Staff Reports
House Republicans are expressing their outrage over Attorney General Merrick Garland’s decision to publish special counsel Jack Smith’s report on the soon-to-be President Donald Trump, characterizing it as little more than a “cheap political stunt.” This comes on the heels of Garland’s refusal to release materials related to President Biden, leaving many scratching their heads on the so-called fairness of the Justice Department.
The announcement from the Justice Department revealed that Garland is set to publish Smith’s final report detailing Trump’s alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election. However, Garland is conveniently opting out of releasing a second volume that pertains to Trump’s handling of classified documents found at Mar-a-Lago after he left office in 2021. Trump’s legal team argues that their client is no longer a defendant since both cases were dismissed after his significant victory in the November election. Pretty convenient timing for a report that sounds more like a political execution than a legal pronouncement.
Republican lawmakers aren’t taking this lying down. They are calling into question the wisdom and motives behind Garland’s timing, especially with Trump’s inauguration just days away. Representative Andy Biggs pointed out that if Garland genuinely cared about upholding the Constitution, he would have released materials regarding Biden’s handling of classified documents instead of focusing solely on Trump. It’s almost as if there’s a selective memory at play here, one that seems to forget Biden exists when the rubber meets the road.
In the grand scheme of things, this incident isn’t just about a single report. Garland has faced months of pressure from Republicans to release the interview tapes of Biden’s memoir ghostwriter in an attempt to illuminate the President’s own questionable handling of classified materials. But every effort to obtain these tapes has been rebuffed, thanks largely to Biden’s invocation of executive privilege, which somehow managed to fly under the radar. It does raise eyebrows about how such privilege works differently depending on the party in charge.
The new rules in Congress may finally provide Republicans with the leverage needed to pursue Garland for answers about his handling of the investigation into Biden. Representative Andrew Clyde has stated that leaving behind a legacy of corruption while weaponizing the DOJ is not admirable. In fact, he believes that the two-tiered justice system has led to a deep-seated belief that accountability must be delivered to the American people, which should start with those Hur tapes.
Garland catching heat from all sides for Trump decisions: ‘Disgraceful legacy’ https://t.co/UMqBnmXr5J
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) January 12, 2025
Amid the partisan festivities, some political strategists have noticed the evident discrepancies in how investigations have been handled concerning Trump and Biden. While Trump faced charges, Biden escaped scrutiny amid a noticeable level of protection. A professor from the University of Boise commented that the atmosphere for partisan investigations has reached a tipping point, suggesting it’s a case of “what’s good for the goose is good for the gander.” Ultimately, whether this leads to a cascade of politically motivated probes remains to be seen, though it would hardly be a surprise at this stage.
As Democrats continue their internal quarrels, some have thrown Garland under the bus, criticizing him for supposedly delaying critical investigations into Trump. Meanwhile, others seem pleased with the decision to release part of Smith’s report but are clamoring for the classified documents report to be released as well. It appears that no matter what Garland decides, he just can’t win, caught in a swirling eddy of political maneuvering and accusations, and left making decisions that seem to serve no one but his own agenda.
