AG Garland defends DOJ from accusations of targeting pro-life groups, parents in fiery testimony

Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, blasted Attorney General Merrick Garland for the Justice Department’s handling of investigations into parents at school board meetings and pro-life groups Thursday.

Garland testified for several hours before the House Judiciary Committee, fielding questions ranging from Hunter Biden to the alleged investigations. Roy pressed Garland on the case of Scott Smith, the Virginia father who faced criminal charges for confronting his local school board over his daughter’s sexual assault that took place in a school bathroom.

“Last week Mr. Smith was pardoned by Gov. [Glenn] Youngkin. Do you think that pardon was correct, yes or no?” Roy asked.

“Pardon authority belongs to the governor,” Garland responded.

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Roy then insisted on an answer, and Garland argued that he was not familiar with the facts of the case and could not say.

The lawmaker then turned to the case of Mark Houck, a pro-life activist who was arrested “in front of his wife and children” by heavily armed FBI agents. Houck faced 11 years in prison for demonstrating outside an abortion clinic, but he was alter acquitted.

Roy noted that the jury in Houck’s case met for just one hour before acquitting him. He then asked whether Garland had investigated why his department wasted resources on such a case.

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“The Justice Department respects the jury’s verdict. The accusations in that case were made by agents and prosecutors on the ground,” Garland responded.

Roy went on to note that DOJ had prosecuted 126 instances of alleged crimes by pro-life groups but only four instances of alleged crimes by pro-choice groups under Garland’s tenure.

Garland faced heated questions from multiple Republican lawmakers throughout Wednesday’s hearing. Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan grilled the Biden appointee over the handling of the investigation into Hunter Biden’s ties to Burisma.

Meanwhile, Rep. Jefferson Van Drew, R-N.J., visibly outraged Garland with accusations that the DOJ was operating with a bias against Catholics.