U.S. Legal professional Merrick Garland speaks on the American Bar Affiliation’s annual assembly Aug. 7 in Denver.

David Zalubowski/AP

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David Zalubowski/AP

U.S. Legal professional Merrick Garland speaks on the American Bar Affiliation’s annual assembly Aug. 7 in Denver.

David Zalubowski/AP

Legal professional Normal Merrick Garland is scheduled to testify earlier than a Home Judiciary Committee listening to on Wednesday morning the place Republicans are anticipated to query him about investigations into Hunter Biden and former President Donald Trump.

The listening to is meant to be a part of the committee’s commonplace oversight duties, however the morning assembly between the US lawyer common and Republican members of the committee is predicted to be heated.

If FBI Director Christopher Wray’s listening to earlier this summer time is any indication, Garland is ready for a tense, hours-long assembly crammed with accusations of a politicized company.

Republicans in Congress have lengthy criticized Garland and his administration for precisely that, even floating the concept of ​​opening an impeachment inquiry in opposition to Garland.

GOP lawmakers Garland referred to as for a “two-tier” justice system on the subject of investigating Republicans and Democrats.

This is because of investigations into the dealing with of categorized supplies by President Joe Biden, his surviving son, Hunter Biden, and former President Donald Trump.

Garland might be ready to defend his company.

In an excerpt of his ready assertion to the committee, Garland mentioned: “There isn’t any set of legal guidelines for the highly effective and one other for the powerless; Completely different guidelines, relying on race, ethnicity or faith.”

He continued: “Because the President himself mentioned, and I verify right here at present: I’m not the President’s lawyer. I can even add that I’m not the Legal professional Normal of Congress. The Division of Justice works for the American folks. Our job is to observe the details and the regulation wherever they lead, and that’s what we do.”

Why Hunter Biden and Particular Counsel Jack Smith might be a giant focus

The youthful Biden has been beneath investigation led by particular counsel David Weiss since 2019.

His appointment as particular counsel got here after the collapse of the plea settlement between Biden and federal prosecutors. As a part of the plea deal, Biden might have averted prosecution for a firearms offense.

However earlier this month, Biden was charged with a felony firearms cost.

Whereas the investigation was ongoing, two IRS brokers got here ahead and publicly accused the Justice Division of giving Biden preferential therapy and slowing down the investigation.

This has elevated Republican assertion that the Justice Division is defending the Biden household from prison prosecution.

As a part of the committee’s investigation into that investigation, the committee plans to usher in Weiss for questioning later this fall.

In an interview with the Washington Examiner this week, Jim Jordan, a member of the Judiciary Committee, defined that the committee’s predominant focus this morning can even be on particular counsel Jack Smith, who led the federal investigation into Trump.

Jordan and different Republican lawmakers have sided with Trump in his claims that he did nothing improper and that Smith and the Justice Division are interfering within the 2024 election by prosecuting the previous president.