WATCH: Rep. Schiff Slams Republicans for Using House Judiciary Hearing with AG Merrick Garland As Trump Legal Defense
Washington, D.C. — Today, as Attorney General Merrick Garland testified in front of the House Judiciary Committee, Representative Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) called out the GOP for using the committee as a legal defense for Donald Trump.
Watch the full video of Rep. Schiff’s remarks HERE.
Key Excerpts:
On the clear political motives of Jim Jordan’s attacks on the Department of Justice:
[...] “Mr. Jordan hopes to camouflage his assault on the rule of law by falsely claiming that Donald Trump is the victim of unequal justice and Hunter Biden its beneficiary. It is a claim as transparently political as it is devoid of any factual basis. And it is cynical based on the belief that the American people cannot discern fact from fiction. But I am betting on America. History has shown that those who bet against her are rarely successful, and more often, they end up covered with shame.”
On Jim Jordan using the House Judiciary Committee as a defense firm for Donald Trump:
[...] “The Chairman would abuse the power of this committee by trying to interfere in the prosecutions of Donald Trump by trying to use the committee's power of subpoena to compel criminal discovery, in effect making the committee a kind of criminal defense firm for the former president.”
On the weight of this moment in history as our democracy’s rule of law is tested:
[...] “We meet today at a momentous time in our history. The country is about to go through a great trial. By this, I do not mean any of the several trials of the former president, but rather a trial of the proposition that we are a nation of laws committed to the rule of law and that no one is above the law. It is a proposition well known around the world because it is the one essential ingredient in all democracies. We have all professed our belief in this principle, but it has never been truly tested, not like it is today.”
Full Transcript:
Adam Schiff: Welcome, Mr. Attorney General, and thank you for leading the department with such integrity. We meet today at a momentous time in our history. The country is about to go through a great trial. By this, I do not mean any of the several trials of the former president, but rather a trial of the proposition that we are a nation of laws committed to the rule of law and that no one is above the law. It is a proposition well known around the world because it is the one essential ingredient in all democracies. We have all professed our belief in this principle, but it has never been truly tested, not like it is today. In this committee, we are engaged in a portion of that trial.
The Chairman would abuse the power of this committee by trying to interfere in the prosecutions of Donald Trump, by trying to use the committee's power of subpoena to compel criminal discovery — in effect making the committee a kind of criminal defense firm for the former president. In doing so, the Chairman of this committee would establish a very different proposition.
Through Mr. Jordan's actions, he would establish the principle that the rule of law should apply to almost everyone, just not the leader of his party. According to this alternate proposition, if you are the President of the United States and you lose your reelection, you can violate the law and constitution to try to stay in power. And if you are successful, well, then maybe you get to be President for life. And if you fail, there is no repercussion.
This proposition is also well known to the world, and it is called dictatorship. Mr. Jordan hopes to camouflage his assault on the rule of law by falsely claiming that Donald Trump is the victim of unequal justice and Hunter Biden its beneficiary.
It is a claim as transparently political as it is devoid of any factual basis. And it is cynical based on the belief that the American people cannot discern fact from fiction. But I am betting on America. History has shown that those who bet against her are rarely successful, and more often, they end up covered with shame.
I believe in the rule of law, and I thank you, Mr. Attorney General, for defending it.
Let me now turn to some of the false claims asserted by the former President and some on this committee. On Sunday, the former president appeared on a national news Sunday program and was asked about four indictments and 91 counts facing him.
His response was, “Biden indictments.” Excuse me, “Biden political indictments. He said to the Attorney General, ‘indict him.’”
Mr. Attorney General, I want to give you a chance to respond. Was the president telling the truth or was he lying when he said that President Biden told you to indict him?
Merrick Garland: No one has told me to indict. And in this case, the decision to indict was made by the special counsel.
Adam Schiff: So that statement the president made on Sunday was false.
Merrick Garland: I'm just going to say again that no one has told me who should be indicted in any matter like this. and the decision about indictment was made by Mr. Smith.
Adam Schiff: Let me ask you this question about the prosecution of Hunter Biden. The prosecutor in that case, Mr. Weiss was appointed not by Joe Biden, but he was appointed in the first instance by Donald Trump. Is that correct?
Merrick Garland: That's correct.
Adam Schiff: And he was continued in that position, was he not?
Merrick Garland: He was continued in that position, yes.
Adam Schiff: And Mr. Attorney General, can you imagine, can you imagine the hue and cry you would hear from my colleagues on the other side of the aisle if you had removed him from that position? Can you imagine the claims that you had removed a prosecutor who was diligently investigating Hunter Biden? Can you imagine the outrage they would have expressed?
Merrick Garland: I can say that during my confirmation hearing, I discussed with many senators, on that side of the aisle, their desire and actual insistence that Mr. Weiss be continued to have responsibility for that matter. And I promised and I said at my confirmation hearing that he would be permitted to stay and that I would not interfere.
Adam Schiff: And, Mr. Attorney General, that was exactly the right decision. That was the right decision to give the American people the confidence that even a prosecutor chosen by the former president would continue in the investigation into the son of the current president. That was exactly the right decision. Exactly the right decision. And my colleagues on the other side of the aisle would have been screaming if it were otherwise. But their attack on you is completely devoid of fact, of principle. But I appreciate you doing the right thing for the Department of Justice and more importantly, the right thing for the American people. I yield back.
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