s attacks
Garland also plans to defend law enforcement from baseless attacks. This is after Trump has falsely claimed the FBI was “authorised to shoot me.” It was “locked and loaded” when it executed a search warrant at his Florida estate in the classified documents probe.
Smith has renewed his request and Trump’s legal team has until June 14 to respond.
Garland i will also lament the “baseless and extremely dangerous falsehoods” that are being spread about the FBI’s law enforcement operations. He also condemned the “heinous threats of violence being directed at the Justice Department’s career public servants.”
With inputs from Reuters
