Attorney General Merrick Garland is set to testify before a Senate committee on Wednesday, where he’ll likely be peppered with questions on everything from the two recently appointed special counsels to reproductive rights to school board meetings.
Garland’s appearance before the Democratic-controlled Senate Judiciary Committee marks his first trip to Capitol Hill this year. It comes as investigations into President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have taken center stage in recent months.
Garland in his opening remarks will outline what the Justice Department has accomplished under his tenure and defend the work of department employees, according to a DOJ spokesperson.
His prepared remarks will touch on topics like efforts to combat the rise of violent crime and hate crimes, work to protect reproductive freedom across the country, and the department’s accomplishments in partnering with the Ukrainian government against Russian aggression.
“Every day, the 115,000 employees of the Justice Department work tirelessly to fulfill our mission: to uphold the rule of law, to keep our country safe, and to protect civil rights,” Garland will say, according to a copy of his prepared remarks.
He will praise agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and the US Marshals who “put their lives on the line to disrupt threats and respond to crises,” and laud Justice Department employees’ efforts to protect national security and “our country’s democratic institutions.”
“Every day, in everything we do, the employees of the Justice Department adhere to and uphold the rule of law that is the foundation of our system of government,” Garland’s remarks say.
He is likely to face aggressive questions from Republicans as part of…
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