On Friday, the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee heard from the Department of Justice (DOJ). “it may not always be possible” to comply with the committee’s investigative requests.
“While we will work diligently to accommodate requests for public testimony, it may not always be possible to participate or to address all the topics the Committee wishes to raise,”Carlos Uriarte was the Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legislative Affairs. He wrote to Rep. Jim Jordan (R.OH), in a Breitbart News-received letter.
Republicans’ requests “must be weighed against the Department’s interests in protecting the integrity of its work,” Uriarte noted.
Jordan, his first communication as chairman of the committee, contacted DOJ this week to request documentation, communications, and testimony from many DOJ employees.
Jordan’s requests pertained to the committee’s investigations into DOJ’s handling of certain parents attending school board meetings, its role in the southern border crisis, its raids on Mar-a-Lago and Project Veritas employees’ residences, its implementation of the FACE Act (the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act), its execution of January 6 investigations, and other concerns about “alleged politicization and bias.”
U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-OH, is flanked by House Republicans during a news conference held at the U.S. Capitol, Washington, DC, on November 17, 2022. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
This committee now also houses the new Select Subcommittee on Weaponization of Federal Government. It is a strong panel with a large budget that has the broad goal of investigating civil liberties violations by federal agencies including the DOJ.
Jordan will be the chair of this subcommittee. It was created by a congressional resolution, with no Democrat support. Once Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R. CA), appoints members, it is likely that the Ohio Republican will conduct some of his DOJ investigations via this subcommittee.
The solution “authorized and directed” the subcommittee to investigate the executive branch’s investigations, “including ongoing criminal investigations.”
DOJ’s correspondence Friday, however, signals the two branches of government are heading for an impasse as the committee — and the new select subcommittee — seek to satisfy their oversight obligations.
“Longstanding Department policy prevents us from confirming or denying the existence of pending investigations in response to congressional requests or providing non-public information about our investigations,”Uriarte wrote.
In a Friday post, the Judiciary Committee asked for your feedback. “Why’s DOJ scared to cooperate with our investigations?”
Why’s DOJ scared to cooperate with our investigations?
— House Judiciary GOP (@JudiciaryGOP) January 20, 2023
Jordan has been a member of the House Judiciary Committee ever since he joined Congress 16 years back. He has communicated to DOJ his intention to issue subpoenas to get the information, documents and communications he needs.
“Republicans aren’t worried about anything when it comes to DOJ’s letter,”Breitbart news was told by Breitbart that a source close the committee said so. “it won’t distract or obstruct anything in the slightest when it comes to their oversight of the department.”
Write to Ashley Oliver at [email protected] Follow her Twitter @ @asholiver.
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