Jun 11, 2024 - Politics & Policy

Garland calls for end to "baseless, personal and dangerous" attacks on DOJ

Ivana Saric

Attorney General Merrick Garland testifies before the House Judiciary Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill on June 04 — Merrick Garland testifies before the House Judiciary Committee on June 4. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Attorney General Merrick Garland made an impassioned plea Tuesday for an end to attacks on the Justice Department that he said have become routine and undermine democracy in the U.S.

Why it matters: Threats against the Justice Department and its employees have ramped up in recent weeks and the department is "under attack like never before," Garland wrote in a Tuesday Washington Post op-ed.

The big picture: The latest spate of attacks go beyond mere scrutiny or criticism and are "baseless, personal and dangerous," Garland wrote.

They include threats to defund certain investigations — including those into former President Trump — as well as conspiracy theories and false claims of politicization that undermine the department's work, he added.
"Continued unfounded attacks against the Justice Department's employees are dangerous for people's safety. They are dangerous for our democracy. This must stop," Garland wrote.

State of play: This is the second time this month that Garland has publicly pushed back against attacks on the Justice Department.

Last week, he condemned Republican attacks as "unprecedented" and "unfounded."

He said he would not be intimidated by Republican threats to hold him in contempt after the department refused to turn over audio of President Biden's interview with special counsel Robert Hur.
Members of the House Rules Committee are slated to debate a resolution to hold Garland in contempt on Tuesday over his refusal to comply with the subpoena for Biden's interview audio.

Go deeper: Garland defends against GOP's contempt threats: "I will not be intimidated"

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Garland calls for end to "baseless, personal and dangerous" attacks on DOJ

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