The Department of Justice (DOJ) under the former Biden administration sought to "find a federal hook" to prosecute parents and protesters who allegedly harassed and threatened school administrators during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
A new report from the DOJ’s Weaponization Working Group highlights details leading to the Oct. 4, 2021 memorandum issued by former Attorney General Merrick Garland that sought to weaponize the DOJ against parents.
Memo Stemmed From Letter Claiming Domestic Terrorism At Play
The Working Group’s report reveals the memo’s “ideological inspiration” stemmed from a Sept. 29, 2021, letter from the National School Boards Association (NSBA) to former President Joe Biden.
In that letter, the NSBA accused the “heinous actions” of protestors and parents of being “equivalent to a form of domestic terrorism and hate crimes,” urging the federal government to pursue action.
“The Working Group confirms the Memo was the product of pressure exerted by the White House and wrongly weaponized the Department of Justice against parents,” the report states.
The Memo's Attempt To Address "Threats"
“In recent months, there has been a disturbing spike in harassment, intimidation, and threats to violence against school administrators, board members, teachers, and staff who participate in the vital work of running our nation’s public schools,” Garland wrote in the memo.
In response to the alleged threats, Garland ordered the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and every U.S. Attorney to hold meetings with federal, state, local, Tribal, and territorial law enforcement to address threats against school administrators, board members, teachers, and staff.
According to the recent report, however, Garland was presented with very little evidence of actual violence or violent threats against school administrators and at school board meetings.
"To many Americans, Attorney General Garland's memo embodied the misuse and weaponization of government power," the DOJ's Office of Public Affairs wrote.
Trump Administration Affirms Parental Rights' Protections
In the wake of the DOJ’s Working Group report, the DOJ and the Department of Education (DOE) also announced their joint effort to reaffirm the Trump Administration’s commitment to protecting parental rights.
“Under the Biden administration, parents were the enemy. They were labeled as terrorists, targeted, and investigated by a government weaponized against them,” Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said. “That era is over.”
