Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley slammed President Joe Biden’s anti-Christian Attorney General Merrick Garland on Wednesday due to the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) record of disproportionately targetting Catholics, as the DOJ did when it went after Mark Houch, a pro-life protestor from Pennsylvania whose home was raided by over 20 FBI agents and was arrested.
“Our department protects all religions, all ideologies. It does not have any bias against any religion of any kind,” Garland responded to the accusations on Wednesday.
Hawley said that the DOJ would strike down Catholics and turn a “blind eye” to the violence that unfolds in American cities.
“Your answer frankly surprises me,” Hawley added.
“Why did you send 20-30 SWAT-style agents, SWAT-style team to this guy’s house when everybody else had declined to prosecute and he offered to turn himself in?”
Hawley defended Houck after the incident and even sent a letter to Garland after the arrest, accusing him of turning a “local dispute into a national case” and for executing the search warrant in “extreme a manner as one can imagine.” Houck was found not guilty of charges against him in 2023.
Hawley asked if it was “necessary” to send that many FBI agents to Houck’s home while his wife and children were there. Garland responded that the decision was not his to make and that it was the FBI on the ground that made the call. Garland said he was not abdicating responsibility, to which Hawley said, “Do you think, in your opinion, you are the attorney general of the United States? You are in charge of the Justice Department and yes, sir, you are responsible. So give me an answer.”
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) accuses Attorney General Merrick Garland of harboring “anti-Catholic bias” and “turning a blind eye while people are executed gang-style in the streets of our cities.” pic.twitter.com/JuOsSs2JBv
— The Recount (@therecount) March 1, 2023
“You used an unbelievable show of force with guns that I just note liberals usually decry. We’re supposed to hate long guns and assault-style weapons. You’re happy to deploy them against Catholics and innocent children. Happy to,” Hawley later said. “And then you haul them into court and a jury acquits him in one hour. I suggest to you that is a disgraceful performance by your Justice Department and a disgraceful use of resources.”
When asked about the FBI inserting FBI infiltrators into Catholic churches, Garland responded, “The Justice Department does not do that and does not do investigations based on religion. I saw the document you sent. It’s appalling. It’s appalling. I’m in complete agreement with you. I understand that the FBI has withdrawn it and is looking into how this could ever have happened,” Garland replied.
Merrick Garland has turned the DOJ into a political hit team for Joe Biden. There is no more impartial DOJ – the White House is using law enforcement to do its bidding pic.twitter.com/yCN7io4uM5
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) March 2, 2023
