Title: Attorney General Merrick Garland Faces High-Stakes Hearing Amid Republican Pressure
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland is set to defend himself against House Republicans’ unproven claims that the Justice Department is protecting President Biden and his son, Hunter Biden. Garland will appear before the House Judiciary Committee for a routine oversight hearing that has become a forum for airing grievances and bolstering an impeachment inquiry against the president.
In his opening remarks, Garland is expected to assert his independence, stating, “I am not the president’s lawyer. I will also add that I am not Congress’s prosecutor. The Justice Department works for the American people.” This hearing marks Garland’s first appearance before the committee since special counsel Jack Smith brought two criminal indictments against former President Donald J. Trump, and a plea deal for Hunter Biden collapsed.
Garland, known for his circumspect and soft-spoken demeanor, is taking a more aggressive approach than in past hearings. He denounces the escalating threats against prosecutors and FBI agents by Trump supporters, which have prompted significant increases in security. Garland emphasizes that the Justice Department will not be intimidated and will continue to defend democracy.
Republican committee members have signaled their intention to grill Garland about his role in the investigation into Hunter Biden. They are expected to focus on a claim by a former Internal Revenue Service investigator, Gary Shapley, who alleged that he was being blocked from fully investigating the case of Hunter Biden’s taxes. However, Mr. Weiss, the U.S. attorney for Delaware, and other officials have forcefully denied this claim.
Garland is also likely to face questions about his initial reluctance to name Mr. Weiss as special counsel in the matter. However, he eventually granted that designation at the request of Mr. Weiss. House Republicans have been pushing the theory that President Biden intervened to protect his son, and they see Garland as a critical link in their impeachment inquiry, despite his efforts to insulate himself from the case.
The committee is also expected to focus on the multiple indictments of former President Trump, including his efforts to subvert the results of the 2020 election. Representative Jim Jordan, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, has pointed to these indictments as evidence of the department’s alleged weaponization under Garland.
During a previous appearance before the committee in March, Garland faced intense questioning, with Republicans accusing him of politicizing the department and shielding Democrats while aggressively investigating Republicans and conservative activists. However, the stakes are considerably higher this time.
Over the past week, Representative Jordan has increased his demands for access to documents and officials, including Mr. Weiss and his deputies. The department has refused to comply, citing laws and regulations that prevent disclosure of details of open investigations. It is believed that Jordan’s ultimate goal is to add an obstruction-related article to Biden’s impeachment or to justify an independent effort to impeach Garland.
As Attorney General Garland prepares to testify, the hearing promises to be a high-stakes event, with Republicans seeking to challenge his actions and Democrats defending his independence as head of the Justice Department. The outcome of this hearing could have significant implications for the ongoing impeachment inquiry and the future of the Biden administration’s relationship with Congress.
Original Story at www.nytimes.com – 2023-09-20 11:18:39