(DailyVantage.com) – Attorney General Merrick Garland may face serious consequences if the Department of Justice (DOJ) is found to have interfered with the release of its Inspector General’s report on the agency’s activities during the January 6 Capitol events. A letter led by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and signed by ten members of the House Judiciary Committee, including Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH), issued a stern warning to Garland. The letter follows recent testimony suggesting that the DOJ may be delaying the release of the report, which could include key information about the FBI’s use of confidential human sources (CHSs) on Capitol grounds that day.
Massie and his colleagues expressed concern over the DOJ’s slow pace, reminding Garland of his earlier testimony where he claimed the Inspector General, Michael Horowitz, operates independently and controls the timing of the report’s release. However, Horowitz testified on September 25 that his draft report is being held up by the DOJ, fueling suspicion that politics may be influencing the delay.
The presence of federal assets, specifically CHSs, at the Capitol on January 6 has been a controversial issue, with many questioning how many informants were involved and whether their actions contributed to the day’s events. Massie pressed Horowitz during the September hearing about the number of confidential sources on the ground, but Horowitz declined to provide a clear answer, citing the draft status of the report and the need for a classification review.
Horowitz indicated that while he hopes to release the report soon, it likely won’t be out before the 2024 election, a fact that has raised eyebrows. Massie voiced his concerns on social media, claiming that the Biden-Harris administration does not want the public to know the extent of federal involvement in the events of January 6.
The letter to Garland issued a clear warning: if the DOJ delays or interferes with the release of the report, Congress will hold him accountable. Should the report confirm extensive federal involvement or suggest inappropriate actions by federal agents, it could challenge the current understanding of what transpired that day.
The report, once released, may contain explosive details, potentially shifting the narrative around January 6. Massie and others believe that withholding this information until after the election could have significant political implications. If Garland or his department are found to have delayed the report, they could face congressional action.
Copyright 2024, DailyVantage.com