Staff Reports
In a bold and decisive move, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) has dropped the hammer on Attorney General Merrick Garland. The House Judiciary Committee, which Jordan chairs, is not backing down in the face of the Justice Department’s overreach into private communications of Congress members and their staff.
House Judiciary Chairman and Congressman Jim Jordan (Rep-OH) issues subpoenas to FBI Director Christopher Wray and Attorney General Merrick Garland pic.twitter.com/iCcq79nRQu
— • ᗰISᑕᕼIᗴᖴ ™ • (@4Mischief) August 18, 2023
The letter to AG Garland left no stone unturned, detailing the series of inquiries and responses that landed them at this critical juncture. The main bone of contention revolves around the DOJ’s nose-poking into unauthorized disclosures of classified information, especially in relation to the surveillance of former Trump campaign associate Carter Page.
Carter Page, a former foreign-policy adviser to none other than President Trump, found himself in the spotlight due to his connections with Russia during the 2016 election. The FBI decided to keep a close eye on him, sparking a whole lot of disagreement about whether that was above board or not.
The Steele dossier, a sketchy private intelligence report with allegations about Trump’s campaign and Russia, mentioned Page in a less-than-flattering light. However, he’s been singing the same tune all along – denying any wrongdoing and skating past any charges related to the investigation into Russian interference.
Jordan’s move is a sign of the growing tension between the legislative and executive branches. His letter makes it clear that the Biden administration is on thin ice, getting way too nosy in the legislative branch’s business.
The subpoena is the cherry on top and aims to force the DOJ to hand over documents and information that they’ve been holding onto as if they’re the last pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. The letter even quotes the Supreme Court, emphasizing Congress’s “indispensable” power to conduct oversight. It’s a show of power play between the two branches, and let’s just say that the showdown is far from over. Garland, handpicked by President Biden, is now in the hot seat, and it’s getting toasty in there.
