Attorney General Garland Asserts DOJ’s Actions are Grounded in ‘Facts and Law’

Attorney General Merrick Garland emphasized that the Biden administration’s Justice Department conducts criminal investigations “based solely on the facts and the law.”

Garland addressed claims that President Joe Biden’s DOJ is using its power against adversaries in an opinion piece for The Washington Post. The article was published Tuesday, a day before the House vote on whether Garland should be held in contempt of Congress.

Garland stated, “The Justice Department makes decisions about criminal investigations based only on the facts and the law. We do not investigate individuals based on their name, political affiliation, financial status, origin, or appearance. We prosecute violations of federal law – nothing more, nothing less.

He continued, “We adhere to these principles not only due to the longstanding values that have guided our work, but also because we recognize that our democracy cannot function without a justice system that ensures equal legal protection for all citizens.”

The House Oversight and Accountability and Judiciary committees passed a resolution last month finding Garland in contempt of Congress for defying subpoenas related to material from special counsel Robert Hur’s probe into the mishandling of classified documents by Biden in his roles as senator, vice president, and private citizen.

Meanwhile, ex-President Donald Trump, the presumed Republican nominee for the upcoming election, faced indictments in four separate criminal cases linked to allegations of electoral interference, mishandling classified documents, and falsifying business records to conceal a payment to an adult film actress.

Trump was convicted in the record-keeping case in New York City, where his defense team accused the presiding judge of displaying extreme partisanship.

Garland maintained that politics did not influence the prosecution of Trump, denouncing “conspiracy theories fabricated and disseminated to undermine public trust in the legal system.”

He stated, “These theories include false allegations that a district attorney’s case in New York controlled by the DOJ, FBI operations being falsely represented, career public servants being targeted, and claims of political interference in election outcomes.”

Garland pointed out media reports suggesting a rise in attacks against the Justice Department and its personnel.

He affirmed, “We will not succumb to these attacks. It is unacceptable and hazardous that dedicated public servants, many of whom risk their lives daily, are being threatened for simply executing their duties and upholding the principles that have long guided the DOJ’s operations.”