The White House blasted the Republican-led House Judiciary Committee for holding an hours-long “circus of a hearing full of lies and disinformation” featuring testimony from Attorney General Merrick Garland, saying it is part of a “not-so-sophisticated distraction campaign.”
Garland testified before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday as part of the panel’s annual oversight work. The hearing was focused on the alleged politicization of the Justice Department under Garland’s leadership.
Garland fielded questions from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, but defended his work at the Justice Department, and maintained he has remained independent and uninvolved in the years-long federal investigation into Hunter Biden.
But the White House slammed Republicans, who are leading an impeachment inquiry against President Biden, and once again cast blame for the potential of a looming government shutdown on House GOP lawmakers.
“Extreme House Republicans are running a not-so-sophisticated distraction campaign to try to cover up their own actions that are hurtling America to a dangerous and costly government shutdown,” White House spokesperson for oversight and investigations Ian Sams said Wednesday. “They cannot even pass a military funding bill because extreme House Republicans are demanding devastating cuts like slashing thousands of preschool slots nationwide and thousands of law enforcement jobs including border agents, so they cranked up a circus of a hearing full of lies and disinformation with the sole goal of baselessly attacking President Biden and his family.”
WHITE HOUSE HAMMERS UPCOMING BIDEN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY HEARING AS ‘EVIDENCE-FREE’ STUNT
“Don’t be fooled: they want to distract from the reality that their own chaos and inability to govern is going to shut down the government in a matter of days, hurting our economy and national security and jeopardizing everything from troop pay to fighting fentanyl,” Sams continued.
He added: “These sideshows won’t spare House Republicans from bearing responsibility for inflicting serious damage on the country.”
Sams was referring to a possible government shutdown.
Congress is currently negotiating a continuing resolution to extend the current year’s funding, but without passing a deal by Sept. 30, they risk sending the government into a partial shutdown.
House Republicans are set to hold their first impeachment inquiry hearing to investigate allegations of corruption and abuse of power against President Biden on Sept. 28.