Senate Republicans Demand Answers from Ed. Dept, DOJ Over ‘Domestic Terrorists’ Letter

MARY CHASTAIN JAN 18, 2022 7:02 PM

A group of Senate Republicans demanded answers from the Department of Education and Department of Justice about the emails showing that Education Secretary Miguel Cardona requested the NSBA letter that ended up comparing concerned parents to domestic terrorists.

The DOJ used the NSBA letter as an excuse to weaponize FBI, DOJ, and other federal law enforcement officers against those parents.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and ten other Republicans asked Cardona to answer eight questions by February 7. A few include:

• Did you or anybody at the Department of Education request that the NSBA write its September 29 letter to President Biden, or otherwise communicate any of the information contained in that letter? What was the nature and substance of that requestor communication? What did you, or anybody at the Department of Education, specifically ask NSBA personnel to do in this regard? When was this request made?
• How did the issues raised in the NSBA’s September 29 letter come to your attention? What was the nature and substance of that communication? Who was that communication with? When did that communication take place?
• Did any individuals at or associated with the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association, or any other education organization, have any communications with you or anybody at the Department of Education about the issues raised in the NSBA’s September 29 letter? If so, what was the nature and substance of that communication? Who was that communication with? When did that communication take place?

The best question: “Do parents have the fundamental right to direct the upbringing and education of their children?”

Senate Republicans Letter t… by Houston Keene

The letter to Garland reminded the AG that the DOJ used the letter as an excuse to investigate parents. Therefore, the senators wanted to know when Garland learned about Cardona’s request and if anyone at the DOJ spoke to Cardona or anyone at the Education Department about the letter.

This is the third letter to the DOJ about the October 4th memo. Grassley described acting Assistant Attorney General Peter S. Hyun’s response to those letters as “incomplete.” Grassley wrote:

It points to statements from your October 4 memorandum discussing how spirited debate is protected by the First Amendment and that it is the Department of Justice’s job to ensure the safety of all Americans, but frankly those issues were not the focus of our two letters to you on this matter. Rather, we asked you to withdraw your October 4 memorandum because of the chilling effect it has on the speech of American parents. By involving the National Security Division and the Counterterrorism Division of the FBI in local matters, you have created widespread fear that the national security apparatus of the United States is keeping tabs on them.

In other words, answer the questions instead of deflecting.

Senate Republicans Letter t… by Houston Keene

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