The Department of Justice is firing back at House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan after Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray were subpoenaed by the House Judiciary Committee, saying that issuing subpoenas is “premature.”
Last week, Jordan subpoenaed Wray, compelling him to turn over documents and communications related to the FBI’s “misuse of federal criminal and counterterrorism resources” to target parents at school board meetings. Jordan also subpoenaed Garland and Education Secretary Miguel Cardona for documents related to the same matter.
The subpoena compelled Wray to turn over documents to the committee at 9 a.m. ET on March 1. It also demanded documents related to the Justice Department’s task force that focused on identifying school board threats and the FBI’s role as a member of that task force.
HOUSE JUDICIARY SUBPOENAS FBI DIRECTOR WRAY ON TARGETING OF PARENTS AT SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS
But in a response letter to Jordan, the DOJ called a subpoena “premature” as it has offered to engage with the committee.
“We remain ready to discuss next steps for the Department to address your informational needs while also respecting Executive Branch interests,” wrote Carlos Felipe Uriarte, assistant attorney general for the Office of Legislative Affairs. “We have offered to engage with the Committee and provide information voluntarily, so a subpoena is premature.”
“The overwhelming majority of congressional requests for information are resolved through voluntary discussion and cooperation. This process of accommodation is also constitutionally mandated. Both Congress and the Executive Branch are required to negotiate in good faith to meet the informational needs of Congress while protecting the institutional interests of the Executive Branch,” the letter said.
“We are committed to working in good faith to respond to your requests and remain ready to discuss your informational needs and priorities for review and production of pertinent documents.”
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“As Director Wray and other FBI officials have stated clearly on numerous occasions before Congress and elsewhere, the FBI has never been in the business of investigating speech or policing speech at school board meetings or anywhere else, and we never will be,” an FBI spokesperson previously told Fox News Digital.
“Our focus is and always will be on protecting people from violence and threats of violence,” continued the FBI. “We are fully committed to preserving and protecting First Amendment rights including the right to free speech.”
Jordan’s office told Fox News on Thursday regarding the letter: “DOJ’s response is wholly inadequate, flawed, and ignores the last two years of requests from our Committee.”
“We expect full compliance with the subpoenas,” continued Russell Dye, spokesperson for Jordan.
Jordan has already formally launched a number of high-level investigations in his first month as committee chairman and established a new Judiciary subcommittee — the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government — which held its first hearing Thursday.