Attorney General Merrick B. Garland — a prime target of House Republicans seeking to make unsubstantiated claims that the Justice Department is protecting President Biden and his son Hunter Biden — is set to defend himself in a high-profile, high-profile hearing on Wednesday.
In past years, Mr. Garland will appear before the House Judiciary Committee. These days, it is a forum for lawmakers to air their grievances and strengthen impeachment inquiry against the President.
“I’m not the president’s lawyer,” said Mr. Garland is expected to say, excerpts of his opening remarks released hours before his testimony. “Let me also add that I am not a Congress lawyer. The Justice Department works for the American people.
Former President Donald J. Mr. Trump appeared before the committee after special counsel Jack Smith brought two criminal charges against Trump and struck down a plea deal for Hunter Biden. This was Garland’s first appearance.
Mr. Garland, active and soft-spoken, is taking a more aggressive approach than during past hearings. In his prepared remarks, he argued against the advocates—Mr. Smith — including Smith — also denounced the growing threats against FBI agents by Trump supporters, prompting a significant increase in security.
He is expected to say it is “dangerous”. “We will not be afraid. We will do our work without outside interference. And we will not back down from defending our democracy.
Former prosecutor and federal judge Mr. Mr. Biden also has Delaware U.S. Attorney David C. The terms of the plea deal between Weiss and Weiss appeared to be on hold until the end of this summer, when July erupted.
They are expected to focus, in particular, on the claims of former Internal Revenue Service investigator Gary Shapley, who was denied authority by Mr. Mr. Biden said he was being prevented from fully investigating the tax case. Weiss said he suggested. to independently pursue charges in jurisdictions outside of Delaware.
Mr. Weiss vehemently denied the allegation, and several other officials also denied the claim.
While testifying before a Senate committee in March, Mr. “He was instructed that he should get whatever he needed,” Mr. Garland said.
Mr. Mr. Garland as special counsel in this matter. He hesitated to mention Wise, especially since such an appointment would give Mr. Finally Mr. At Weiss’s request, Mr. Garland offered the position in August.
The theory that President Biden intervened to protect his son, widely floated by House Republicans and magnified by conservative news media, is the focus of an impeachment inquiry launched by Speaker Kevin McCarthy under pressure from the right wing of his party.
Trump appointed Mr. Although Republicans have taken steps to protect themselves from the lawsuit, including re-appointing Weiss, Mr. Garland is seen as an important link. Similarly, officials said, he cut off communications with the White House.
Including attempts to subvert the 2020 election results, Mr. The committee is also expected to focus on several impeachments against Trump. Representative Jim Jordan, Republican of Ohio and Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Mr. He pointed to these as further evidence that the department was armed under Garland.
Before the committee this year Mr. This is not Garland’s first appearance. In March, he faced four hours of blistering questions.
By aggressively questioning Republicans and conservative activists while protecting Democrats, Mr. One Republican after another accused Garland of politicizing the department. They criticized him on a variety of policy and law enforcement issues, including his response to the fentanyl and immigration crises and the Supreme Court’s decision to end the constitutional right to abortion.
The stakes are significantly higher at the moment.
Last week, Mr. Jordan documents and Mr. Weiss and his representatives have increased the speed and scope of his requests for access to officials, saying they are essentially necessary to fulfill his committee’s oversight function.
The department refused to comply, citing laws and regulations that prevent it from releasing details of open investigations.
Mr. Jordan’s ultimate goal, Mr. Adding an embargo article to Biden’s impeachment or Mr. Authorities believe that will justify an independent effort to indict Garland.
