(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Prominent Republican members of Congress have launched scathing responses to Attorney General Merrick Garland, criticizing the Department of Justice’s decision to indict former President Donald Trump and condemning it as a politically motivated vendetta.
The GOP figures expressed their dissent in unison on Twitter, denouncing Garland’s actions as setting a dangerous precedent. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas., shared an interview with Newsmax where he blasted Garland’s double standard and accused the embattled attorney general of prosecuting Trump “because he hates him.”
Another Republican, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., echoed Cruz’s assessment, stating, “Merrick Garland is cherry picking who his DOJ prosecutes. Two set of rules. Two tiers of justice.”
Adding to the chorus of criticism, Sen. Hill Hagerty, also from Tennesse, ripped the Department of Justice for “criminally” charging Biden’s political rival while withholding evidence regarding an alleged bribery scheme involving President Joe Biden, during his time as Obama’s vice president.
Biden DOJ criminally charged a political rival at the same time it withheld evidence re: tapes of Biden & a foreign national who allegedly bribed him. @ChuckGrassley’s determined pursuit of the truth raises the question: What other evidence are they hiding?https://t.co/iM1EdgHdHO
— Senator Bill Hagerty (@SenatorHagerty) June 13, 2023
GOP members in the House of Representatives did not shy away from commenting as they accused Garland of weaponizing the DOJ against a political opponent. Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., blasted Garland, stating, “Joe Biden and Merrick Garland are using our justice system to run a politically motivated prosecution of President Trump. The lengths the Swamp has gone to try to block President Trump’s re-election…”
Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., shared an interview with OANN where he voiced his constituents’ concerns “about how the Biden DOJ has unfairly targeted President Trump.” Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., a staunch Trump supporter, backed Biggs comments, saying, “Joe Biden weaponized his DOJ to indict President Trump the SAME DAY the FBI was forced by Congress to turn over damning allegations regarding Biden’s corruption.”
I have many constituents concerned about how the Biden DOJ has unfairly targeted President Trump.
Why did the Biden DOJ let Joe Biden off the hook for stashing classified docs in his garage and locations throughout the northeast? pic.twitter.com/166hJPodVR
— Rep Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) June 12, 2023
The rift between Trump and Garland dates back to 2016 when Senate Republicans thwarted Obama’s nomination to be a Supreme Court justice. Following his victory in the 2016 election against Hillary Clinton, Trump withdrew Garland’s nomination and instead appointed Neil Gorsuch.
Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., celebrated the fact that Garland is not in the Supreme Court, saying, “Every day Merrick Garland isn’t on the SCOTUS is a good day for America.”
Every day Merrick Garland isn’t on the SCOTUS is a good day for America.
Unfortunately, he’s still nursing those wounds & has taken his anger out on the GOP, their supporters, & the leading candidate for the GOP Presidential nomination.
Merrick Garland is a THREAT TO DEMOCRACY.
— Congressman Byron Donalds (@RepDonaldsPress) June 12, 2023
Republicans also blasted the DOJ’s apparent protection of Clinton, Trump’s 2016 opponent, who mishandled classified information. Rep. Beth Van Duyne, R-Texas, called out the double standard, saying, “Hillary should have been indicted 10,000 times over. Biden had documents all over the eastern seaboard before he was.”
